Thursday, October 31, 2019

National Author's Day 2019

Hooray for National Author's Day -- which also happens to be Poetry Friday.

Why do we celebrate National Authors Day ?

As a school librarian, author's day is a bit of my every day. But, I don't mind officially celebrating. My hot drink of choice to enjoy with a good book is mocha-coffee. You?

Many thanks to Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference for hosting this week's round-up. I appreciated her post two weeks ago, If I could write like...

My Sunday Night Swaggers are sharing responses to our November challenge.




But then, I struggled to find just ONE author for a mentor text. I mean, there are so many!  I dithered a long time.

Finally, I went to a favorite places to play with mentor text, Renee La Tulippe's No Water River. At her site is a series, The History of American Children's Poets by Renee and Lee Bennett Hopkins who were only able to complete four episodes before Lee's passing this year. Each is a treasure.

Since I spend research time in the 1930s I selected Episode 2 to find a mentor text...and oh, Carl Sandburg is there! His poems are pure joy to play with aren't they?



Fog

The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
Carl Sandburg

Halloween 

Halloween pounces
on black cat paws.
Rubs ‘round 
jack-o-lanterns
glowing orange
And with a hiss—
scampers invisible
into night.



(c) Linda Mitchell







Wardrobe of Dreams

I color store fronts orange
as children head back to school.
I offer row upon row
of princess glitter, frogs
spiderwebs and vampire blood.

I am a source to be reckoned with.
The last week of October
children age
 one to ninety-nine
walk through my doors expectantly
searching
an identity
for
under twenty bucks.
Werewolf masks
unicorn horns
magic wands, black cat ears
or, leggings to outfit a lizard.
I am a costume
shop.
But, everyone knows
I’m the wardrobe
of your dreams.    


(c) Linda Mitchell



https://www.nowaterriver.com/history-of-american-childrens-poets-episode-2-the-1930s/

Halloween Leaves

Jenni Rodriguez listens to Halloween night.
Dry leaves
skitter and scrap over neighborhood sidewalks
catching in fake spiderwebs draped over shrubbery.
Wind driven whispers play with Mrs. Attleboro’s porch chimes
and
cause littlest trick-or-treaters to titter as they fill
plastic 
pumpkins with lollipops and chocolates.
The duet of wind and leaves keep Jenni guessing at where
they
will swirl next. They brush her ears with burnt-orange summer voices.
Jenni Rodriguez listens.


(c) Linda Mitchell

More Swaggers meet the first Friday challenge:

Molly  @ https://nixthecomfortzone.com/
Heidi @ https://myjuicylittleuniverse.blogspot.com/

Catherine @ https://readingtothecore.wordpress.com/
Margaret @ https://reflectionsontheteche.com/


Thursday, October 17, 2019

Recipe for Sky

At last...Friday. I'm ready. You?

This week two wonderful events occurred that led to this post.

First, my friend Molly posted a photograph on facebook that I fell head over heels for -- and gave me permission to use it as a writing prompt.

Then, I discovered Jama's Alphabet Soup  is hosting this week's Poetry Friday round-up. I simply love the creative combination of foodie, photographer, writer and blogger Jama is. I look forward to each new post from her. 

All I can possibly do in response is to share a recipe poem.
Right? 


Hogan, Molly. “Photograph.” Facebook Post, 13 Oct. 2019, www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10219530462877483&set=pcb.10219530476637827&type=3&theater.



Thursday, October 10, 2019

Appalachian Haibun & haiku

Happy Poetry Friday Poets,

Catherine is hosting our cozy round-up over at Reading to the Core. Stop by for a fill-up of her writing wisdom and craft expertise. She's one of the best!




Thursday, October 3, 2019

Swaggers Write Xenos

Hellooooooooooo October!

In my head, I lift my face to crisp air, falling leaves and Vs of geese....real life is still pretty hot and summery in Virginia. That's OK. I can still sip a pumpkin latte in the air-conditioning of my car. Right? 

Our Poetry Friday round-up is hosted by story-teller and poet extraordinaire, Cheriee at Library Matters. Cheriee has been sharing bits of memoir verse with us on a weekly basis...and I always look forward to the next installment.

Since it's the first Poetry Friday of the Month, my SUNDAY NIGHT SWAGGER friends are all taking a crack at Xeno poems. This challenge was offered by Margaret. 


Xeno at Swagger blogs

Catherine: Reading to the Core
Heidi: My Juicy Little Universe
Margaret: Reflections on the Teche
Molly: Nix the Comfort Zone


 I was stumped on where to begin. So, begin with the definition.





StockSnap



Renee_Olmsted_Photography 
I'm joining Jone at Deo Writer for Poemtober 19: Using the daily prompts for Inktober, write a poem each day. Here is this year’s prompts:


And, finally, I've volunteered as a Cybils judge in the Poetry category. I've just picked up one of the books and am going to dig in this weekend. What a "rough" job! :)  Good luck to all the nominees. I can already tell decision making won't be easy.