National Poetry Month

It's National Poetry Month! Did you know? Over at Read, Discuss, Do! we are hosting a Parent and Child Poetry Challenge throughout the month of April. Each week we'll be featuring a different form of poetry and challenging you to explore and write with your children (or grandchildren, nieces, nephews, your own parents...). The fun begins today with acrostics! So I thought it would be appropriate to share an acrostic I wrote about National Poetry Month several years ago.

I hope you will head over to Read, Discuss, Do! and join in the fun, even if you don't have any kids to write with. Poetry is for everyone, after all! 

My National Poetry Month Plan

It's National Poetry Month again, and to celebrate I have decided to write one poem each day of April! I made this little journal especially for the occasion. The cover is made out of repurposed cardboard, and the pages are made from copy paper.

My hope is to try as many new forms of poetry as possible over the next thirty days. But as long as I manage to write a poem each day, I will count that a success!

If you'd like to follow my progress, I'll be posting regularly on my social media feeds. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Also, I hope you will hop over to Read, Discuss, Do! to see what we've got going on over there. We're celebrating with special weekly National Poetry Month posts meant to help you read, discuss, and do (write) poetry with the young people in your lives.

Do you have any specific plans for Poetry Month? I'd love to hear about them!

Mask Fatigue, a Poem for National Poetry Month

Image source: Canva

Mask Fatigue

I'm tired of masks.

Aren't you?

Those closed doors,

those mufflers,

those smile stiflers

that limit connection,

silence talk

and end up strewn about the sidewalk

and parking lot

by people who care not

for cleanliness

or decency,

at least not more than they care 

for themselves

and the way the masks make them feel caged.

I think that's why they cast them aside

without thought for the one

who comes behind them,

clearing carelessness from the ground

one mask at a time,

her weary frown hidden

behind a mask of her own.

© 2021 Rebecca J. Gomez 

National Poetry Month: Downfall

We had a beautiful April snowfall recently. The kind of snow that coats everything it touches and makes the world feel soft and snug, like a hug. But the thin layer that was left behind on the deck steps after being shoveled and tromped on was not so friendly.


Downfall

The snow is fluffy, soft and nice
but not the ice.
It's slip-slick
quick
enjoys the sick trick
of pulling at your shoes
making you lose your
footing
fall,
call out
flail about.
CRACK!
On your back
seeing nothing by sky.

You get up
back on your feet
noting your body's warning:
You're gonna be sore in the morning.

But you smile at the not-so-nice ice
as it chuckles with glee,
because, wait and see.
Soon the sun will be high in the sky
and the slip-slick ice will melt
then dry.
Good-bye!

© 2020 Rebecca J. Gomez

National Poetry Month: The Puppy in the Grass

Last week was my and my hubby's 26th wedding anniversary. In celebration, my hubby got me the sweetest little gift ever. Her name is Lucy (as in Lucy Pevensie, aka Queen Lucy the Valiant), and she's a Morkie. Over the last week my life has been taken over by a tiny ball of fluff, so it may not surprise you that a few of the poems I've written for National Poetry Month have been about her. Here's one.

The Puppy in the Grass 

The puppy in the grass scampers
like a four legged toddler, so tiny
the blades of grass graze her belly.

She leaps, topples, flops
as she chases after the toy poodle.
He towers over her, turns away
as she darts under his tummy
like a hobbit under a horse.

But there are no arrows threatening her.
No bloodthirsty orc hunting her through the trees.
Just a gust of wind,
the call of a bird,
a car door slamming across the street.

To her, the unknown is danger,
and I am like an Ent,
strong arms ready
to carry her away.

© 2020 Rebecca J. Gomez

Lucy and our toy poodle, Gimli. 

National Poetry Month: Teddy Bear in the Window

It's National Poetry Month! My main goal for the month is to write a new poem every day. So far, I haven't missed a day. That isn't saying much, considering we're only two days in, but I very nearly forgot yesterday.

My poem for April 1st was inspired by the Bear Hunt game that communities around the country have put together to entertain children and families in this time of social distancing. If you've seen any Teddy Bears hanging out in windows lately, you might know what I'm talking about. If you haven't heard of it, this article will tell you everything you need to know.

And now, the poem!

Teddy Bear in the Window

He sits
and stares
with blank black eyes.
It's no surprise that he doesn't really see,
but still, he waits,
anticipates the moment when
a minivan will round the corner

slow

       stop

with windows in the lowest position.

A child will poke her head out
and shout, "I see one!"
A little brown bear
pressed against the living room glass,
longing for
a hug.

