Happy Poetry Friday, this week hosted by teacher and writer, Elizabeth Norton HERE, at her blog “Unexpected Intersections.” Thank you for hosting this week, Elizabeth. I am looking forward to what she has to offer us this week.
I have some ideas for some new poems for kids that I hope will be light and humorous. So in search of further ideas about form and style, I turned to Sylvia Vardell’s wonderful anthology, A WORLD FULL OF POEMS, a book I’ve mentioned before.
I quickly discovered a poem by Jack Prelutsky, with repetition, rhyming and humor that meshed with my topic. Here is the first stanza:
I'M MUCH TOO TIRED TO PLAY TONIGHT by Jack Prelutsky I’m much too tired to play tonight, I’m much too tired to talk, I’m much too tired to pet the dog, or take him for a walk, I’m much too tired to bounce a ball, I’m much too tired to sing, I’m much to tired to try to think about a single thing. read the rest Here.
So, using this as a mentor poem, and given our zero degree temperatures lately in New York, I came up with this:
TOO COLD TO PLAY OUTSIDE TODAY (Inspired by Jack Prelutsky's "I'm Much Too Tired to Play Tonight") Too cold to play outside today, too cold to climb the slide, too cold to swing on swings today, too cold to chase and hide, too cold to throw a rubber ball, too cold to skip and run, too cold to sleigh ride down the hill, there’s hardly any sun! But I'm tired of playing silly games, I'm bored with the TV! I chased the dog around the house, now Sister’s mad at me. So although it is a cold, cold day not fit for even crows, I'll put on my coat, my boots, my hat and plunge into the snow. @ Janice Scully 2022
Maybe writing this was good luck, because as I write this it’s a warm 40 F and I hear dripping from the eaves. I think I’ll even play outside today.
Before I close, I have a beautiful postcard and haiku from Carol Labuzzetta to share from Arches National Park. I wish I could go there today! Thank you, Carol!
Eye of the tiger Keenly seeing the future Blinking honestly © Carol Labuzzetta 2022
Good health to all! Thank you, Elizabeth Norton, for hosting!