National Poetry Month 2013 begins!

Today begins a month long celebration of poetry.  Clever writers from all over have committed to bringing poetry to the forefront in many creative ways.  My intention is to share a new poem here every day.  I will be sharing "found" poems.  These are poems created from words found in various texts....book bindings, articles, church bulletins!  All month long, I will be turning a keen eye to all things written, looking for hidden poems.  Please join me in finding poems in whatever it is you are reading!

The bad news is I will be away from technology for the next week.  I will be writing the old fashioned way- in my Wonder Woman notebook with my felt tip pen. Rest assured that I will post my catch up poems as soon as I can!

Today's poem was found in the church bulletin from last week's Maundy Thursday service.  I collected the most powerful words in the bulletin.  As these words were jumping out at me, I couldn't help but think of a special little girl who was born eleven years ago today!

Mercy and Grace
By Melinda Harvey


Your presence is precious
It brings to me peace
A daughter, a sister, a God child, a niece.

I can not forget your
Slight body, sweet face
Your message of mercy, your lessons of grace.

Trembling with memories
The years reach eleven
Lamb of God, sweet angel watching from heaven.

March Madness Poetry Tournament Starting soon

3/11/13

Stretch.....yawn.....wiggle, stretch again.  It's true, I am uncurling from my dormancy just in time for the 2013 March Madness Poetry Tournament.  In honor of the tournament, I have written a new poem.   It might be a bit of a plug for votes, but I still maintain this...Vote for your favorite poem; it doesn't have to be mine, just be sure to follow the tournament and vote, vote, vote!

Today is the day

It might sound absurd,

but today is the day

I am given my word.

It could change my life,

and I wouldn’t know it.

This mystery word

could make me a poet.

With this word and ten lines

I’ll be ready to fight

I’ll be thinking and drafting 

to make it rhyme right.

It’s up to the public

if I sink or I float

Go to thinkkidthink.com

and place your first vote!

I will get my word late tonight via email.  From there, I will have 36ish hours to create, edit and finalize a new poem.  Go to www.thinkkidthink.com on Thursday to vote!

Warming up!

Hello!  I am back after a long hiatus.  This weekend we are experiencing an unusually warm weekend in Western New York- I suspect we broke the record high of 60degrees.  Even though we are very much in the middle of winter, today makes me think of warmer days and springtime.  With Springtime comes the March Madness poetry tournament.  If you are a poet, consider applying to compete in this fun, challenging poetry competition.  You can apply at www.thinkkidthink.com.  I am getting warmed up for some heavy duty writing by revisiting some poems that I wrote last year.

One of my students tried her hand at "how-to" poetry and I'd like to share it with you now.  Welcome, Charity to Thinkinginrhyme!

Stack it!

Bu Charity P.

Take some

Pancakes

And stack

Them up

Then simply

Cut them

Into fours

And simply

Put the syrup

On and then gobble it

Up!

Stack it!