Winter

End of year – Reflect
On accomplishments, regrets
And chance to start fresh

New year/New blog

A few hours early -- I've just launched the inaugural entry of my new blog: Books I Buy and Why

Christmas/Winter

Silent Night instead
Of usual lullaby --
Little boy sings too

Christmas/Winter

Chilly cat nestles
On white blanket on cold night –
Sparks fly, kitty runs

Christmas/Winter

Here's a lovely poem about Christmas:

Friday morning: Dog
Brings spine of dead animal –
Merry Christmas, me!

Christmas/Winter

Tired little boy
Wrestles his mommy in church
Now can’t sleep tonight

Christmas/Winter

Cranberry Sauce

Replace the water
With orange juice and cut the
Sugar in half – done

poem du jour

Two sets of grandparents within driving distance makes for one long day for one little boy.


Christmas here and there
Lots of presents – still not done –
More gifts tomorrow!

Christmas/Winter

Cleaning and cooking
All day for the family
Mean Merry Christmas!

Christmas/Winter

Candlelight service
Evokes the right Christmas mood –
Warm weather does not

Revised Christmas Songs

I've run out of new Christmas songs to transform, so I'm using two I already revised and answering emails.

The first was for my "partner-in-rhyme" and it used to be We Wish You a Merry Christmas:

I hope you are feeling better
I hope you are feeling better
I hope you are feeling better
Christmas sucks if you’re sick!

The second was for my brother and it used to be Jingle Bells:

Snickers bars, Snickers bars
Make the downstairs smell
I know how it happened but
I promise not to tell

Christmas/Winter

I'm on the short poem track this week...

Winter’s first day and
Longest night and finally
Cold Christmas weather!

Revised Christmas Songs

I'm running out of songs...

(Rudolph)

Buster the black and white cat
Has a very glossy sheen
And underneath the tree lights
His coat, it positively gleams

He wonders how I can spot him
When under the tree he hides
But his shiny coat and face “C”
Make him really easy to find

On this coming Christmas Eve
The Christmas tree will glow
And Buster with his glossy coat
Under the tree will give a show

Then when the tree is taken down
Buster will lose a place to sleep
But his glossy and shiny coat
Buster cat will always keep

Revised Christmas Songs

This happened twenty or more years ago, but my brother and I still laugh when we hear "Sleigh Ride" -- OK, maybe I laugh harder than he does -- nobody thought I was tingling in the grocery store.

(Sleigh Ride)

My brother was singing
A ring-ting-tingling tune
At the top of his voice
So I had no choice
I left

I thought I’d outsmarted
And we had parted
But then

However, I quickly learned
When I stopped and turned
He was back

We were standing in the market
In the produce aisle
Everyone was staring at us
And they had a smile
I could feel the blood rush
To my face
And boy was my face red
I just wanted to leave that place
And so I turned and said

“Jeff, please stop tingling!
Remember you’re in a grocery store”
The crowd all scattered
And then they chattered
Some more

My brother stopped his singing
His ears were ringing
With laughs

He found his ring-ting-tingling
Quite embarrassing
With me

Revised Christmas Songs

(Up on the Rooftop)

Up on the rooftop I glimpsed some green
So I stopped to survey the scene

A neighbor had wanted “Noel” in red
But he had written “Nole” instead

Hee, hee, hee – a big laugh for me
Hee, hee, hee – a big laugh for me

Up on his rooftop in red and green
My neighbor endorsed a rival team

Revised Christmas Songs

(Let it snow)

Oh, the weather outside is soggy
And at night it’s getting foggy
Driving here is such a pain
Stop the rain, stop the rain, stop the rain!

The traffic is barely moving
So why is this guy shoving?
Bad drivers are such a drain
Stop the rain, stop the rain, stop the rain!

Christmas is just next week
No wonder those shoppers are freaked
But I’m not the one to blame
For their dangerous driving game

I know we never will see snow here
I can live with that but I fear
The barrage of drops on my panes
Stop the rain, stop the rain, stop the rain!

Revised Christmas Songs

Here is my version of Frosty:

(Frosty)

Chloe the wild cat
Likes to try to run away
She does lurk about
When the dog is out
And then dash outside to play

Chloe the wild cat
Tries to steal our turkey lunch
And our ham and beans
And spinach greens
And even Christmas punch

Chloe has one quality
That’s why we let her stay
She is the only one
To leave the tree alone
She’s my favorite on Christmas Day!

Chloe the wild cat
Loves to run and loves to eat
And on my lap
She takes a nap
Wild Chloe cat is sweet

Bumpity-bump bump bump
Bumpity-bump bump
She’s running to the sink

Bumpity-bump bump
Bumpity-bump bump
And from the tap she’ll drink

Revised Christmas Song

There was a parade Saturday night in the neighboring town. Here are the highlights (or lowlights -- depending on your sensibilities)

(Toy soldiers on parade)

Watch the sun dipping
Moms with strollers tripping
Across the not-quite-closed-off street

Everybody’s bumping
Kids on sugar jumping
More than once I had stomped-on feet

Light the lights!
It’s almost night
Titusville is on parade

Muskets are booming
Muscle cars vrooming
Hawkers yell to sell their ware

Cymbals are plashing
Midget cars crashing
You can’t see that just anywhere

Here the bells ringing
Here the choir singing
Of peace on earth, goodwill to man

See the church floats glowing
Christmas spirit showing
They tell it to anyone they can

Light the lights!
It’s almost night
Titusville is on parade

Walkers candy throwing
Dump trucks fake snow blowing
Neither makes my taste buds sing

On a vintage fire truck
Comes Santa Claus – Oh what luck!
End of the parade does that fire truck bring

Light the lights!
It’s fully night
Titusville was on parade

Revised Christmas Songs

(Here comes Santa Claus)

Here comes the mailman
Here comes the mailman
Down my long driveway

He’s bringing letters
Ads and flyers
And lots of bills to pay

Christmas shopping by computer
Can make your shopping trips light
But when you’re all done
And the bills come
Your credit card statement’s a fright

Revised Christmas songs

(Silver Bells)

Christmas snow, Christmas snow
Won’t grace my rooftop any year
Christmas snow, Christmas snow
In Florida does rarely appear

All the songs about Christmas
Seem to mention the snow
Or cuddling up by the fire
But in far south at Christmas
It rarely does snow –
It is seventy degrees or higher

Christmas snow, Christmas snow
Won’t grace my rooftop any year
Christmas snow, Christmas snow
In Florida does rarely appear

Revised Christmas songs

(Winter Wonderland)

Shoes on sale – are you buying?
Hat and gloves – are you trying?
It’s no fun to be broke
My accounts are a joke
Walking through the mall at Christmas time

Over here is a new bag
And look, see? There’s a sales tag
I’m setting it back
On the sales’ rack
Walking through the mall at Christmas time

If only I had come into a windfall
Then I could chuck my budget to the breeze
Maybe Santa will increase my savings
I wonder if I asked him “pretty please”?

Santa Claus is looking funny
Mall-wide stores want my money
With bells, lights and tree
This mall wants something from me
Walking through the mall at Christmas time

Revised Christmas songs

I did exercise a bit of literary license here. We don't have a suit of armor in the hall. We keep ours in the parlor (sitting room) because the hall is too narrow. :)

(Jingle Bells)

Santa hats, Santa hats
Dress up one and all
From cats, to dogs, to baby
To armor in the hall

The house was looking bleak
No green or red in sight
I thought I’d cheer it up
On this dreary night
So upstairs I searched
And Santa hats I found
Then I had the bright thought
Of passing them around

Santa hats, Santa hats
Dress up one and all
From cats, to dogs, to baby
To armor in the hall

Revised Christmas songs

When the tuxedo cat is not knocking over the the tree by attempting to drag his 19-pound body up it, our oversized puppy has a go at it by trying to rub against it -- and, yes, I do worry that she might think it is indoor plumbing.

(We wish you a Merry Christmas)

I wish we had left the tree down
I wish we had left the tree down
I wish we had left the tree down
It’s too tempting for “kids”

The cats, dog and boy
Like to scatter the joy

I wish we had left the tree down
It’s too tempting for kids

The cats like to climb its branches
The cats like to climb its branches
I wish we had left the tree down
It’s too tempting for “kids”

The dog tries to knock it over
The dog tries to knock it over
I wish we had left the tree down
It’s too tempting for “kids”

The boy likes to take the bells off
The boy likes to take the bells off
I wish we had left the tree down
It’s too tempting for kids

They all steal the shiny gold drums
They all steal the shiny gold drums
I wish we had left the tree down
It’s too tempting for kids

The cats, dog and boy
Think the tree is a toy

I wish we had left the tree down
It’s too tempting for kids

Revised Christmas songs

Our tuxedo cat has the most unfortunate marking of a white "C" on his otherwise black face. It gives him away in the tree all the time.

Revised Christmas Song
(Oh Christmas Tree)


Oh, Christmas cat, Oh Christmas cat
I see you hiding in the tree
Oh, Christmas cat, Oh Christmas cat
On your face is a big white “C”

Your fur is almost wholly black
Except your ruff, and paws front and back

Oh, Christmas cat, Oh Christmas cat
On your face is a big white “C”

Revised Christmas songs

Revised Christmas Song
(Jolly Old Saint Nicholas)

Silly little Sophie pup
Please don’t pull so hard
Yes, I see that house lit up
And a Santa in the yard

Santa Claus is rooted down
He’s in the yard to stay
Silly little Sophie pup
Won’t you please obey?

Revised Christmas songs

Revised Christmas Song

I’m dreading such a wet Christmas
Just like the weather of this week
Where the rain gutters dribble
And people quibble
Because they can’t drive properly in the street

I’m dreading such a wet Christmas
Every time I dry a pet
May your days be bright until sunset
And may none of your Christmases be wet

Revised Christmas Songs

Oh, you better not shop
At home on the net
Buy at one pop
Money quickly is spent
Credit cards are easy to use

When January comes
And your budget is tanked
There will be bills to be paid
And friends to be thanked
Credit cards are easy to use

Did you really need those toy trains
For Uncles Bob and Phil
When your bathrooms all need new drains
And brand-new window sills?

Oh, you better not shop
At home on the net
Buy at one pop
Money quickly is spent
Credit cards are easy to use

Revised Christmas Songs

Today my friend and I started writing revised Christmas songs. Admittedly, I was not very witty with the first one. Perhaps I'll do better tomorrow. I do know I won't be re-writing Christian Christmas songs, because that just seems wrong.

