I finished writing a sonnet today. In French. I make no claim that it was a good sonnet. In fact, when explaining it, I labeled it ”A sonnet that wasn’t a real sonnet,” since the patterns of rhymes and syllables were correct but I changed the rhythm of the accents somewhat. But still—a sonnet. Unless … Continue reading
I’m not a regular watcher of America’s Got Talent, but the pandemic changes many things. So, recently, I ended up watching the last few episodes of the talent competition. There were singers, lightening-speed dancers, magicians, death-defying aerialists, and one extraordinary spoken word artist, Brandon Leake. The first time I heard his poetry, it took my … Continue reading
Sometimes when I walk through a bookstore, a book just calls out to me. It isn’t what I was looking for. More often than not, it isn’t something I need. But it calls, none-the-less. That is what happened with Kwame Alexander’s Animal Ark. Theoretically, Animal Ark is a children’s book. It certainly is appealing to … Continue reading
Apparently Shakespeare is in the air. (OK, I suppose Shakespeare is always in the air somewhere). But now, right on the heels of my falling in love with the song “Will Power” from Something Rotten, NPR features the release of Erik Didriksen’s Pop Sonnets. Pop Sonnets is an outgrowth of Didriksen’s Tumblr, where every Thursday … Continue reading
Recently a middle school friend sent me a text, “First day of school 😦 .” I understand. While first-days-of-school can be filled with excitement, new school supplies, and the hope of better things, school routines can feel stifling after weeks of unfettered exploration. No more time for “messing around.” It is time for the serious … Continue reading
Do you teach poetry? Do you teach about these men? I started to blog about cowboy poetry, but really what I want to say is, go here. Read this. Listen to the story, or scroll down to the bottom and read the transcript. Read the poems. Aren’t they beautiful? It’s a far cry from what … Continue reading
I love concrete poetry. The combination of poetry and art speaks to me—and I love the way it gives students with differing strengths a chance to shine. Concrete poetry is the graffiti of the poetry world—its messages as much graphic as literary. Recently I ran across a wonderful collection of concrete poems for all ages, … Continue reading
I don’t often take a week off from blogging, but the end of the semester got away from me until I realized I almost let National Poetry Month go by unrecognized—can’t have that! Of course there are lots of ways to celebrate, starting with the 30 Ways to Celebrate from the American Academy of Poets … Continue reading
It’s time for Valentine’s Day–that celebration of all things heart-shaped that brightens the depths of seemingly endless winter. I’ve written several previous posts on creative Valentine’s Day activities— check the Valentine’s posts from 2012 and 2013. I’m still waiting to hear who presented the best case for another body part to take over as ambassador of … Continue reading
I live in a houseful of cats, so when I spotted a small book with a cat on the cover and the title, I Could Pee on This I was more intrigued than appalled. Then I picked it up and started laughing out loud mid-bookstore. The book is all-too-real to cat owners, but also a … Continue reading
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