Can't Let National Poetry Month Slip Away Without a Jack Prelutsky Poem!

My Neighbor’s Dog is Purple  by  Jack Prelutsky
My neighbor’s dog is purple, 
Its eyes are large and green,
its tail is almost endless, 
the longest I have seen. 
My neighbor’s dog is quiet, 
It does not bark one bit, 
but when my neighbor’s dog is near, 
I feel afraid of it. 
My Neighbor’s dog looks nasty, 
it has a wicked smile….. 
before my neighbor painted it, 
it was a crocodile. 

Happy National Poetry Month!!!!

I love April.   Flowers bloom, temperatures rise, and we celebrate National Poetry Month!  and, that's no April Fool.   First thing I did this morning was grab Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest's Cat Talk book off the shelf.  Barry Moser's illustrations, coupled with the cat-capturing verbiage gave Nigel and me lots to discuss.  I've known many cats like Princess Sheba Darling, the cat featured in the poem that Nigel is reading.  But, the poem that really got me, was Sylvie, the Boss.  It made me miss my Bruce cat.  Nigel, however, the sweet guy that he is, didn't offer an opinion.

Sylvie, the Boss
I am the boss cat.
I twitch my tail to prove it.
I boss the dogs.
I boss the people.
I boss Romeo, the cat I live with.,
  whenever I can.
I like three thing: 
My food
My windowsill
My people.
And that's enough.

Celebrate!



Happy National Poertry Month!   In honor of this  Illustrious event I reread So, What's it Like to be a Cat, a fun book written in verse by Karla Kuskin and illustrated by Betsy Lewin (Click Clack Moo).   The boy asks his friend, "So, what's it like to be a cat," and the feline narrator replies "I'm very glad you asked me that," and goes on in great detail to explain his preferences and actions.   In one of my favorite passages the cat answers the boy's question in this exchange,

We know you live with people. 'Ah yes...a few'  Do you like them? Do they like you?

With my catlike dignity

it never has occurred to me

to wonder what they think of me.

At times they're dumb.
At times they're sweet.
they balance nicely on their feet.
I do not think that I could do
as well on merely two.



4th Graders Celebrate National Poetry Month and Animals with Haikus & Acrostics

Fourth graders in Ms. Sherk's class at West Education Center regularly enjoy visits from Nigel.  In celebration of National Poetry Month they wrote Haiku and Acrostic poems about Nigel, their animal friends, and animal care. Here are a sample of those poems.  Enjoy!!! 

P-up, he's ready for action.
U-p and down he goes around
M-onkey business
P-imity pum, he crashes
K-iddin' around, he's just a joke
I-n his mini house
N-obody loves him live me
    by Kobe

A-fast runner
L-ots of energy
F-ools around
E-ats his treats
S-weet as can be
S-uper loving
  by Julissa
 
My Dog
Faithy loves to eat
She jumps, plays, runs, eats, and sneaks
As cute as can be
  by Damia

Cruelty
Cruelty is bad
Stop hurting animals -- now
Love animals now
  by Gaby

Skyler
Smart, kind, yummy, fun
Likes to eat pears and apples
Run fast and play fair.
  by Amaya

Beloved Author Writes Dog Poems With Her Daughter

I just got a copy of Patrica MacLachlan (Sarah Plain and Tall and lots of other wonderful books) and Emily MacLachlan's sweet dog poetry book, Once I Ate a Pie, 13 dogs tell-all-poems and according to the sticker on the book, Dog Approved -- very high praise.  Print date is 2006 -- sorry I've missed this charming collection for five years.

Only 12 more days in National Poetry Month.  Here's the title poem.  Mr. Beefy writes the title poem.  Enjoy!
I am not thin, but I am beautiful
When no one is looking,
I steal tubs of butter off the table.
I take them to the basement to eat in private
ONCE I ATE a PIE.

Don't be shy -- is there a dog or cat that you can write a poem about?  How about writing a poem from that animal's perspective? 

CELEBRATE!!

April is National Poetry month. Did you know that if you google the familiar lines, "April showers bring May flowers" more than 10,100,000 references pop up? That's one popular poem! And, 2/3 of the way into National Poetry month is National Parks Week -- which means FREE admission to all 392 national parks, now through Saturday. Plus, EARTH DAY is celebrated, on Thursday, April 22nd, smack in the middle of National Parks Week. Why not spend Thursday in a park writing poetry!

To learn more about National Parks Week check out http://www.nps.gov/npweek/
Information on the 15th annual National Poetry Month Celebration is at www.poets.org/npm/
Earth Day information is at http://www.earthday.org/earthday2010