Friday already? I was encouraged by the response to last week's post and my entertaining an idea to create more nonfiction poetry. I've put a few books on hold at the library for research and in the meantime thinking about ideas for a possible PB about beaks/or other appendages and maybe a collection of poems on a broader topic. So thanks to you guys for the extra motivation :)
In looking at the craft, I'm trying to keep my eye out for texts that may be useful in exploring aspects of writing poetry. With a little bit of money coming in for my birthday last weekend it's tempting to spend it on books! Any recommendations?
This week's poem was inspired by when I had chicken pox in the 5th grade. My dad stayed home with me during the day and I remember calamine lotion, taking oatmeal baths to alleviate the itching and just hanging out in bed watching old TV programs.
Chicken Pox Rox
Itchy dots on my back.
Splotchy pink,
Crust and crack.
Powdered donuts in the bed
Watching Matlock once again.
Out of school
Hideaway
Don't want homework
Go away!
Royal treatment like the Queen.
Can I have some more soup, please?
Chicken pox is so much fun.
Want to try?
Anyone?
© 2018 e. mauger
Speaking of youth, I was watching something the other day and they had a story on now 13-year-old Solli Raphael, who last year was named the youngest slam poetry champion at the National Australian Poetry Slam Championships. Imagine having to compete against 1,000 other poets! Here's a recent clip of him from TEDxSydney.
This week's Poetry Friday is kindly hosted by Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge. Check it out and share in the poetry goodness.
Love all the creative energy and enthusiasm that brims from your post, Erin - and your take on chicken pox as something fun! Thanks for sharing the video of such an amazing young poet, too.
ReplyDeleteOh goodness... poetry references. Check out all the resources Sylvia Vardell has compiled (even her THE POETRY TEACHERS BOOK OF LISTS which will keep you occupied on resource trails for years) as well as the POMELO BOOKS books. Amy Ludwig VanDerwater's POEMS AS TEACHERS. Any resources by Lee Bennett Hopkins or Ralph Fletcher. Georgia Heard's HEART MAPS books. Classics by Myra Cohn Livingston and Kenneth Koch. Valerie Worth's small poems. And many more... but these are a few of my favorites! (Of course, I'd have more specific recommendations if you're interested in haiku - you could start at The Haiku Foundation online for those!) Happy creating!
PS - and ANYthing - prose or poetry - by the late Nancy Willard! :0)
DeleteThanks Robyn. I appreciate your sharing some of your favourites! :)
DeleteI guess not many have memories of chicken pox anymore, but I love your memory, and those oatmeal baths helped! Robyn has taken many of my suggestions, all awesome. Some of my favorite helps in the classroom are two by Paul Janeczko, The Place My Words Are Looking For & Poetspeak. He's also done A Kick In The Head, helpful poetry forms. And one of the PF poets, Margaret Simon has just published one, Bayou Song, with poems & challenges to write with her mentor poems. Best wishes!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and adding your recommendations as well :)
DeleteYou are doing great! Welcome back to Poetry Friday. Oh, the time travel packed into this poem...I have memories! Although, I didn't enjoy the pox at all. I don't have books to recommend. But I highly, HIGHLY recommend Renee LaTulippe's online poetry writing course, The Lyrical Language Lab. She has you get mentor texts to study as you work through practicing elements of poetry. I was frustrated in the class that I wasn't writing "great" poems....but oh, my did I learn a ton and I've returned to my course materials many times. Renee can be found at her website, "No Water River"
ReplyDeleteI think I saw Renee's course online as well. Don't think I can afford it at the moment but it's something I've heard others have enjoyed. I will have to keep my eye on it though. It's great to have resources you can keep returning to.
DeleteLovely chicken pox poem. There are so many wonderful poems to read that I can't narrow it down. Some of my favorite poetry books are by Billy Collins, Naomi Shihab Nye, Pablo Neruda. I love anthologies of all kinds, especially with wonderful introductions giving insights on why the editor chose what. You've got so many great recommendations already in previous comments...
ReplyDeleteIt's good to have some anthologies on the list, let's you get a taste of the different styles of poetry out there.
DeleteGreat Chicken Pox poem! I remember my mom purposely sending us on a playdate to purposely expose us to the chicken pox, so that we could just get it over with.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I guess that's one way to handle it! :)
DeleteSplotchy pink, crust and crack...good description. Takes me back to when I had chicken pox IN COLLEGE. I had to wait it out in the infirmary. Geez.
ReplyDeleteOH my, does your poem bring back memories of my own itchy chicken pox. I missed the last day of 3rd grade, so I didn't have to worry too much about homework. Good luck researching for your PB!
ReplyDeleteI remember the chicken pox, too. Long days of reading, quarantined in my room. I liked that poet's poem, culminating in that last quavering question. He was so powerful I forgot he was a child in his words until that last question.
ReplyDeleteSolli Raphael, what a powerful poet, thanks so much for sharing him with us–so powerful and poignant! What a fun twist to leave us with at the end of your poem,
ReplyDelete"Chicken pox is so much fun.
Want to try?
Anyone?"
Thanks Erin!