Revised Christmas Song:

Trash the house with bits of plastic
Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
'Tis the season to go spastic
Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Fake pine needles strewn on the floor
Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Do I need a wreath on the glass front door?
Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Happy Thanksgiving!

Take a fourteen-pound turkey
Five pounds of potatoes
A bowl of gravy
A pot of stuffing
Some squash
Green beans
And corn
Some orange-cranberry sauce
Rolls
Homemade pumpkin pies
And pumpkin cheesecakes
Mix in a grandma
A grandpap
Two aunts
One uncle
A mommy
And a daddy
And the cutest, sweetest
Most charming
One-year-old baby
In the world
And have
One fantastic Thanksgiving

Nov. 23

Nov. 23

Today I went shopping at Target
I took my little baby Thomas
He picked out a book about Curious George
And four pairs of winter pajamas

And then he spied a tiny reindeer
Its fur was light brown and was fine
This reindeer he loved and kissed on the nose
And he named this darling Clementine

Dialogue poem

Still doing dialogue poems for the rest of this month, so not all will stand alone. However, since I started the conversation, the first one pretty much makes sense on its own.

Nov. 16

Ah, November, orange blossoms on trees
Herald a bounty, unless they freeze
They are lovely to look at and even to smell
Alas, they burn my nose and make my eyes swell
So today was far from a fun day
Even for a launch day Monday

…But my little boy just turned one
I think I have the cutest son!

Special poem for November 12

I haven't posted any poems this month because a friend and I have been doing a "dialogue poem", so I only own half of it and the half doesn't make much sense on it's own. But today is my son's first (anniversary of his) birthday, so I wrote an additional poem today for him.

For Thomas

I remember the day you were born
I was full of pain
And full of fear
And full of love
And full of joy

Now a year has passed
And I don’t remember
The pain
Or the fear
But I do remember
The love
And the joy

Because every day
The pain decreased
The fear faded
But the love still grows
And the joys multiply

October poem

When the house was dark
The trick-or-treaters came
When we turned on the lights
They all stayed away
Ah, kids!

October poem

I finished the cards
Completed the signs
Delivered the calligraphy
Mostly on time
We celebrated birthdays
And our anniversary too
With one trip to Disney
And two to the zoo
This month’s almost over
I sigh with relief
Then I remember –
Jeff’s birthday’s next week!

October poem

Whoever thinks that the library is a nice, quiet place has never attended a Halloween party for babies and toddlers. :)

Fifteen babies
Crawling across the floor
Or was it fifty?
Pile of puppets
Scatter with the help of
Newly-walking feet
Squirms and
Squeals and laughter
Permeate the room –
Halloween hyper
Must be catching.

October poem

Here is the poem for today. It is a picture poem, so it probably will not translate well to any forum other than the original blog.

We
watched
History being
Made as a new rocket launched
From the Kennedy Space Center in Florida
We hope it means history of the
Right kind for
Space and
Us

October poem

The other Grandpa
Wanted to go
To the zoo
Too
So
Last week
We picked today
A day at the
End
of
October
Thinking that
The weather shouldn’t
Be too hot or
Humid
Boy
Were
We wrong!

October poem

Here is my poem for the day:

October 26th –
Less than two months
Just over eight weeks
Under sixty days
Shopping or
Crafting days
Left until Christmas –
Scared yet?

October poem

Here is today's poem -- this is what we did with one of the pumpkin patch pumpkins.

The pumpkin was small
Squat and plain
I wanted to make it scary
So I thought about
What scared me most
This year
And then I drew
Two sparkling eyes -- blue
A pert nose
A rosebud mouth
With teeth -- eight
But the pumpkin was cute
Not scary
Then I drew red spots
On the pumpkin's face
So it looked like
A baby
With chicken pox
And that was scary

October poem

It's a bit of cheat, but here is the third verse to Thursday's poem:

Next year, I might decorate
Gauzy ghosts from a paper plate
Swirling bats in the figure eight
Next year, I might decorate

October poem

Fifteen minutes in the pumpkin patch
Hundreds of pumpkins, no two match
The perfect pumpkin we did snatch --

Then we went out for ice cream.

October poem

Last year, I did not decorate
Halloween was close to my due date
I put on an orange shirt -- that looked great
Last year, I did not decorate

This year, I did not decorate
Our house is plain, but it's too late
Halloween comes in days -- just eight
This year, I did not decorate

October poem

Have you ever wondered
What a baby would do
At Disney World
On a fine October day?

Well, I can tell you
What a baby would do
At Disney World
On a fine October day

He rode the tram
Then the ferry
Then he enjoyed a parade
He watched a marching band
He saw Winnie the Pooh
(And Tigger, too)
And played in a honey pot
He bounced with Tigger
On the Pooh ride
He rode a horse
On the carousel
He flew with Dumbo
And then he ate ice cream
He traveled through a Small World
And experienced Philharmagic
Took a train ride
Then another
He saw a show
And fell asleep
He woke for the monorail
And the tram
And talked about his day
All the way home

October poem

Today
Is Writing's National Day
And I must say
That I did not hear
Of it before this year
But that's OK
I'll play
Anyway

October poem

Here is today's poem:

What scares you this holiday season?
Is it the warm bath the baby still pees in?
Is it the fever of one-hundred-and-two,
And the nephew who contracted the 'flu?
Is it the Halloween candy you bought for the kids,
But you are afraid will add width to you hips?
Is it the Christmas loot sneaking in stores?
Is it that you have all the stuff for s'mores?
What scares you this holiday season?
So many things -- pick your own reason.

October poem

Here is my poem for yesterday:

Baby has a fever
Daddy has a cold
The puppy's in a lather
Mommy's feeling old

October poem

At last, a break from the lingering heat
No sweltering air or steaming street
This morning's walk needed warmer clothes
But now the baby has a runny nose

October poem

Happy birthday to you (me!)
We went to the zoo (whee!)
We saw lots of monkeys
And grandmothers, too (hee, hee!)

October poem

Busy day, so short poem:

Muggy October
Sheeting rain and thunderstorms --
What welcome relief!

October poem

Amber shine the stars
On the turtle's back
The turtle hugs a bear,
Whose fur is glossy black
In a room designed
For dreams
The toys resemble
Halloween

October poem

On the east coast of England
There is a town's main land
Whose graveyard is raised on a hill

And in that old city
Both cobbled and gritty
The harbor is viable still

The city is famed
For its jet and its name
That is given in Dracula's books

The harbor is seen
From tombstones turned green
As the bay the church overlooks

Baltic amber was brought
And with jet it was wrought
To form jewelry fit for the queen

The amber and jet stone
Are of orange and black tone:
The colors of our Hallowe'en.

October poem

Here is my Hallowe'en/October poem for today:

A black cat
Is just that:
A cat that is black
Not a reason to run or a cause for attack
Some kiss
Some hiss
All tease
And can have fleas
All are panthers in miniature
A household addition covered in its fur
A black cat
Is just that:
In our house a welcomed guest
Although I fear
It does appear
My sister's black cat is possessed

October poem

Here is the October poem for yesterday:

The thermometer is reading
Eighty-seven degrees or higher
But I know it's October, because
We're singing Christmas songs in the choir

October poem

Here is the October poem for yesterday:

Little Thomas charmed his aunts,
Charmed his uncle and grandparents.
He charmed the staff that served our food
By being extraordinarily good
In his high seat he did quietly play
As we celebrated October birthdays.

October poem

For the next few weeks, I am planning to write about October/Fall/Halloween. Here is today's poem:

I refuse to concede defeat
So I went out walking in the evening heat
A breath of autumn might be in the air
But I didn't feel it anywhere
Poor baby was sweating in the stroller
I can't believe this month is October!

poem du jour

Yesterday's:

Bright October day
All summer and no autumn --
Baby went swimming


Today's

Baby can't sit still
Where I find him is not where
I left him -- How fun!

poem du jour

Aunt Dianne's birthday --
Baby talked and laughed, until
Phone held to his mouth

poem du jour

A day with Grandma
Means a trip to the park and
Swinging to the sun

poem du jour

October at night
I stroll around the block -- and
Shirt sticks to my back

poem du jour

Baby has temper
I wonder where he got it --
Must be his daddy

poem du jour

Hooray! -- No new spots --
Just old ones getter darker --
Baby's on the mend

poem du jour

No fever today
Baby's cloudy eyes cleared up--
What a lovely night!

poem du jour

Doesn't this picture
Tell a sad story? -- Baby
Blue eyes and red spots

poem du jour

Poor baby is worse
Today than yesterday and
Again tomorrow

poem du jour

Pox of the chicken
Cover my son, from his head
To under diaper

poem du jour

Are you ever not
In the mood to create or
Write? -- What do you do?

poem du jour

When you don't feel well, little things can be a big deal...

Lazy Saturday
I vacuumed and changed the bed --
What accomplishments!

poem du jour

New shoes for baby
Next step is learning to walk --
Fun day-- Mommy's sick

Poem du jour

I'm pretty sure that working in the nursery on Sunday caused me to feel a bit wonky on Wednesday. Now I just have to make sure I don't share anything terrible with my son.

Avoided people
Today because of sore throat.
Wish everyone would.

poem du jour

Purple clouds all day
Should have heralded rain storms
But not a drop fell

poem du jour

This is what Thomas thinks:

Vanilla ice cream
Is the perfect ending to
Partly cloudy day

poem du jour

Poem for Sunday:

Sunday was not a
Fun day, but we survived and
Now it is Monday


Poem for Monday:

A ten-minute job
At the car dealership can
Last for four long hours

poem du jour

Friday's:

Apple- banana-
Strawberry juice makes sticky
Mess on kitchen floor


Saturday's

Little boy climbs mound
Of Daddy-filled blankets and
Squeals out his delight

poem du jour

It's amazing how much the landscape of your house can change when there is a little one crawling around.

Purple elephant
In living room -- Either I
Drink or I'm a mom

poem du jour

Two poems today. One for yesterday:

Daddy called the house
The baby glares at the phone
Hits it, wails -- Long night!

And one for today:

Nothing makes me laugh
Faster than a baby's laugh --
A shiver of stars.

poem du jour

Today's short poem:

Helpful me: irons
Ungraceful me: burns my thumb --
Won't do that again!

poem du jour

Saturday's:

In air seven hours;
California, seven days.
Hope they pass quickly

Sunday's:

Chloe the cat sits
Centered on the bathroom floor
And howls like the wind

Shorter poetry this week

Here are the poems for Thursday:

Sophie's doctor said
Yesterday -- Her knee's better --
Don't hurt it again!