© 2020 Rebecca J. Gomez

Review: I'M JUST NO GOOD AT RHYMING

The title just about says it all for I'M JUST NO GOOD AT RHYMING and Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-ups by Chris Harris, illustrated by Lane Smith.

Doesn't the title alone make you want to flip open this book to find out what mischievous stuff is going on in there? Do it! You won't be sorry. This delightful book of poetry has something to amuse every kid or kid at heart, whether they think they like poetry or not. The poem "Out on the Farm on a Saturday Night" alone is more than worth the effort. What does an upside-down cow sound like? How about a sideways cow? I bet you're wondering!

Full of fun word play, irresistible humor, and clever poem structures, not to mention delightful illustrations, I'M JUST NO GOOD AT RHYMING is a must-have poetry book for every home or classroom library. Whether during National Poetry Month or All Year Long, it would be nonsensical for you to miss out on this brilliant book of poems!

I borrowed it from the public library. And I don't want to bring it back. So I guess I better go buy my own copy. You come too! Or go check it out at the library. But don't forget to bring it back, no matter how tempting it is to keep it for yourself!

Five Verse Novels I Read in April, and What I Thought of Them

National Poetry Month has come to an end.

I didn't do much on the blog for Poetry Month this year, but I did set goals for myself personally. Those goals were: read 5 new verse novels and write 10 new poems.

Did I make it? Yes! Admittedly, I wrote two of the poems today after realizing that I was only up to eight. But that counts!

I'm not prepared to share any of the poems I wrote in the past thirty days, but I'm always happy to share about books I read! Here are the 5 verse novels I read this month, along with some quick thoughts about each one:

TO STAY ALIVE: MARY ANN GRAVES AND THE TRAGIC JOURNEY OF THE DONNER PARTY by Skila Brown

This book was engaging, beautifully written, and a bit horrifying at times. Highly recommended! See my full review here.

RONIT & JAMIL by Pamela L. Laskin

I was disappointed in this book, primarily because it was hard to follow and I felt that the romance was poorly developed. It has some beautiful language and form poetry, but it just didn't work for me as a novel.

I DON'T WANT TO BE CRAZY by Samantha Schutz

This book was a little different in that it was a memoir. I found the verse format to be effective and the writing to be engaging, though the book ended a bit too abruptly.

ONE by Sarah Crossan

This is a beautifully written and heartbreaking story about conjoined twins. Loved it!

YOU CAN FLY: THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN by Carol Boston Weatherford

This is a quick read that is both engaging and inspiring. It's a bit different in that it is historical, and it's told in 2nd person.


Did you read any verse novels or write any poems this month? I'd love to hear about it!

Swallowing a Hair: An Author Event Horror Story (in verse)

In honor of National Poetry Month, here is a story in verse form from my first ever author event. This moment makes me cringe a little bit every time I think of it. I can only hope this poem does the same for you.


You know that feeling
when you sense a strand of hair
stuck to your tongue,
a foreign object that makes you want to gag
and spit
like a cat with a hairball
and you can't focus on ANYTHING
besides pulling it off
no matter how many
delicate
desperate
pinches
of your thumb and forefinger
it takes?

It was exactly that.

Except

I was powerless in that moment,
standing with my book in my hands,
smiling back at the small crowd of faces,
some familiar,
some new,
all eager to hear
what I had to say,
all eager to hear me
read my book
publicly
for the first time
EVER.

Perhaps I could have excused myself,
turned around,
pinched at the surface of my tongue,
and it would have been over
and forgotten
in a matter of seconds.

But

I didn't want that image in the minds
of my audience.

It took every bit of fortitude I possessed
but I forged ahead,
pretending that
the invisible, coiled intruder didn't exist
until
at a moment I cannot pinpoint,
it was gone,
washed down my throat
with a trace
of swallowed saliva.

Verse Novel Review: To Stay Alive by Skila Brown

TO STAY ALIVE
by Skila Brown
Candlewick Press

TO STAY ALIVE by Skila Brown is a young adult historical verse novel told from the perspective of Mary Ann Graves, one of the survivors of the Donner party's tragic trek through Sierra Nevada in 1846.

Reading this book is like a journey. The story begins with a sense of anticipation as the Graves family heads west with their wagons full supplies and their hearts full of hope. The narrator, Mary Ann, is looking forward to a new life in California, where they will no longer have to suffer the hardships of winter.

As the journey progresses, anticipation gives in to weariness and tension. Mary Ann's traveling dress, at first crisp and green and new, gradually becomes more faded and filthy--a fitting metaphor for the human body and spirit when subjected to suffering.

