Poetry Friday
I’m so glad you stop by to join me and the #PoetryFriday community
with Robyn Hood Black over at Life on the Deckle Edge
to wish a
Happy Birthday
to
Lee Bennett Hopkins
— award-winning children’s author, poet, anthologist, and editor,
and a lifelong promoter of poetry for children.
Poetry is… No. 13.
#NPM2018
In celebration, here are two poems I wrote this week after two of Lee Bennett Hopkins’ poems.
Our neighborhood crows and Lee Bennett Hopkins’ poem “Seas Seas” were the inspiration for “Crows Crows.”
Conversations of my grandsons, my own horror of ticks based on childhood experiences, and Lee Bennett Hopkins’ “Ode to a Dead Mosquito” were the inspiration for this poem.
Reading my poems for you
Listen to “Ode to a DEET-ed Tick” — a poem reading by me on my youtube channel
Listen to “Crows Crows” — a poem reading by me on my youtube channel
Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge is hosting
the week’s #PoetryFriday Round-Up.
Poetry Friday Schedule
January – June 2018
What is #PoetryFriday?
I’m not a huge fan of crows and I abhor ticks, but I enjoyed both poems, Alice. The repetition in the crow poem echoes their constant cawing, and I was very happy that your tick met his fate! Thank you for sharing!
Love the visual aspect you brought to Crows — the photo along with the shape of your poem.
You got lots of information in your tick poem before you killed the subject!!
There’s a parking lot in my city that’s a famous gathering spot for crows, they swarm there by the hundreds, and as evening comes you can see them all flying in from across the city. Your poem made me think of that, and the feeling of ominous wonder that sight instills!
I know what you mean. I was doing some PD in a town in central Texas. In the evening, I had dinner with some of the teachers. As we got out of the car to go into the restaurant, an enormous flock of “black birds” flew… more like swarmed… above us. The teachers all ducked, covered their heads, screamed and for the entrance. Of course, I did likewise, except I didn’t scream. Haha! Funny part is, I didn’t even feel foolish doing it. It was like a scene from Hitchcock’s “The Birds.”
Alice, what a fun celebratory post. I thought the tick poem was hilarious and enjoyed the way you read it. Swoosh Deet!
Thank you, Carol. 🙂
Crows is brilliant, Alice! They (and the blue jays and grackles) are making me crazy this week scary away my lovely songbirds. The ticks are back in full force, too. We’ve already begun plucking them off of children after recess. Oh, nature!
Oh! I can’t imagine having to check K-students for ticks after recess! My grandson (when he was 9 or 10) was studying about “blood-sucking bugs” in health (e.g., lice and bedbugs). His mom shared her childhood experiences with ticks. After pondering it a moment, he flatly announced, “Life just got a lot harder.”
I love the shape and sound of your crow poem. Oh, that tick! I’m not a fan of a tick, but I do love the way you set him straight in your poem.
Thanks, Cathy. The word “crows” is almost onomatopoeic. I didn’t realize how much until I read the poem aloud.
Fun poems – my 9-year-old loves the crows poem!
Oh… I will have to share it with my grandsons to see their reaction. Tell him (or her) thanks from me. 🙂
I love both of these! Thanks for sharing them and the inspiration behind them!
Thank you, Kay!
What a fine tribute to have Lee’s poems inspire your own! I especially love the crows poem, Alice—the words, the formatting, and the striking presentation. Well done!
Thank you, Michelle. Funny thing about the shape of the crow poem, it started out as a way to fit the poem on the photograph. I had several photographs but really wanted to use the one with them silhouetted in bare trees against the moon. I tried changing position of the moon in the photograph but it lost some of it’s impact. So I started moving the text around … and realized it I could create a shape with the first lines. 🙂
Ha–if you can write a poem about a tick, I guess you can write a poem about anything!
Only if the tick ends up dead… !!
All wonderful celebrations. I adore crows, and love that you created something that is enjoyable about ticks! Oh boy, they are something to watch for, and to celebrate the poeticness of Deet! Fun post, Alice!
I don’t know that I “adore” crows… are songbirds seem to leave when they come and the are so noisy, so scolding. … but I do find them fascinating. I like watching their behavior. I’ve watched them station lookouts when they steal food from the neighbor’s pet dishes.
Enjoyed both poems, Alice. I’m with you about those nasty ticks, and like the way you captured crow essence!
Thanks, Jama. I’m so glad you dropped by.
Ahhh! Ticks! Can’t stand them, yet your poem has such a satisfying ending. Love it. Like the marauding crows. They have returned to trees outside my window. They always sound so judgmental. Caw! Haven’t mowed your grass! Caw! Need to wash your car! Caw!
You nailed it, Brenda! They do sound overbearing and judgmental.
🙂
What fun, I love Your “Crows” captures them wonderfully. I’m glad the tick didn’t get you. Thanks Alice!
Thanks for coming by, Michelle.
I enjoyed (well, as much as you can enjoy a tick-themed poem – ha!) both of these poetic creations inspired by Lee’s! Thanks for joining the party, Jane – poems are always the best gifts.
Thanks for throwing the party, Robyn. It has been wonderful reading everyone’s tributes to Lee Bennett Hopkins. What a legacy he has given!