And for Friday:

Thursday's nixed landing
Makes weekend plans uncertain --
Unstable weather!

poem du jour

Our computer is sick, so I probably won't be posting until it's mended.

Yesterday's poem:

California fires
Menace the state, but, so far,
Relatives are safe


Today's:

Computer is down --
Jeff called his brother to try
To cheer it up soon

Shorter poetry this week

I just love the exersaucer for our baby -- unfortunately, he's on the last setting and he's running out of leg room.

Bouncing bouncy boy –
How will we manage when he
Outgrows his saucer?

Shorter poetry this week

Our cat Chloe looks an awful lot like an African wildcat. Sometimes she acts an awful lot like an African wildcat.

The dog nipped the cat
Cat was scared and jumped and sprayed –
Had to change my dress

Shorter poetry this week

Sometimes a poem is a message.

Mom said she could make
Halloween and Christmas treats
If you would like them

Shorter poetry this week

Another short one today:

The little boy knows
That Daddy’s home, so he screams
Instead of napping

Shorter poetry this week

Here is the poem for today:

Little boys have a switch:
One minute laughing and then
The switch flips – Goodnight!

Shorter poetry this week

All was forgiven...

Husband came home late –
Later than I expected –
But he brought dinner

Shorter poetry this week

Another short poem today:


Sunny morning turned
Stormy, stormy afternoon –
Baby stuck inside

Shorter poetry this week

Another short poem today.

Daddy was home, so
We played in pool while sun shone
Then the boys watched “Cops”

Shorter poetry this week

Poem today speaks for itself.


Weather too gorgeous
To stay inside and write, so –
Short poem yet again

Shorter poetry this week

His space pajamas
Worked their magic, or maybe
It was the weather

Shorter poetry this week

Thomas is doing his part for a successful shuttle launch.

Tonight Thomas wears
Space pajamas in support
Of the shuttle launch

Shorter poetry this week

I'm writing my poem while my tired baby is in his crib crying his tired cry. :(

When babies need sleep
The most, they fight sleep the most –
Funny – Why is that?

Shorter poetry this week

Today's poem is still short, but not necessarily sweet. :)

Up four times last night
Poor baby! Teeth were hurting
Makes mommy cranky

Shorter poetry this week

Short and sweet again today.

Clear while baby slept
When he was awake, cloudy –
No swimming today.

Shorter poetry this week

There is supposed to be an especially spectacular shuttle launch tomorrow morning around 1:30 IF they are able to fuel the shuttle in time.

The sky was clear blue
No hint of a storm – until
Shuttle fueling time

Shorter poetry this week

Here is today's poem du jour:

Today

Today
I make birthday cards
For the church
And wrote

Today
I caught up the washing up
And the ironing
And wrote

Today
I made baby food out of
Yellow squash
And wrote

Today
I worked on the illustrations
For Sophie’s story
And wrote

Shorter poetry this week

Here is yesterday's shorter poem du jour -- obviously I wrote it today. :)

I fed the fish, the cats
The dog and the baby
But I didn’t write
Yesterday

I washed three loads of laundry
And changed the beds
But I didn’t write
Yesterday

I cleaned the bathrooms and
The kitchen counters
But I didn’t write
Yesterday

I kept the dog quiet and
Resting her hurt knee
But I didn’t write
Yesterday

I ate bad Chinese food
And was up all night
But I didn’t write
Yesterday

New week. Yay!

New poetry week -- new poetry style. Yay! Here is my short poem du jour:

Poor little Sophie
Has to walk slowly
Because on Sunday
She hurt her knee

Poor little Sophie
Can’t pursue Chloe
Because on Sunday
She hurt her knee

Poor little Sophie
Might have surgery
Because on Sunday
She hurt her knee

Nursery Rhymes revisited...

OK, I know I've said it before, I this is my last revised nursery rhyme (for a while at least).

Revised Nursery Rhyme
(This is my garden)

This is my garden
I’ll rake it with care
And then some flower seeds I’ll plant
The sun will shine
The rain will fall
And my garden will blossom
And grow straight and tall

(Mine)

This is my garden
All covered with weeds
The dog’s dug a hole by that plant
The rain comes down
The plant will fall
But the weeds in my garden
Still grow straight and tall

Nursery Rhymes revisited...

The last poem on Thomas' blocks was "I had a little nut tree". I wasn't familiar with it, so you might not be either. It's actually a song. I'm still working out the tune.

Original:

I had a little nut tree,
Nothing would it bear
But a silver nutmeg,
And a golden pear;
The King of Spain's daughter
Came to visit me,
And all for the sake
Of my little nut tree.
I skipped over water
I danced over the sea
And ll the birds in the air
They couldn't catch me

Mine:

Revised Nursery Rhyme
(I had a little nut tree)

I have a naughty puppy
Nothing will she do
But tear up the garden
And chew up my shoe
We put her through training
And she passed her class
But we don’t know
How she got the pass
She still tears up the garden
And chews up my shoe
All the training in the world
No good would it do

Nursery Rhymes revisited...

Today is a two-fer -- one of the poems is really short.

Revised Nursery Rhyme
(Jack be Nimble)

Cats are funny
Cats are fun
Cats don’t answer
To anyone


Revised Nursery Rhyme
(Old Mother Hubbard)

Wee Thomas William
Used cups, but he spilled them
All over the tray of his chair
The spill overflows
And runs down his clothes --
Lucky that Sophie was there!

Nursery Rhymes revisited...

Our little boy went swimming in his grandparents' pool today. We hope the only bodily fluid he left in the pool was drool, but there are no guarantees with a nine-month-old.

Revised Nursery Rhyme
(Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater)

Thomas, Thomas, full of promise
In his room he raised a rumpus
He splashed and swam inside his pool
Where nobody could see him drool

Nursery Rhymes revisited...

Today's nursery used to be "Do you know the Muffin Man?"

Revised Nursery Rhyme
(Do you know the Muffin Man)

Do you know the Buster Cat
The Buster Cat
The Buster Cat
Do you know the Buster Cat
Whose fur is black and white?

Oh, yes, I know the Buster Cat
The Buster Cat
The Buster Cat
Oh, yes, I know the Buster Cat
Who jumps upon our bed

How I love the Buster Cat
The Buster Cat
The Buster Cat
How I love the Buster Cat
Who talks most every night

Nursery Rhymes revisited...

My little scaredy cat Chloe inspired today's poem. It used to be "Did you ever see a lassie?"

Revised Nursery Rhyme
(Did you ever seen a lassie)

Have you seen my little Chloe
Run this way or that way
Have you seen my little Chloe
Run this way or that?

Run this way or that way
Run this way or that way
Have you seen my little Chloe
Run this way or that?

She was running from the thunder
Was Chloe, was Chloe
She was running from the thunder
Was Chloe the cat

Run this way or that way
Run this way or that way
Have you seen my little Chloe
Run this way or that?

She was hiding from the lightning
Was Chloe, was Chloe
She was hiding from the lightning
Was Chloe the cat

Run this way or that way
Run this way or that way
Have you seen my little Chloe
Run this way or that?

Have you seen my little Chloe
Run this way or that way
Have you seen my little Chloe
Run this way or that?

Nursery Rhymes revisited...

Today's nursery rhyme used to be "There was a Crooked Man..."

Revised Nursery Rhyme
(There was a crooked man)

There was a silly baby
He crawled a silly way
He sang a silly ditty
On silly day
He had a silly dog
Who chased a silly cat
And they all played together
On a silly little mat

Triolet du jour

I am looking forward to doing some easier poems starting tomorrow. Here is my last triolet du jour (for now):

Triolet – Music – Voice

The first instrument of all was the voice
Which is great, because I love to sing
Not all who hear me have cause to rejoice
The first instrument of all was the voice
Lately it’s been my instrument of choice
Because with the voice, there is nothing to bring
The first instrument of all was the voice
Which is great, because I love to sing

Triolet du jour

Triolet – Music – Harmonica

The harmonica: I both love and hate
It is both easy and hard to play it
Its chords are simple but tend to grate
The harmonica I both love and hate
Breathe out for one note, in for its mate
The square holes take the air and splay it
The harmonica I both love and hate
It is both easy and hard to play it

Triolet du jour

Here is my harmonica triolet:

Triolet – Music – Harmonica

The harmonica: I both love and hate
It is both easy and hard to play it
Its chords are simple but tend to grate
The harmonica I both love and hate
Breathe out for one note, in for its mate
The square holes take the air and splay it
The harmonica I both love and hate
It is both easy and hard to play it

Triolet du jour

Today's instrument is the mandolin, which I would love to play if it didn't slice my fingertips -- ow! The great thing is, though, if my fingertips ever toughen, the strings correspond to the strings of a violin.

Triolet – Music – Mandolin

How distinct the sound of the mandolin
A sound as musical as its name
It can play as smoothly as lanolin
How distinct the sound of the mandolin
But harder to play that the violin
The wires cut the fingertips causing pain
How distinct the sound of the mandolin
A sound as musical as its name

Triolet du jour

Today's instrument is the fife. I can play the flute, sort of, and the penny whistle, sort of, so I should be able to play the fife. Should, not, am.

Troilet – Music – Fife

Does anyone ever consider the fife
As an instrument worthy of learning?
Its tones are sharp and point like a knife
Does anyone ever consider the fife
In situations other than strife
Where cities are gutted and left burning?
Does anyone ever consider the fife
As an instrument worthy of learning?

Triolet du jour

Triolet – Music – Lute

The choice of troubadours is the lute
And no wonder they choose to play it
Not the drum, not the horn, not the flute
The choice of troubadours is the lute
And of jesters dressed in motley suits
A full body with strings, lutes display it
The choice of troubadours is the lute
And no wonder they choose to play it

Triolet du jour

Today's poem is about the tambourine:

Triolet – Music – Tambourine

You might think a tambourine takes no skill
To beat out a tune with bells and drum skin
But there is a knack, a trick, if you will
You might think a tambourine takes no skill
You’d be wrong, the learning curve’s uphill
To create music and not a din
You might think a tambourine takes no skill
To beat out a tune with bells and drum skin

Triolet du jour

Here's my triolet du jour for the first day of our second week of musical triolets:


Triolet – Music – Castanets

When I was a graceless six-year-old
I took Spanish dance with castanets
I wasn’t fearless and I wasn’t bold
When I was a graceless six-year-old
But music in my hands I could hold
I loved the clack-clack of the castanets
When I was a graceless six-year-old
I took Spanish dance with castanets

Triolet du jour

Today's instrument in the flute:

Triolet – Music – Flute

The flute eluded me in my youth
I didn’t have the chance to learn it
Braces I wore to correct bucktooth
The flute eluded me in my youth
Teeth corrected, moment of truth --
The flute-playing skill – I need to earn it
The flute eluded me in my youth
I didn’t have the chance to learn it

Triolet du jour

The instrument that is featured in today's triolet is one that I stopped playing not because I wanted to, but because it was just causing the cats too much distress. I could consistently play about five notes without squeaking. Sadly, not many songs have only five notes.