Tension builds as the autumn nights grow colder and their supplies run low. Readers familiar with the basic story of the Donner party may find themselves wanting to shout a warning into the pages. When the inevitable happens, and the party becomes stranded due to winter's early arrival, readers' hearts will ache as Mary Ann watches the people around her succumb to hunger and cold, all while doing what she can to help herself and her family stay alive.

The verse in this story is well done. The way the author formats the poems, at times with words that jump jarringly about the page, is as effective as her choice of words at evoking the appropriate emotions.

TO STAY ALIVE is gripping, heartbreaking, and at times horrifying. An excellent, beautifully written story of survival.

TOP TEN Verse Novels for Middle Grade Readers

With National Poetry Month coming in another two weeks, I thought it would be a good time to write a TOP TEN list of my favorite middle grade verse novels!

Verse novels are one of my favorite things to read. And to write! There's something especially special about verse novels written for middle-graders. They are so honest, often raw. They can be simple in form, yet complicated and/or tragic at their heart.

Narrowing this list down to ten was challenging, as I've read so many truly wonderful books written in this form. But these are the ones that stick in my heart the strongest. If you see any on this list that you haven't read, take National Poetry Month as an excuse to add them to your reading list!

LOVE THAT DOG by Sharon Creech

One of my favorite books of all time. This book is beautifully simple, heartfelt, moving, and a little bit tragic.

HATE THAT CAT by Sharon Creech

The sequel to LOVE THAT DOG (and my son's favorite of the two). Every bit as lovely, with a hopefully and heartwarming story about a boy and a cat.

HEARTBEAT by Sharon Creech

Another by Sharon Creech. What can I say? She's a genius!

FORGET ME NOT by Ellie Terry

A beautiful story about a girl with Tourette's syndrome trying to adjust to a new school, and the friendship she develops with the boy who lives in her apartment building.

GONE FISHING by Tamera Will Kissinger

A wonderful family/sibling story about a boy who is annoyed that his sister is coming along on the father-son fishing trip. Told in a variety of different poetic forms.

OUT OF THE DUST by Karen Hesse

Gut-wrenchingly tragic, yet hopeful at the same time. Gorgeous poems throughout. This is the first verse novel I ever read, and I was instantly in love.

RHYME SCHEMER by K.A. Holt

A bullying story turned on its head! The main character in this story is the bully, and it's fascinating to see what drives him and how he changes. Cool "blackout" poems throughout the book.

THE CROSSOVER by Kwame Alexander

Family, middle school, sibling rivalry, basketball! Kwame's verse is irresistible throughout this un-put-downable book!

BOOKED by Kwame Alexander

Another wonderful sports and family (and school) story told in brilliant verse.

RED BUTTERFLY by A. L. Sonnichsen

Get ready to cry when you read this one. It's the story of a little girl in China, who was abandoned as a baby and is being raised by an elderly American woman.


Do you have a favorite verse novel that didn't make my top ten? I'd love to hear about it!

National Poetry Month: Verse Novel Reviews

When I set out to read as many verse novels as I could this month, I had hoped to read more than six of them. I got through my library pile fairly quickly, but haven't made it back to the library to get more. What can I say? April has been busier than I had anticipated!

Stil, I read several new verse novels and reread an old favorite. It's been a good reading month! It's rare that I manage to read two whole novels in a month, much less six of them!

Here is a list of the verse novels I read for the first time this month, along with a quick review of each. I hope this inspires you to do a little verse novel reading of your own.

GROW by Juanita Havill

Gardens and friendship - two things that grow well together. This book is a sweet story about a young girl helping her neighbor start a community garden on a vacant lot. As the garden grows, friendships develop. And when the owner of the vacant lot decides to build on it, the friends must work together to find a way to keep their garden growing.




HOUSE ARREST by K.A. Holt

I loved RHYME SCHEMER by this same author (see my review here), so when I heard about HOUSE ARREST, I had to read it. It is the engaging and heart wrenching story of a young boy who must write in a journal as a condition of his house arrest, a consequence of a desperate act of theft. He had stolen a wallet in hopes that it would help his family buy his baby brother's medicine. Throughout the story we see his attempts to convince the "authorities" that he's not a bad kid, his family's struggle to keep afloat while dealing with the baby's illness, friendships strained, other friendships grow, and a journey from desperation to hope. It's a book that will make you laugh and cry.


LITTLE DOG, LOST by Marion Dane Bauer

Anyone who enjoys stories of lost dogs finding love in a new home will enjoy this book. It is written in third person point of view, which is something I've never encountered before in a verse novel. But it works. I like the way the author tells the story from a few different angles and brings them all together in a satisfying and heartwarming conclusion. It's a quick read too. It took me a little over an hour.





