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This week, I was hard pressed for a Poetry Friday topic. There's just so much angst surrounding us with fires, floods, and fools. I found myself searching my library's catalog for ABC hoping for some inspiration for Carole Boston Wetherford's abecedarian challenge on Michelle H. Barns' blog, Today's Little Ditty.
I'm not sure why, but this book, Rhythm Ride: A Road Through the Motown Sound by Andrea Pinkney (Roaring Brook Press 2015) came up in the results.
I located the book....and couldn't put it down.
It's beautiful
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| https://andreadavispinkney.com/books/ |
The story of Motown is one that I've never taken the time to learn. I just like the music.
I wondered...could I....maybe....try to find lines from this gorgeous book for an abecedarian poem? Naaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Well, maybe if I.....
So, it started out with finding one sentence. And, then there was another....and another. The first part of the poem is on the Today's Little Ditty Padlet--where Michelle collects contributions to her monthly challenge. You can't miss the abecedarian found poem. It has the book cover to Rhythm Ride as an illustration.
As for letters I-Z? check back someday soon to see if it's making some groovy waves.
I challenge you to find a book that you fall in love with....and turn it into an abecedarian found poem. It's a new way to get to know what you're reading. I'll bet middle school students would have fun with this too.
For Poetry Friday fun, stop by Radio Rhythm & Rhyme for this week's round up. Give Matt a hug and a high-five for publication of his first picture book, Flashlight. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy.
Finally, like so many others.....I'm holding those in the Caribbean and the southeast USA in my thoughts. These hurricanes are no joke. Please check in as soon as you can, friends.
It's amazing how inspiration can come from anywhere! Looking forward to seeing how this progresses...you've got a good start here!
ReplyDeleteWhat a way to up the challenge! I love the sounds and music of Motown, but know only a little of the history. Motown inspired the beach music (East Coast) that grew up loving. This book looks like a treasure, and I am impressed with how you created a poem from it to share about it.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought of doing a "found" poem for Michelle and Carole's challenge, Linda. This is great. And thanks for the book title too, a new one to me!
ReplyDeleteGreat start, Linda, and "found" too, so doubly challenging. I'm sure you'll get to Z. Looking forward to seeing your ABC found masterpiece.
ReplyDeleteYour poem makes me want to jive on down to the library to check out this book. Love how you combined the challenge with found poetry. I think my students may love that, too. We have been rockin' and rollin' with readin' and writin'. Sorry, couldn't he'p myself.
ReplyDeleteI think your idea of composing an abecedarian poem from a found/favorite book of ours is superb! Would love to read the rest of your poem sometime too. I can hear the Motown music in the background. I'm reading "The Red Pencil," by Andrea Davis Pinkney, I'll have to check out "Rhythm Ride." Thanks for all!
ReplyDeleteI'd never thought of doing an abcedarian poem before - in fact I've only recently heard of these poems! Inspiration can be found all around us, especially when we least expect it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a clever chicken you are! Loving your writing muscle at work. :P (And loving the cover of that book, too - with the text as art!)
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading the rest and wondering about the letter Q. Queen of Soul perhaps?
ReplyDeleteWow! Abecedarian AND found AND a new topic! It all came together for you!!
ReplyDeleteWonderful way to celebrate a great book.
ReplyDeleteOh my! I NEVER would have thought to take this approach with the abecedarian challenge— leave it to a librarian. (And a clever one at that!) :D Great job, Linda!
ReplyDeleteLibrarians are always searching. Your search led to creative spurts, Linda. BTW: our Long Island literary councils had Andrea Pinkney at our conference recently. When she breaks out into singing like her characters, it adds a whole new dimension to a presentation.
ReplyDeleteVery cool poem at work, Linda. There is a form of poetry, the cento, made up of lines of other poets' work. (Sometimes one person, sometimes several.) Your abecedarian review reminded me of that.
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