Triolet – Music – Clarinet

I covered the holes and blew out air
And a racket from the clarinet
The noise that I made was far from fair
I covered the holes and blew out air
I looked for the cats, but they weren’t there
They howled and fled from my experiment
I covered the holes and blew out air
And a racket from the clarinet

Triolet du jour

The subject of today's musical triolet is played even less frequently than the violin, but it does at least make a lovely piece of art -- both of them.

Triolet – Music – Harp

How lovely the harp looks by the fire
Another harp graces the wooden hope chest
Methodically I have tuned every wire
How lovely the harp looks by the fire
I wax the carved sound box of the lyre
But I lift it to play it seldom at best
How lovely the harp looks by the fire
Another harp graces the wooden hope chest

Triolet du jour

Today's unplayed instrument is the keyboard:

Triolet – Music – Keyboard

Two keyboards stand beside each other
One on a table and one on the floor
One for the boy and one for his mother
Two keyboards stand beside each other
And cannot be switched one for another
One sounds only bells: the other sounds more
Two keyboards stand beside each other
One on the table and one on the floor

Triolet du jour

Here is my triolet du jour:

Triolet – Music -- Guitar

I planned to learn the guitar before the baby came
But that we before we bought the dog,
Sophie, who was the tornado we chose to name
I planned to learn the guitar before the baby came
But I didn’t – and the dog was to blame –
We had to train her. Was that a slog!
I planned to learn the guitar before the baby came
But that we before we bought the dog

Triolet du jour

I wrote my poem early today, so here it is:

Triolet – Music -- Violin

The violin, long-neglected, alone
Stirs its strings beneath the rosined bow
Instead of sweet sound, it emits a groan
The violin, long-neglected, alone
Each string is slack and cacophony prone
And when tightened twangs a tinny echo
The violin, long-neglected, alone
Stirs its strings beneath the rosined bow

The end is near -- sigh

It's the end of the month so I'm coming to the end of my reign as the featured author on the Polka Dot Banner site. If you haven't already, check out the site and read my interview. :) Soon, a new "king or queen" will be crowned.

Triolet du jour

Triolet -- I'll try it. :)

Triolet – Music -- Recorder

It goes in the mouth and sound comes out
The recorder could be the perfect toy
It plays louder than the boy can shout
It goes in the mouth and sound comes out
By blowing into its top like a spout
The music enthralls the little boy
It goes in the mouth and sound comes out
The recorder could be the perfect toy

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

I think this will be my last revised nursery rhyme for a while. Who knows what we'll do next. :)

Revised Nursery Rhyme
(London’s Burning)

Sophie’s cranky, Sophie’s cranky
Fetch her dog treat, Fetch her dog treat
Catch her, catch her
Shut her dog crate, shut her dog crate
Sophie’s cranky, Sophie’s cranky

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Here's today's poem -- the last verse is my favorite. :)

Revised Nursery Rhyme
(Row, row, row your boat)

Feed, feed, feed the boy
In his wooden chair
Hurriedly, hurriedly, hurriedly, hurriedly
He’s a hungry little bear

Hold, hold, hold the boy
While he tries to stand
Carefully, carefully, carefully, carefully
Hold him by the hand

Kiss, kiss, kiss the boy
Softly on his head
Tenderly, tenderly, tenderly, tenderly
Place him in his bed

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Here is today's poem:

Revised Nursery Rhyme
(Sing a song of sixpence)

Found a lucky one cent
On the road one day
Put it in the car and
In the door it stayed
Thomas in his car seat
Spied the shiny sight
He tried to test his new teeth out
By giving it a bite

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

We had "a day" yesterday, so I didn't have a chance to write or post anything. Here is the poem for yesterday, and if anyone has a cat, it will make perfect sense.


Revised Nursery Rhyme
(Baa, Baa, Black Sheep)

Black cat, black cat
Have you any food?

Oh, yes, grey cat
My servant here is good

She fills my bowl up daily
Before the food is gone
I like to drive her crazy
By meowing on and on

Black cat, black cat
Have you any food?

Oh, yes, grey cat
My servant here is good

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Revised Nursery Rhyme
(Itsy, Bitsy Spider)

The itsy, bitsy baby
Rolled across the mat
Over came the pup
And on the mat she sat
Over came the cat
And scared away the pup
And the itsy, bitsy baby
Could roll without a bump

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Here's the poem for today -- it's a little twee, so be forewarned. :)


Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song
(Hey, Diddle, Diddle)

Hey, Thomas, Thomas
I vow and I promise
To hug and hold you so tight
The cat’s on the rug
I’ll wrap you up snug
Then I’ll kiss you and wish you goodnight

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Our little boy didn't get to play in his pool today -- too stormy -- :( But he did play in his play yard

Revised Nursery Rhyme
(There was an old woman who lived in a shoe)

There once was a baby
Who played in his yard
The flooring was soft
The edges were hard
He rolled and he rolled
Until he reached the end
At the end he started
To roll back again

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

A little boy at the library was singing a nursery rhyme to my son today so, of course, I had to use it.



Revised Nursery Rhyme
(One, two, buckle your shoe)

One, two
Library’s a zoo
Three, four
They pour in the door
Five, six
Teens and babes mix
Seven, eight
It’s getting late
Nine, ten
Back home again

Picture poem

We wonder why we have so many tiny tears in our screens. Huhm.



Revised Nursery Rhyme

(Pussycat, Pussycat)



“Chloe cat, Chloe cat

Where have you been?”

“Out on the back porch

Way up the screen”



“Chloe cat, Chloe cat

Why were you climbing?”

“I was chasing a lizard

That sneaked up behind me"

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

My household can get pretty crazy at times. Here's my poem for the day:

Revised Nursery Rhyme
(Three Blind Mice)

Thomas, Buster, Chloe
Thomas, Buster, Chloe
Teasing our dog Sophie
Teasing our dog Sophie
The cats run into the kitty condo
The boy has her tail and he won’t let it go
Sophie’s confused and she runs to and fro
Thomas, Buster, Chloe

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Our little guy threw his car toy to the floor (as he often does when he is trying to chew on the mirror), but this time it hit the hard tile face first and something snapped. His daddy tried to fix it, but it just wasn't to be. :( Anyway, I did get a revised nursery rhyme out of it. :)

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song
(Little Bo Peep)

Our little boy
Has broke his car toy
And needs his daddy to mend it
Wires in a knot
Electronics shot
I think the toy’s life has ended

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Here is my poem for the day:

Revised Nursery Rhyme
(was Little Jack Horner)

Little Thomas Kirchel
Sat in the church and
Listened to the big choir
He thought it was fine
Each note was divine
But he knew that he could sing higher

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Thomas had so much fun in his pool today.


Revised Nursery Rhyme
(Hickory, dickory, dock)

Slippery, sloshity, splash!
The baby’s in the bath
Or in the pool
To keep him cool
Slippery, sloshity, splash!

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

I finished Thomas' picture poem book last night, so tonight I'm switching back to a revised nursery rhyme.

This one used to be Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star:

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Thomas, Thomas, little boy
How you’ve filled our lives with joy
We love you more with each new day
Every day we want to say
Thomas, Thomas, little boy
How you’ve filled our lives with joy!

Picture poem

Spinning Butterfly

Over the changing table
The butterfly looms
And spins
To a cheery tune
The baby reaches up
To grab the wings
Because he’s entranced
By moving things
He might be destructive
But we prefer
To think that he’s
A budding engineer

Picture poem

At last! The shuttle launched today. My poem for the day has nothing to do with the shuttle. I'm just relieved it launched. Every day it was scrubbed made my husband crankier and crankier. Yay! Happier household today.

Here is the poem for today:

Sunhat

It slipped down your head
And over your eyes
The sudden darkness
Caught you by surprise
That was the first time
You wore a sunhat
You decided then
It wasn’t a fun hat

Now you are bigger
The hat fits better
I put it on you
For sunny weather
Though in the sunhat
You are fully dressed
Four months have passed and
You still aren’t impressed

Picture poem

Train Basket

The soft, cushy train basket
Pulled into our house
One Saturday afternoon

When I took out the musical bear engineer
I saw that the train basket
Would be the perfect place
To put all your small toys
That were scattered around your play-yard

So I filled the train basket
With all your small toys
And set it in your play-yard
And then set you in your play-yard

You found the train basket right away
And began to empty the train basket
Of all your small toys
And scattered them around your play-yard
I gathered up the small toys
And put them back into the train basket
And once again you emptied the train basket
Of all your small toys
And scattered them around your play-yard

It became a game
Of your own invention
But only one of us
Was having fun

Picture poem

Sophie Giraffe

Rubber giraffe
Softly squeaking
Or do you think that
She’s really speaking?

This Sophie is
A teething toy
The boy chews on her
Not her on the boy!

Picture poem

He had to show up sooner or later -- it's The Pigeon!

OK, I did buy the toy because I was so vastly amused, but it turns out it is Thomas' favorite crib toy. When he falls asleep, his arm is crooked around the pigeon's neck. When he wake up in the small hours of the morning, we very often hear Mo Willems squealing "Let me drive the bus!"

Pigeon

Silly pigeon
Of body blue
Squeeze his belly
And he’ll talk to you

No other toy
Raises such a fuss
By squealing
“Let me drive the bus!”

Picture poem

My poor little baby has been cutting four teeth at once! He got his first top one yesterday, and his third bottom one today. The next two are visible but haven't broken the surface yet.

Of course, I had to draw it, so here's my poem:

There once was a baby from Mims
Who had two teeth in the head of him
Three and four broke through
And doubled the two
And now he no longer fits in

Picture poem

I'm planning to write a picture poem each day for the next week so that I'll have quite a few in Thomas' book. Here's my picture poem for today:

Sock Monkey

Soft and fuzzy
And always there
Some people think
This toy is a bear

But it’s not

Look at its tail
And outer ears’ rings
This is animal
That really swings

If his hand-stitched
Red pert mouth could talk
He’d say, “I’m a
Monkey made of socks.”

