Welcome to Poetry Friday!
What is Poetry Friday? Find out Here.
This week we are hosted by Linda Baie, book aficionado and poet. Thank you for hosting, Linda! Be sure to check out her post for today at her blog, Teacher Dance, http://teacherdance.org.
First, I want to recommend a new picture book.
I hope everyone will have a chance to read A BOOK FOR BEAR, written by Ellen Ramsey ( http://ellenramsey.com) and illustrated by MacKenzie Haley (http://mackenziehaley.com). Though Ellen is also a poet, this book is written in prose.
The book begins with the sentence, “Bear loved books.”
Bear, who has been listening to a girl named Ellen read stories out loud in the forest, has fallen in love with books. He loves books so much one day he says, “I want a book of my very own.”
For Bear to acquire a book of his own, will not be easy.
Together the bear and Ellen search and search for a book for Bear. They look in the obvious places, such as the library and in stores, where bears aren’t all that welcome. Still, they work hard at it, but he fails to find a book to call his very own.
Does Bear finally succeed?
Ellen’s storytelling and the colorful illustrations will keep you turning pages to discover what happens.
As a book lover, I could relate well to Ellen and Bear and loved these ardent characters. And I know there are many kids who will, too.
The back book cover.
This week, it just so happens to have just received a poetry swap gift from Linda Baie. Besides a lovely journal, a packet of words to prompt future poems, and a book of poems, she sent me an sweet and imaginative poem she wrote that she nestled in a scene she created with paper, cut-outs and a bit of cotton for clouds.
FOR WEAVING TOMORROWS
by Linda Baie
Remember gentle thoughts, when rising--
more comes with brainy exercising.
Your pen will sweep a nimbus cloud
over the waiting Gulf Stream sky.
Clouds will become the sky mail
sent from way up high.
Use them for your air-tales,
words parading by.
Now add a solar-powered smile.
Writing takes me places. I know that a pen can “sweep nimbus clouds” and become “sky mail” even if only for myself.
I read Linda’s poem as a reminder of what I have been missing this summer, that is, time with my pen poised, head in the clouds, thinking about words.
I’ll end with a haiku inspired by weather today here in Central New York.
Summer rain today not too little not too much-- a fairy tale storm. © Janice Scully 2023
I hope everyone has a great weekend. Thank you, Linda, for hosting!