LITTLE CAT'S LUCK by Marion Dane Bauer

This book is a companion to LITTLE DOG, LOST. I liked that book, but I LOVED this one. I found the writing to be a little bit more poetic, though the author employs the same storytelling method as in  LITTLE DOG, LOST. This book focuses more on the animals, and the friendship that develops between the two main animal characters is wonderfully sweet and completely believable. It is a fun, charming, wonderful book that had me fighting back tears.




UNBOUND by Ann E. Burg

Ann E. Burg has a gift for writing gripping, emotional, multi-cultural stories. UNBOUND is the story of a slave girl named Grace and her family's quest for freedom. I enjoyed Grace's voice and her spunky, indignant attitude that ends up being the catalyst for the events that lead to her family's escape into the swamp.

National Poetry Month Plans

I didn't make any official blogging plans for National Poetry Month this year. This is mainly because I've been so busy writing! Corey and I have some manuscripts in the works. I recently wrote and polished a new picture book manuscript. And, I've been furiously revising a middle grade novel in verse.

So, with novels in verse on my mind, I decided that during April I would read as many novels in verse as I could get my hands on. I began with the middle grade book GROW by Juanita Havill. It is a sweet story about a little girl working with her neighbor to create a community garden on a vacant lot.

Yesterday I reread LOVE THAT DOG by Sharon Creech, which is one of the most brilliant books I've ever read. Read it. It'll take you less than an hour, but it will stick with you forever!

My current read, which I will possibly finish today, is HOUSE ARREST by K. A. Holt. She is the author of RHYME SCHEMER, which I reviewed last year. So far, HOUSE ARREST is every bit as good.

So that's my unofficial, unplanned, unorganized National Poetry Month observance. How are you celebrating poetry this month?

Poetry Week by Week: Haiku challenge!

It is the final day of Poetry Month and the final challenge for Poetry Week by Week! I hope you have enjoyed following along as we celebrated poetry for the past month.

And now it is time for the haiku challenge!

It has been raining a lot around here. Hailing too. I love a good rainstorm, especially when it brings with it a decent amount of thunder and a little bit of pea sized hail. When I love something, I often want to write about it, so that explains the inspiration for the haiku I am sharing with you today.

Click clack tip tap ping!

On the windows, walls, and doors.

Hail says, "Let me in!"

I hope this exploration of poetry has inspired you in some way. National Poetry Month may be coming to a close, but poetry can be enjoyed any time by anyone!

Poetry Week by Week: Six Brilliant Haiku Books for Kids

I believe that haiku is a very accessible form of poetry for kids, both to read and to write. Haiku is short, and the "rules" are simple (and can be bent a little). In all the haiku books I've read in preparation for and during this Poetry Week by Week celebration, a few gems stand out. I hope you will take the time to read them and enjoy them as much as I did!

GUYKU: A Year of Haiku for Boys by Bob Racza, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

Don't be fooled. This book is not only for boys, but according to the author it was inspired by boys and the things they do. This book celebrates all the things that outdoor loving kiddos enjoy doing throughout the year. It is a delight to read!

I Haiku You by Betsy Snyder

This is a collection of haiku about love. Love between friends, for family, for pets, or things that people (especially kids) enjoy. Quite a charming little book!

DOGKU by Andrew Clements, illustrated by Tim Bowers

A picture book, told completely in haiku form, about a stray dog finding a home. Dogs and haiku--what a perfect combination!

If Not for the Cat by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Ted Rand

A gorgeous collection of haiku about various animals, from one of the most beloved children's poets. 

WON TON: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku and WON TON and CHOPSTICK: A Cat and Dog Tale Told in Haiku, by Lee Wardlaw, illustrated by Eugene Yelchin

If you've been following along, you will have seen my review of WON TON and CHOPSTICK that I posted yesterday. Both of these books are adorable, sweet stories about new pets and are told completely in haiku form. Don't miss them!

Do you have any favorite haiku books? I'd love to hear about them. 

Poetry Week by Week: Haiku: Review of WON TON AND CHOPSTICK

Last year during National Poetry Month I reviewed the adorable book WON TON: A CAT TALE TOLD IN HAIKU by Lee Wardlaw. This year, I'm moving on to its companion, WON TON AND CHOPSTICK: A CAT AND DOG TALE TOLD IN HAIKU.

This book is as charming and adorable as the first one. Won Ton, now happily content in his home with his boy, finds his life disrupted when the family brings home a puppy! Told completely in a series of haiku verses, this story is clever and sweet and funny. Best of all, Won Ton's voice is every bit as catlike as it is in the original.