Picture poem

Today's poem is a cure for baby-longing. :)

The Diaper Pail

One piece of equipment
That never should fail –
Whatever the cost –
Is the diaper pail

Odors will linger
And even may lurk
If that diaper pail
Does not rightly work

No air freshener
Will ever prevail
Or mask the stenches
Of a stinky pail

Picture poem

Here is today's Picture Poem.

Flowerpot and seeds

One day
About two months before you were due
My mother gave me a hand-painted flowerpot
And a packet of seeds –
Baby blue flax seeds –
I did not plant the seeds right away
Instead, I decided to wait until after your birth
(And until after the puppy stopped digging up
Everything I planted)
So I set the flowerpot and seeds aside
And waited
You arrived on time
Healthy and with startling dark blue eyes
But that was not the time to plant the seeds
Instead, I watched you grow
And watched the puppy turn into a dog
And waited for her to stop digging up
Everything I planted
Until one day
Nine months after my mother gave me
The flowerpot and the packet of seeds
I decided that was the day
To plant the seeds
So I did
And one day
Just before you turned
Eight months old
The seeds sprouted
And the dog
Did not dig them up

Polka Dot Banner

Yay! I'm the featured author for the Polka Dot Banner site this month. Check out my banner and interview, and if you like, leave a comment. :)

Picture poem

Here's today's poem:

The Pram

I bought the system
For the pram
Because I know
That I am
The sort of woman
That would push a pram

But now you bigger
And a little older
I find that I
Prefer the stroller
And you prefer it
Now you are fuller

Picture poem

A little rubber duck wear dark glasses inspires a silly poem, so here it is.

Yellow Rubber Duck

Little yellow duck of rubber
Swimming in the baby’s blue tubber
He moves as slowly as molasses
Because he wears dark-tinted glasses
He thinks he looks a stylish duck
But the silly fowl is out of luck
The baby spies him, stalks him and
Grasps the duck in his chubby hand
The duck is clueless behind his shades
He doesn’t know about bathtub raids
If he could see, he’d be full of dread --
Now the baby’s gnawing on his head

Picture poem

Our poor baby got to sit in his new wading pool only just long enough to know he really liked it.

Baby Pool

This morning voices sang to you
As you stood and danced
On your Daddy’s lap

This afternoon in your new pool
You sat and danced
And learned to splash

Then the winds changed and howled
We picked you up
And ran you inside

The distant thunder galloped closer
Lightning crashed, rain slashed --
Wild summer storm

Picture poem

Happy Fourth of July! We set out some sparklers for our little guy. He really enjoyed. He also had some ice cream, which I think he enjoyed more.

Here is today's poem:

Toy Drums

Your Aunt Dianne
Bought you a toy twin drum set
If you press your hand
Against the hand on
Either of the drums
A drumming tune
Plays
It didn’t take you long
To learn to work the drums
To learn that hitting it twice
Will give you two different tunes
Today
When your belly was
As tight as a drum
From Fourth of July ice cream
You learned that pressing
The hand longer
Will change the tune Again

Picture poem

I've decided to take a break from nursery rhymes rewrites, so I'm going back to drawing an object and writing a poem about it. Today's object was a green footed cup.

Green Footed Cup

Today was the first day
You sat in your high chair
And drank from the snout
Of your bright green
Footed sippy cup

You seized one handle
Fiercely
With your right hand
And confidently
Raised the cup
To your open mouth

However
You did not tilt the cup
So you drank
Only air

I tried to help you
But you would
Relinquish no control
And instead
Held a handle
Tightly in each hand

At last
You raised
And tilted the cup
Grinning
As apple juice streamed down your chin
And trickled into your open mouth

New subject -- same style

I used Little Boy Blue for today's revised nursery rhyme/song poem. It is more about the baby than the animals, but I did work them in there. :)


Baby blue eyes
Where are your pets?
The cats on the back porch
The dog at the vet’s

Where is the baby
Who watches the fish
He sleeps in his playpen
And dreams up a wish

Will you wake him?
Oh, no, not I
For if I do
He will surely cry

New subject -- same style

Today's revised nursery rhyme/song parodies The Lion and the Unicorn. I just finished reading Alice Through the Looking-glass and it was in there, although the rhyme is centuries older than Alice.

Here is The Lion and the Unicorn (actual nursery rhyme)

The lion and the unicorn
Were fighting for the crown
The lion beat the unicorn
All around the town.

Some gave them white bread,
And some gave them brown;
Some gave them plum cake
and drummed them out of town

Here is The Puppy and Kitty Cat

The puppy and the kitty cat
Were fighting for the mouse
The puppy chased the kitty cat
All around the house

The kitty jumped up
And started to grouse
Until they were scolded
And put out of the house

New subject -- same style

Chloe has an amazing jump. She can clear the four-foot wide area around the bathtub and jump up about six feet to the windowsill. Buster, who is just and ordinary cat and not apparently part grasshopper, is left on the edge of the bathtub. He can't even reach her tail when she hangs it down to tease him. Pop! Goes the Weasel seemed a good choice for Chloe's poem. Everyone knows the first verse -- the second one is "A penny for a spool of thread, a penny for a needle. That's the way the money goes, Pop!..."

All around the master bathroom
Buster chases Chloe
Buster thinks he’s caught Chloe’s tail
Pop! Jumps little Chloe

Sophie tries to join in the fun
By chasing little Chloe
When Chloe’s done and had enough
Pop! Jumps little Chloe

New subject -- same style

I tackled another one of my least favorite nursery rhymes today -- Rock-a-bye Baby. Seriously, who would hang their baby's cradle in a tree, especially on a windy day. And that whole thing about the baby and cradle falling, not very comforting when you are trying to sing an infant to sleep.

So here is mine:

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Rocking the baby
In the white chair
Buster and Chloe
Also are there

I'll read you a story
Holding you tight
At the end of the story
I'll kiss you goodnight

New subject -- same style

Today I took one of my least favorite nursery rhymes -- Ring Around the Rosey -- and rewrote it So, in mine, the fish lives, which is so much nicer than singing about the Bubonic Plague.

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Ring around the fish bowl
I filled the water too full
Slippery, slippery
The fish falls down

Ring around the bathtub
Give the scum a good scrub
Shredded, shredded
The sponge falls down

Ring around the night moon
Storm is coming very soon
Lashes, lashes
The rain falls down

New subject -- same style

The revised nursery rhymes/songs are so much fun, I decided to do them for another week. This week, though, I'll be writing about the animals. Today was Chloe's turn. Her nursery rhyme used to be Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary.


“Chloe, Chloe very showy,
Where have you been all day?”
“I chased a frog, and teased the dog,
And thought about running away.”

New subject -- same style

It's a new week so I thought I should at least have a new subject. I do like changing the nursery rhymes so much, though, that I kept the same style.

Today's used to be Simple Simon --

Simple Simon met a pieman
Going to the fair
Said Simple Simon to the pieman
"Let me taste your wares"

Said the man to Simple Simon
"Do you mean to pay?"
Simon said, "Of course, I do"
And then he ran away

What I think is interesting is the tune to this nursery rhyme is the same as "Yankee Doodle". Humh.

So mine is

Buster Kitten

Buster Kitten wears white mittens
On his two front feet
Buster Kitten with Chloe’s smitten
He thinks she is sweet

Says Buster Cat to Chloe Cat
“You are very pretty”,
Says Chloe Cat to Buster Cat
“You’re a silly kitty”.

New subject -- same style

It's a new week so I thought I should at least have a new subject. I do like changing the nursery rhymes so much, though, that I kept the same style.

Today's used to be Simple Simon --

Simple Simon met a pieman
Going to the fair
Said Simple Simon to the pieman
"Let me taste your wares"

Said the man to Simple Simon
"Do you mean to pay?"
Simon said, "Of course, I do"
And then he ran away

What I think is interesting is the tune to this nursery rhyme is the same as "Yankee Doodle". Humh.

So mine is

Buster Kitten

Buster Kitten wears white mittens
On his two front feet
Buster Kitten with Chloe’s smitten
He thinks she is sweet

Says Buster Cat to Chloe Cat
“You are very pretty”,
Says Chloe Cat to Buster Cat
“You’re a silly kitty”.

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

In anticipation of the Alice in Wonderland play at the library and the Tim Burton movie, I've been re-reading Alice this week. So, of course, I had to write a poem somehow based on Carroll. I decided to parody the Carroll poem that parodied the Robert Southey poem (both called You Are Old, Father William -- although Carroll's is vastly more entertaining.)


You Are Young, Thomas William

“You are young, Thomas William” the grey cat cried
“And your hands are all chubby and fat,
And yet when I lay quietly by your side,
You grab at this poor, little grey cat.”

“Gabble,” said Thomas to the startled grey cat.
“Gabbledy, gabbledy, gack!”
The grey cat could think of no answer to that
So she rolled from her side to her back.

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Thomas has a car toy that fits inside his high chair tray. I start the "engine" and give the toy to him while I'm fixing his meal. Today I heard a beep and a loud crash as Thomas threw his toy off the tray and it skidded across the floor. The cats ran away and the dog nearly was hit. Today's nursery rhyme used to be Old King Cole. Now it's Little Thomas K. :)

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Little Thomas K had a lot to say
And a lot to say had he
He could dish with the fish
And could chat with the cats
But he puzzled our poor dog, Sophie

Little Thomas K threw his toy away
Threw his toy away did he
From the floor to the door
Did the cats have to scat
And it just missed our poor dog, Sophie

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Today's rhyme used to be Humpty Dumpty. Thomas has a plush toy Humpty Dumpty music box that hangs on the handle of his door, so now when I pull the cord to play the music, I sing the new lyrics for him.

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Thomas William sat on a mat
Thomas William petted the cat
Although she wiggled and although she wailed
She couldn’t make Thomas William let go of her tail

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

For the revised nursery rhyme today, I used Mary Had a Little Lamb. I sang the new lyrics to Thomas on the way to the library so that when the beginning recorder kids played Mary Had a Little Lamb, Thomas would think it was his song.


Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Thomas had a big red pup
Big red pup
Big red pup
Thomas had a big red pup --
That never would grow up

The puppy liked to lick his face
Lick his face
Lick his face
The puppy liked to lick his face --
His formula to erase

Thomas loved his puppy so
Puppy so
Puppy so
Thomas loved his puppy so –
Why we do not know

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

I used "London Bridge" for my revised nursery rhyme today. Thomas helped, by inspiring me this morning as he took his diaper off.

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

My Silly Baby:

Thomas, keep your diaper on
Diaper on
Diaper on
Thomas, keep your diaper on
My silly baby

The plastic tabs go rip, rip, rip
Rip, rip, rip
Rip, rip, rip
The plastic tabs go rip, rip, rip
My silly baby

The ripping noises make you laugh
Make you laugh
Make you laugh
The ripping noises make you laugh
My silly baby

Diapers catch a lot of leaks
Lot of leaks
Lot of leaks
Diapers catch a lot of leaks
My silly baby

So,
Thomas, keep your diaper on
Diaper on
Diaper on
Thomas, keep your diaper on
My silly baby

Nursery Rhymes/songs rewrite

Today's poem used to be Lavender Blue.

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Roses are red
Thomas William
Roses are white
When you’re in bed
Thomas William
I’ll kiss you goodnight

Let the stars peep
Thomas William
Let the stars play
Softly you sleep
Thomas William
At the end of the day

Nursery Rhymes/songs rewrite

Today's poem used to be Lavender Blue.

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Roses are red
Thomas William
Roses are white
When you’re in bed
Thomas William
I’ll kiss you goodnight

Let the stars peep
Thomas William
Let the stars play
Softly you sleep
Thomas William
At the end of the day

Nursery Rhymes/songs rewrite

It's a new week. Yay! I decided to take familiar songs/nursery rhymes and rewrite them for Thomas. Yesterday's was Frere Jacques.

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Thomas William, Thomas William
Go to sleep, go to sleep
The tree-frogs are singing, the tree-frogs are singing
Peep, pip, peep. Peep, pip, peep.

Nursery Rhymes/songs rewrite

It's a new week. Yay! I decided to take familiar songs/nursery rhymes and rewrite them for Thomas. Yesterday's was Frere Jacques.

Revised Nursery Rhyme/Song

Thomas William, Thomas William
Go to sleep, go to sleep
The tree-frogs are singing, the tree-frogs are singing
Peep, pip, peep. Peep, pip, peep.

My day poem

Here's is my final "my day poem". Tomorrow starts a new poetry week.

What a Day!

Cleaned up cat sick from
The counter and bowl
Ran the bath till it
Was filled too full
Busted up a pair
Of baby socks
Stubbed my toe on an
Elephant that rocks
Saved the cat’s mouse
From the puppy
Think I overfed
Our guppy
The entry gate nearly
Winged my car door
Cleaned up cat sick from
The counter and floor
Accidentally
Toppled Shaun the Sheep
Sang my sleepyhead
Baby to sleep

My day poem

Today wasn't very exciting unless you count a shuttle launch scrub and a pet fish death.

I did have a reminder email about Storytime on Thursday morning, so this poem is a projection -- what I expect will happen tomorrow based on what has happened in the past when Thomas goes to Storytime.

Thursday

Tomorrow is Thursday
Storytime morning
A dozen wild children
Who should come with a warning

If the moms would help –
At least corral their child
Storytime mornings
Would be a little less wild

I’ll glare at those mothers
And shoot dirty looks
And be grateful that
I’m not reading the books

My day poem

I had nothing today until the baby's bedtime. Then inspiration struck -- so to speak.

Nighttime Storytime

Tonight during the reading of Good Night, Moon
A mighty big boom of thunder shook the room
Rain beat the windows; the lights began to flash
It was Good Night, Kittens, and then a loud crash
The baby was anxious and started to cry
Until he danced and sang to a lullaby
The rain slowly lessened; the thunder lost its power
Baby fell asleep as the storm became a shower

My day poem

You've got to love Mondays...

Monday

Dirty room
Clogged vacuum
Mommy sweeps
While baby sleeps

My day poem

We have four fat rabbits in our side yard so I just had to write about them.

Silly Rabbits

Rabbits in the grass
Rabbits in the weeds
Rabbits in the bushes
Rabbits in the reeds

Soft, fat brown bodies
Of the rabbits four
But wait a little while –
There’s sure to be more.

My day poem

Since we haven't picked out a specific topic/style, I again wrote about my day. I'll probably just do that for the rest of the week, so you'd better hope I have an exciting week. :) This is a three-word poem.


4:30 this morning

Home hours early
Hours early shuttle
Early shuttle launch
Shuttle launch scrub
Launch scrub called
Scrub called midnight
Called midnight leak
Midnight leak fuel
Leak fuel tank
Fuel tank later
Tank later date
Later date try

New week. Yay!

My partner-in-poetry and I have not yet decided on a style of poetry for this week, so I just wrote about my day. Now I'll go tackle the ironing.

Shuttle Launch

The shuttle launches
Tomorrow, Saturday
So I see my husband
Very little today

First he works early,
Then home for rest,
And then in for the launch –
The part he likes best

All day I try to keep
The baby quiet
And the dog calm, it’s not
Easy, you should try it

Picture poem

Here is today's poem:

Teething Ring

Simple round
Water-filled beads
Connect to make
A ring

A ring
The baby wears
As a colorful
Bracelet

Bracelet
He slips off
And chews on and
Quiets down

Picture poem

The High Chair

High chairs come in a variety of style
I considered them all for a while
Then plastic and metal I eschewed
Deciding instead on solid wood

We moved the chair all around our table
Until we found a place acceptable
So convenient it was, in fact,
That the tray was where our mail was stacked

Later, the mail was moved and it became
A plant-stand for ivy, in all but name
Then a bear in pj’s sat in the seat
Where now our little one sits to eat

Picture poem

Here is my picture poem for the day:

Chunky Baby

Fisher Price
Little People
Chunky baby:

A teething toy
To gnaw on for
My chunky baby
A finger puppet
To entertain
My chunky baby

Fits in
A plastic house
Fits in
A plastic tricycle
Fits in
The hand of
My chunky baby

Fortunately
Too big
To all
Fit in
The open mouth of
My chunky baby

Picture poem

I learned today that Thomas does take after me in some things -- he does NOT like a bowl of oatmeal. So far this is the only thing that he spits out as soon as it's in his mouth. So, although I had much laundry to do after feeding time, I did get a poem out of it. (I drew the frog bowl.)

Frog Bowl

Nothing can make oatmeal taste good
Not even the green bowl with frog eyes
Applesauce in this bowl tastes as it should
You’ll even eat a bowl of brown rice
Still, I’m the Mommy, I have to try it
Although you screw up your face and gag
I don’t want you lacking in your diet
So, spit-up I wipe up with the burp rag

Picture poem

This week (as possibly next) my challenge was to draw, paint or take a picture and write a poem about it. I've been drawing my image with a calligraphy pen, because it was handy, and so far, my images/poems are very baby-centric. If nothing else, it will be a nice collection for my son.


Silver Rattle

The first thing I bought
When I found out
I was having a baby
Was a silver rattle
Not a silver-coated
Clunk clunk in base metal rattle
But a shivering tinkling
Chime chime in sterling rattle
I was embarrassed
By my impracticality
And kept my purchase to myself
Then along you came
And almost immediately
You gripped the center
Of the barbell rattle
In your small strong hand
And gnawed on the rounded end
Later you noticed your face
In the curved mirrored surface
As you were gnawing
And you laughed
At the funny-looking baby
Then you shook the rattle
To happy music
Jiggling a beat with the
Shivering tinkling
Chime chime in sterling rattle
And I knew I was right
To buy a silver rattle
Not a silver-coated
Clunk clunk in base metal rattle
But a shivering tinkling
Chime chime in sterling rattle

Picture poem

You'll just have to trust me -- I drew a fishbowl with three fish and sea-grass. I've decided to use a calligraphy pen for all my illustrations because it's been sitting on the kitchen table for the last few months, so it's really handy.

And now, the poem --

You love the water:
The cool, soapy bath
The trickle from the tap
The manatee splashing in the canal
We took you to pet stores –
A free aquarium –
Where you watched
Mesmerized,
As fish swam in circles
So we bought three fish
And a bowl
And some sea-grass
And brought them home
We set the bowl where you could see it
But not where the cats could reach it
The dog was more interested
Than we thought she would be
But a stream from a squirt bottle
Discouraged her
And when you were tired
And as squirmy as a caught fish
We held you before the bowl
Until the circling fish
Calmed you down
And you could sleep
In your bed
Comforted by
The soft gurgle
Of the humidifier

New challenge -- picture poem

My new challenge was to draw, paint or take a picture of any physical object and then write a poem about it in any style. My first poem was baby-centric, and, alas, I fear all the others will be too. This one was a shape poem, which will not retain its shape when it is transfered to the blog. I did draw the pacifier as well.

The Pacifier


I put it in.
You take
it out
To talk,
to listen
to music,
To eat the ice cream that was headed for my mouth
I know its purpose is to quiet, calm and soothe.
But does it
Quiet,
Calm and
Soothe
You or
Me?

Repeating line poem

Tomorrow we start something different. Hooray!

Feed the Baby

Pick up the baby
Change the baby
Dress the baby
Feed the baby

Hold the baby
Play with the baby
Change the baby
Feed the baby

Put down the baby
Pick up the baby
Change the baby
Feed the baby

Walk the baby
Sing to the baby
Read to the baby
Feed the baby’s mind

Repeating line poem

Today's poem came to me around 5 am this morning.

All Through the Night

Teething pains keep
The baby awake
All through the night

Infant Tylenol works
A few hours, but not
All through the night

The baby’s whimpers
Keep me awake
All through the night

In morning’s early hour
I sing to baby
“All Through the Night”

I can’t remember
The last time I slept
All through the night

Repeating line poem

I was inspired early today to write my poem. :)

Early Inspiration

He can fix a broken sink
A broken lamp
A broken toy, but
He can’t change a roll of toilet paper

He can mow the rain-grown grass
Tackle the wild weeds
Make a concrete edge, but
He can’t change a roll of toilet paper

He can make the baby laugh
Help with the baby’s bath
Even change a dirty diaper, but
He can’t change a roll of toilet paper

Now I think of it, I’ll keep him
The ledger’s in his favor
He’s pretty useful, even if
He can’t change a roll of toilet paper

Repeating line poem

I just had fun with today's poem. It probably also explains why I haven't been losing weight. :)


I Love Chocolate!

Dark chocolate
Milk chocolate
Not so much the white chocolate
I love chocolate!

Swiss chocolate
English chocolate
Most especially Belgium chocolate
I love chocolate!

Chocolate-covered raisins
Chocolate-covered nuts
Chocolate-covered peanut-butter cups
I love chocolate!

Repeating line poem

Somehow, repeating the line twice per stanza made the poems brighter -- at least in the ones I wrote -- today's poem only uses the line once per stanza and came out quite a bit darker. Mayber starting off with the word "alligator" didn't help.