If you haven't read these books, you should. They are perfect for anyone who loves stories told in poetic forms, especially if they are fond of pets!

Poetry Week by Week: Guest Poet Kristy Dempsey

I am excited to have my friend and fellow picture book author Kristy Dempsey join us to celebrate haiku for the last week of Poetry Month (and the last week of my Poetry Week by Week Celebration and Challenge)! I am honored that she took a little time out of her busy life as a mom, wife, author and librarian to share a few haiku with us.

Welcome Kristy!

I tend to think of haiku as nature poems, and I also tend to have a sense of wonder and curiosity about nature, so I am always asking questions of nature as I observe. These poems definitely reflect that. Also, I like ending haiku with a question because I think it invites the reader to reflect.

Solitary guard

Single sentinel on watch

Will they ever hatch?

Twinkle, twinkle star

Behind the clouds, you’re out there

Make your wish for me?

An army of ants

marched past this rock, little one

Did you lose your way?

About the poet:

Kristy Dempsey grew up in South Carolina and now works as a teacher-librarian in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, a bustling city of 5 million people. She is the author of Me with You (Philomel), Mini Racer (Bloomsbury), Surfer Chick (Abrams) and A Dance Like Starlight (Philomel), a JLG selection, ALA Notable Book, Bank Street Best of 2015, CCBC 2015 Choice, and the winner of the 2015 Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Text. Four more picture books will publish in 2016, including Superhero Instruction Manual (Knopf, May 2016), a guidebook for the youngest aspiring heroes. 

Be sure to check out Kristy's website and blog, kristydempsey.com and follow her on twitter @kristydempsey. And be sure to check out her picture books too!

Poetry Week by Week: Haiku

It is the last week of Poetry Week by Week, and we are celebrating haiku! Haiku is a traditional form a Japanese poetry that is written in three lines, with those lines being 5, 7, and 5 syllables. According to poets.org, haiku are often about nature and focus on a brief moment in time.

Some poets are comfortable with breaking the syllable rule when writing haiku, but I find the restriction a fun sort of challenge. Here is a haiku I wrote several years ago, in which I followed all the "rules."

colorful leaves drift

streaming bits of confetti

fall's celebration

Do you enjoy reading or writing haiku? Are you a traditionalist or a rule breaker?

Poetry Week by Week: Free Verse Challenge!

April is flying by. Here we are at the end of the third week of Poetry Week by Week. And that means it is challenge time! Today's poem was inspired by the Mines of Moria scene in Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. I wrote it (and revised it a bit) while watching the movie Friday night. Whether you've seen the movie or not, I hope this poem leaves an impression. 

The Mine

Stretching

for miles

in deepest

darkest

paths under the mountain

a mine

a city carved into stone

thrived

its darkest corners

bustling

with dwarves at work

or feasting

or drinking,

malt beer dribbling down beards

until the mine

became

a death trap,

swarming with the foulest beasts

relentless

merciless

unstoppable in their numbers

unyielding in their attack

until

the last dwarf

scribbled a record

with his last

trembling

breath.

© Rebecca J. Gomez

If you are inspired to try this challenge with me, feel free to share or link to your poem in the comments. 

Poetry Week by Week: Guest Poet Ellie Terry

Today's guest poet has been a guest on my blog before. Ellie Terry is a talented poet and author who shared with us last year a little helpful advice about writing in rhyme. Since then, Ellie has sold her very first book, a middle grade verse novel titled FORGET ME NOT, which will hit the shelves in March 2017. That's less than a year from now. Not sooo long to wait, right?

Ellie has decided to share a deleted poem from one of the drafts of FORGET ME NOT.

RESPECTABLE

Throughout the next three days,

I manage to be

            respectable

to Beatriz.

            Respectable

when she snores all night.

            Respectable

when she accidentally 

drops my toothbrush in the toilet.

            Respectable

when Reno takes us bowling

and she cheats.

            Respectable

that's me.

© Ellie Terry

I love this poem because, even though it's unclear who the narrator is, or who Beatriz is, or what the relationship between the two is, it IS clear that the narrator is unhappy about her current situation. She comes across as a little sassy, don't you think? 

Thank you for sharing this poem with us, Ellie!

About Ellie:

Ellie Terry writes heartfelt contemporary fiction for middle-grade readers, and funny poetry for all ages. Her middle-grade debut, FORGET ME NOT, a free verse novel about a girl with Tourette syndrome, will be published Spring 2017 by Feiwel & Friends, an imprint of Macmillan. She lives in southern Utah with her husband, three kids, two zebra finches, and a Russian desert tortoise.

Follow Ellie on Twitter: @ellieterrybooks

Add FORGET ME NOT on Goodreads