Still waters reflect life:

Alligator lurks in weeds
Ducklings hide in reeds
Deep below, an oily carp feeds
Still waters reflect life

Turtles sun on bank
Dying algae stank
From the pool a thirsty dog drank
Still waters reflect life

Eggs a snake is snatching
Snakes a hawk is catching
Mosquito larvae are hatching
Still waters reflect life

Pine needles skimming
Minnows are swimming
On the surface, twilight dimming
Still waters reflect life

Repeating line poem

Here is my repeating line poem for today. I know I don't have to repeat the line within the stanza, but it just seemed to work out well for yesterday's and today's poem.

Repeating line

Bounce, bounce, bounce
Favorite toy
Of baby boy
Bounce, bounce, bounce

Bounce, bounce, bounce
Spinning frog
Watching dog
Bounce, bounce, bounce

Bounce, bounce, bounce
Chewed-up bee
Bad puppy
Bounce, bounce, bounce

Bounce, bounce, bounce
Sticky legs
Puppy begs
Bounce, bounce, bounce

Bounce, bounce, bounce
Baby drool
Forms a pool
Bounce, bounce, bounce

Bounce, bounce, bounce
Baby’s dance
Puppy pants
Bounce, bounce, bounce

Bounce, bounce, bounce
On the floor
Then no more
Bounce, bounce, bounce

New week. Yay!

New week. Yay! I tried a repeating line poem. I also walked just under 2 miles in just under 25 minutes today, while pushing a baby stroller. That has to count as a cardio workout. :)

Repeating line

Race, walk, stroll
Race the clouds
Race the wind
Race, walk, stroll

Race, walk, stroll
Race the thunder
Race the lightning
Race, walk, stroll

Race, walk, stroll
Race the rain
Race the storm
Race, walk, stroll

Race, walk, stroll
Race the clock
Race the night
Race, walk, stroll

Shorter poetry this week

Ah, so much creativity happens, not necessarily good, when you are awakened at 3 am and can't get back to sleep until 6 am, only to be awakened again at 7 am. Here is another poem written to fit a tune in Thomas' mobile. This one is NOT about the weather, but about nature.

Verse

The moon leaks light.
Each night she loses more.
The sun can make her again bright,
By reflecting from his store.

The moon grows full;
The sun must be beaming.
Oceans are in the moon’s control
The earth softly is dreaming.

The sun makes light.
And sharing with the moon
Will never make the sun less bright.
Sleep. The sun is rising soon.

Shorter poetry this week

This one is more about the effort than the result.

Park rhyme

We went to see Grandma and Grandpa
At their house
Thomas in his car seat was as quiet
As a mouse
Grandma held Thomas. She doesn’t like
To share him
She kissed him and he giggled. Nothing
Could scare him
We visited and decided to
Walk the park
We went around four times until the
Sky grew dark
We rushed to load Thomas in the car
To drive back
On the road rain was falling and the
Sky turned black
We drove through sheets of rain, bad drivers
And lightning
If Thomas didn’t sleep, it might have
Been frightening
But he slept and we made it back home
Mostly dry
Today Thomas was brave, he didn’t
Even cry

Shorter poetry this week

I am so glad I made it back from the library before the thunder storms started. Got to love Florida summers.

Couplets

The sun was shining. The day was fair.
Thomas and I went out for fresh air.
We took the car; we weren’t in a hurry.
We decided to go to the library.
Miss Louise was there, and hard at work,
But Thomas charmed her and made her shirk –
A little, anyway – there still came
Questions, and queries and more the same.
Summer at the library will be fun.
Something is planned for everyone.
For library’s summer I have seen
Printed in a program of bright green.

Shorter poetry this week

I LOVE rainy days that come at the end of a string of hot, dry days. I'm not so crazy about rainy days that come at the end of a string of wet, dreary days.

We had no problems with the rain, but friends of ours are still a bit nervous.


Friends evacuated
Because of a fire
When they returned
They had no power
They watch as the river
In the back grew higher
They fear a house-flooding
Could come any hour
While they watch they wade through
Swampy mud, muck and mire
That rises with even
A light, late spring shower

Shorter poetry this week

OK, you are probably about as sick of rain poems as I am of rain, but this one was inspired by the boy scout pup tents we saw getting soaked at the KOA campground down the road.

Acrostic

Ruined many a picnic
And camping trip
In Central Florida and
North Brevard this weekend

Shorter poetry this week

OK, my monorhyme does have eight lines, but that is all there is -- no more is coming tomorrow -- so it's still shorter. :)

Monorhyme

This afternoon, around ten to two
I thought I saw a patch of blue
I looked again, it was true,
There were a few
Patches of blue
Breaking through.
What was a rain-weary girl to do?
I ran outside and yelled “yahoo”!

Shorter poetry this week

My buddy-in-writing and I decided to take a bit of a break after a challenging week-long poem. This week our poems will be confined to eight lines or fewer, so to kick mine off I wrote a haiku. I'll be writing about weather/seasons/nature this week.

Haiku

Forty days and nights
Of earth-cracking dryness -- then
The rains fell and fell

Sophie's Colors, in full

Here is the entire poem about Sophie's Colors.

Sophie’s Colors

Silly Sophie
Dog of russet red
She likes to pilfer
The covers off our bed

Funny Sophie
Her ears are umber brown --
They seem to stick out more
When I flatten them down

Sweetheart Sophie
She’s full of surprise
Intelligence lurks in
Her soulful brown eyes

Mischievous Sophie
Steals the purple-eyed bunny
When I run after her
She thinks it’s funny

Sophie’s collar
Is striped pink with a bone
If she wanders off
She’ll be brought home

Sophie’s nose is black,
Covered in damp dirt
Oh, no, Sophie, NO!
You’re rubbing my shirt

Sophie’s pink tongue
Gives the baby a bath
I would make her stop
But she’s making him laugh

Knock on orange door
Nobody is there
Except Sophie, who
Has grown tired of fresh air

Sophie’s muddy paws
On cream carpet don’t mix
So she covers her tracks
With some well-placed sticks

Sneaky Sophie
Surfs the counter stone gray
She swipes a napkin
And squirrels it away

Naughty Sophie
Prefers toilet water
To that in the silver
Steel bowl we bought her

Destructive Sophie
Shreds the bed in her room
Our carpet is strewn
With bits of maroon

Sophie’s whip-tail
Thrashes all in her wake
Slashing periwinkles
And making them break

Blue-eyed baby --
Sophie can’t resist him
He giggles when she
Thoroughly has kissed him.

Helpful Sophie
Does a job every night
She guards the slate stroller
And keeps it upright

Sophie from Africa
Can tolerate heat
Except dark gray tarmac
Scalds her tender feet

A wild rabbit plays
In grass, tall and green
Sophie bolts to chase him
But now he can’t be seen

Sophie the red dog
Races the stroller
Then she lies on the road
And wants us to hold her

Hey! Slow down!
Come back here, Sophie!
It’s a walk not a race
There’s no gold trophy

Old movies show
In black, white and gray
Sophie doesn’t mind
She prefers them that way

Tired Sophie
Stretches, straightens and shrugs
Then coils herself on
The mustard wool rug

Complex Sophie
Is quite a confection
Our red dog inspires
Trouble and affection

Sophie's colors, part 6

Here is my sixth installment of Sophie's colors. I think next week I'll tackle something a little less ambitious.

A wild rabbit plays
In grass, tall and green
Sophie bolts to chase him
But now he can’t be seen

Sophie the red dog
Races the stroller
Then she lies on the road
And wants us to hold her

Hey! Slow down!
Come back here, Sophie!
This is a walk not a race
There’s no gold trophy

Sophie's colors, part 5

Week's almost done --yay! Here's my fifth installment. :)

Part 5:

Baby Blue Eyes --
Sophie can’t resist him
Baby giggles when she
Thoroughly has kissed him.

Helpful Sophie
Has a job she does nightly
She guards the slate stroller
And keeps it uprightly

Sophie from Africa
Can tolerate heat
Except the dark gray tarmac
Scalds her tender feet

Sophie's colors, part 4

Here's more of Sophie's colorful tale:

Part 4:

Naughty Sophie
Prefers toilet water
To that in the silver
Steel bowl we bought her

Destructive Sophie
Shreds the bed in her room
Our carpet is strewn
With bits of maroon

Sophie’s whip-tail
Thrashes all in her wake
Upsetting periwinkles
Making them break

Sophie's colors, part 3

I think the value of writing poetry, even if you have no intention of becoming a poet, is that it forces you be succint and vibrant in your word choice. Plus, writing every day is always a good exercise.

Here's my entry for today.

Part 3:

Knock on orange door --
Nobody is there
Except Sophie, who has
Grown tired of fresh air

Sophie’s muddy paws
On cream carpet don’t mix
So she covers her tracks
With some well-placed sticks

Sneaky Sophie
Surfs the counter stone gray
She swipes a napkin
And squirrels it away

Sophie's colors, part 2

Here is the continuation of Sophie's colors.

Sophie’s collar
Is striped pink with a bone
If she wanders off
She’ll be brought home

Sophie’s nose is black,
Covered in damp dirt
Oh, Sophie, NO!
You’re rubbing on my shirt

Sophie’s pink tongue
Gives the baby a bath
I would stop her
But she’s making him laugh

Color poem

I've been challenged to write a poem about colors. I have to write at least two stanzas a day for a week and there needs to be a rhyming scheme. Here is my start...

Silly Sophie
Russet red
I think sometimes
She’s thick in the head

Funny Sophie
Ears umber brown --
They seem to stick out more
When I flatten them down

Sweetheart Sophie
Full of surprise
Intelligence lurks
In her soul-full brown eyes

Mischievous Sophie
Steals the purple-eyed bunny
When I run after her
She thinks it’s funny

Poetry continued

Here is my short Quatrain for today.

Sophie the dog is twelve months old now
She’s no longer considered a pup
Despite this milestone, I think somehow
The silly girl will never grow up

Poetry continued

Here's another slice of life Quatrain for today.


Now I lay me down to sleep
Buster at my head, Chloe, my feet
If, while I sleep, I should turn over,
I’ll wake up without any cover.

Poetry continued

This is a "slice of life" Quatrain.


Here’s a picture of life so sweet:
Thomas and Grandma share a seat
Thomas soon is sleeping fast
By leaning on his Grandma’s cast

Poetry continued

Here is my Quatrain for the day. It is very appropriate for today. :)




Two Trails

Today we watched a countdown
Beginning with the number nine
The shuttle lifted off and
Thomas launched at the same time.

The shuttle left a plume of smoke
Visible in spots of blue.
Thomas left a trail of white puke
That ran down and filled my shoe.

Poetry continued

Here is a monorhyme Quatrain.

Quatrain

Today
On the tenth of May
I celebrated my first Mother’s Day
Yay!

Poetry continued

Here is a Quatrain that is not a cat poem. :)

Ode to a Sleeping Baby

Your chest heaves rhythmically
Your eyelashes brush your cheek
Your lips tease a smile.
As if you wish to speak.

I reach out to touch you
In bed as you sleeping lay
Your eyes flutter open
And say, “please go away”.

Poetry continued

I couldn't remember if Quaterns had to rhyme. I wrote this poem, which might be a Quatern, but is definitely a Quatrain. Anyway, my pick for this week's style would be a Quatrain (coz if I'm just not feeling it, I only have to write four lines).


Quatern

Where does one end and the other begin?
A little black and white cat nestles
In a black and white cat pillow
Black and white, tail to head, head to tail

Little cat hides in a cat-shaped pillow
Where does one end and the other begin?
He raises up his head and stretches
And the pillow moves in sympathy

Black and white cat chews the velvety tail
Of a black and white cat pillow
Where does one end and the other begin?
Pillow and cat both have dampened coats

The little black and white cat rises,
And with tottering legs he deserts
The cat-shaped pillow, so it is clear
Where does one end and the other begin.

Poetry continued

A Rondolet is another repeating line poem. It is a seven-line stanza, with line 1, 3 and 7 being the same. I have returned to the cat theme -- at least for a little while.

Rondolet

What is life without a cat?
Cats enrich the human race.
What is life without a cat?
If you dare, answer me that.
The world would be a lonely place
If I could not kiss a furry face.
What is life without a cat?

Poetry continued

One of the styles I didn't have a chance to explore in April was the Monorhyme -- all lines end in the same sound -- so I tried that one for today. I must say, it made me feel very Suessian. :)

Monorhyme

As I was sleeping the other day
(It was a Tuesday
And not quite the first of May),
Dr. Zambos, J.
Cut my gallbladder away.
(It was filled with many stones of light grey.)
When I woke up, I saw Rene,
Who was the nurse for my post-op stay,
And who has twins – Joe and Jennae,
And they
Come and play
At Storytime on Thursday.
Nurse Rene
Tended me as in bed I lay
And shot me with drugs to allay
My pain and take it away,
Although, with some delay.
She was my best friend for the day.
At least, that is what I did say
Before I drifted far away…

Poetry continued

One of the styles of poetry that my friend wrote during Poetry Month was the Gratitude Poem. I didn't write one during April, so here is my Gratitude Poem -- I have so much to be grateful for, so I just tried to hit the highlights.

Gratitude Poem

I am grateful that I have a wonderful husband
I am grateful that my wonderful husband has a decent job
I am grateful that the doctors were wrong and I was able to conceive
I am grateful that the doctors were wrong and I was able to deliver
I am grateful that I have a beautiful baby
I am grateful that my beautiful baby is perfectly healthy
I am grateful that I am able to work
I am grateful that I am able to stay home with my beautiful baby
I am grateful that I have a comfortable home to stay in with my beautiful baby
I am grateful that I have two sweet cats that keep me warm at night, even in the summer
I am grateful that I have a silly dog that makes me laugh
I am grateful that God has given so much to me

Poetry continued

A friend and I decided to continue trying to write a poem a day -- it would be good writing practice. She suggested colors for a theme, so here's my poem:

The colors of me --

My bandages are white
My stitches are black
My incisions are red
My bruises are yellow
Green and
Purple

Poetry month -- Day 30 -- sort of

For poem #30, I wrote a Tanka, although not necessarily a true Tanka. A true Tanka would be about nature/seasons and would convey a strong emotion. Mine is a about a cat's nature and only conveys annoyance. :)
The syllable count is: 5, 7, 5, 7, 7, for 31 syllables.

30 – Tanka

Is it possible
That one skinny, scrawny cat
Can spread herself out
Over an entire bed?
Such an act defies logic.

Poetry month -- Day 29 -- sort of

For today I chose a Triolet. It is an eight-line poem; lines 1, 4 and 7 are the same, as are lines 2 and 8. (So really, it is only five lines of poetry.)


29 – Triolet

Gold of eye, lavender of ear,
Chloe cat, where are you hiding?
Under the bed searched, you’re not there,
Gold of eye, lavender of ear.
Strange scratches are emanating
From inside the reclining chair.
Gold of eye, lavender of ear,
Chloe cat, where are you hiding?

Poetry month -- Day 28 -- sort of

A Tercet is a three-lined stanza. The meter is not important, but the line endings should rhyme.

28 – Tercet

You two kittens, look at this house!
Did you think you were chasing after a mouse?
Wait! – Is that my torn blouse?

Poetry month -- Day 27 -- sort of

Today's style was an Onomatopoeia poem, which makes for a poem that is fun to read out loud.


Scurry, scurry, scurry
Clack, clack, clack
Clatter, clatter, clatter
Crash!
Hiss, hiss, yowl
Yowl, hiss, hiss
Clatter, clatter, clatter
Clack, clack, clack
Scurry, scurry, scurry
Shred, shred, shred
Rip!
Yowl, hiss, meow
Meow, hiss, purr
Two kittens fighting --
The furniture loses.

Poetry month -- Day 27 -- sort of

I moved way ahead in my story, but I just could not resist writing a Shape Poem.

Poetry month -- Day 26 -- sort of

Here is my poem for today. I wrote a "Carpe Diem" poem, about living in the moment.

26 – Carpe diem

Kiss the kittens while you may,
Their downy heads are delightful.
The little cats unloved today,
Tomorrow could be frightful.

Kiss the kittens, mind the claws,
You’re lucky just to hold them.
Full-grown cats may give pause
When you try to scold them.

Kiss the kittens, mind the teeth,
Watch your cheeks and nose.
When cats take position underneath
Your chair, they’ll bite your toes.

Kiss the kittens, tomorrow grown
Do not your love defer.
For the cats that make you their own,
Cats to kittens I prefer.

Poetry month -- Day 25 -- sort of

Today, I continue Chloe's story with a Quatrain -- a poem in four line stanza with a rhyming scheme, usually lines 2 and 4.

25 – Quatrain

Our new kitten needs a name.
Should we name her for her speckles?
Should we name her for her stripes?
Should we name her for her freckles?

How about her amber eyes,
Or the color of her fur?
How about her lighter feet,
Or the way she loves to purr?

Her markings are quite distinct.
Have you ever seen a kitten
That had a face quite like hers?
She looks like she’s Egyptian.

We should call her Cleopatra
After the Queen of the Nile.
It may not seem quite right now,
She’ll answer after a while.

Cleopatra is a name to long
For a scrawny cat, so we
Can call her Cleo for short.
Still wrong. How about Chloe?

Poetry month -- Day 24 -- sort of

This is an "I wish" poem, consisting of ten to 18 lines, all beginning with "I wish".

24 – I wish

I wish I knew what I know now when I was twenty
I wish I had the physique I had when I was twenty

I wish I hesitated more before speaking unkindly
I wish I hesitated less before speaking kindly

I wish I had laughed more often at life
I wish I had cried more often at life

I wish I were more spontaneous, but
I wish I were more organized

I wish I could rewrite the past where I failed
I wish I would live fully in the present

Poetry month -- Day 23 -- sort of

My challenge today was a letter poem, which is pretty much what it sounds like -- a letter in poetic form. I took a break from the cats and wrote to my son.

To My Darling Son –

I loved you before I knew you,
When you were as fleeting as a thought,
As small as a second.
You grew where nothing
Was supposed to grow –
So I was told.
You grew in an imperfect vessel that
Was supposed to crack –
So I was told.
You arrived in a way most dramatic,
And everyone who knows your story
Marvels at the miracle you are.
But what you are is not just a miracle.
Every time you smile,
Which is often,
My heart melts.
Every time you hug,
Which is often
My heart melts.
Already, you have enriched my life.
Everyday I love you more.

-- Your Loving Mother

Poetry month -- Day 22 -- sort of

My poem for the day was an Alexandrine -- twelve syllables per line and usually a rhyming scheme.


Today we found and brought home another kitten.
She is in this box with eyeholes. She can see you.
Listen, Buster. She sweetly sings. She wants a friend.
Stop hissing at the box. We know you’re lonely, too.

Poetry month -- Day 21 -- sort of

Back to Buster and Chloe's story -- now it is Chloe's turn. I choose Alliteration. I did go a bit (well, a lot) overboard with the alliteration. Read out loud, the poem sounds like a bunch of hissing cats, but given the subject matter, that is not a bad effect.

21 – Alliteration

Spied
Amid a sea of scampering cats
Striving to be seen
At the city shelter,
She sits in shadows,
Separate.

She sounds a sweet, yet soulful, song
That pierces the discord
Of the shuffling others.
Spotted, speckled and striped,
And scrawny.

She stares with striking topaz eyes.
She is scooped up and snared.
She settles softly,
Snuggling my shoulder.
Still she sings.
Sold!

Poetry month -- Day 20 -- sort of

Today I was given the challenge of writing a Headline Poem, i.e, taking today's headlines and turning them into a poem. Alas, I did not do very well -- maybe yesterday was a slow news day. Anyway, here it is:

20 – Headline poem

Sand artist
Stampede park
Traffic
Chief happy
Experts urge
Wits
Scrutinized
Inspection under way
Fire damages
Father with a knife
Duck help
Alleged threat delayed
Boosts
Swift derision

Poetry month -- Day 19 -- sort of

I'm still working ahead, so today isn't really the 19th. My poem #19 is an instructional poem. Now I'm getting into Chloe's story.

How to choose a cat:

Drive to the pound.
Remember, you cannot take them all home!
Enter the pound.
Remember, you cannot take them all home!
Observe the cats in the cages.
Wash your hands.
Pick out one that is especially beautiful.
Hold him.
Will leaving him here
Break your heart?
No?
Put him back.
Remember, you cannot take them all home!
Wash your hands.
Pick out one that is especially funny.
Hold her.
Will leaving her here
Break your heart?
No?
Put her back.
Remember, you cannot take them all home.
Wash your hands.
Pick out one that is especially loud.
Hold him.
Will leaving him here
Break your heart?
No?
Put him back.
Remember, you cannot take them all home.
Wash your hand.
Pick out one that sings sweetly.
Hold her.
Does she hold you?
Does she sing even more loudly and sweetly?
Will leaving her here
Break your heart?
Yes?
This is your new cat.
Remember, you cannot take them all home.