Sorry that I have been away from blogging for so
long! I’ve missed being a part of the children’s literature community. Sometimes
we have to step away from things we enjoy doing in order to tend to other
important things in our lives.
The past two months have brought both good things
and challenges into my life. The illness of a close family member was a major
concern for me. While providing daycare for my granddaughter Julia, finishing
renovations on our new home, moving my books and other belongings from our
current home to our new place, I was also helping to care for that close family
member—who, I am happy to say, is well again.
I couldn’t let the first day of National Poetry
Month slip by without posting on Wild Rose Reader. We had a long winter up here
in Massachusetts—which included a series of storms that dropped quite a bit of
snow on the ground. March is always a brown month around these parts. I did see
crocuses poking through the soil in my daughter’s garden last week. Yesterday, I
received a gift of tulips. The plants and decorated Easter eggs got me to
thinking about flowers and the joyous color they bring as winter gives way to
spring. I decided to post a number of my spring flower poems for you to
celebrate the beginning of National Poetry Month.
NOTE: As in past years, I’ll be giving away poetry
books away again this year. See the details of my poetry book giveaway at the bottom of
this post.
SPRING FLOWER POEMS
Coming up, I’m coming up,
Reaching through the softening soil, poking my petals
Out of the earth,
Collecting sunlight in my purple cup.
Up, I’m coming up.
Spring is on the way!
Look! A
starting line
of crocuses ready
to sprint into spring
of crocuses ready
to sprint into spring
Crocuses
pierce the softening
soil, push up
purple periscopes,
search for spring’s warm face.
SPRING SINGS
Spring sings with yellow—
Daffodils trumpet the color in a world growing green
Forsythia bushes explode into golden clouds
Dandelions light our lawn like little suns
Daisies flaunt their pollen-powdered faces…
Everywhere I look
Yellow is singing out its bright song.
Daffodils…
dipped in sunlight,
dusted with gold—
brassy blossoms
trumpeting their color
in April gardens
Spring sings with yellow—
Daffodils trumpet the color in a world growing green
Forsythia bushes explode into golden clouds
Dandelions light our lawn like little suns
Daisies flaunt their pollen-powdered faces…
Everywhere I look
Yellow is singing out its bright song.
Daffodils…
dipped in sunlight,
dusted with gold—
brassy blossoms
trumpeting their color
in April gardens
FORSYTHIAS
One morning
they unexpectedly
burst into bloom
and sprouted gold.
April used her Midas touch
and turned a gray day
into a surprise celebration
for spring.
One morning
they unexpectedly
burst into bloom
and sprouted gold.
April used her Midas touch
and turned a gray day
into a surprise celebration
for spring.
FORSYTHIA
Sun rubs
resting earth
With warm
yellow hands…coaxes
Forth petals of gold
TULIP
Poked its pink head up
looking for spring,
stood watching while clouds passed by,
waited till warm yellow rays
looking for spring,
stood watching while clouds passed by,
waited till warm yellow rays
showered down...
then lapped up sunlight
with its silky tongues.
then lapped up sunlight
with its silky tongues.
Win a Poetry Book!
Every week during April, I’ll be giving away a children’s poetry book at Wild Rose Reader. If you leave a comment at one of my poetry posts this week (April 1-6), I’ll enter your name in the drawing for a poetry book. If you leave comments at two posts, I'll enter your name twice...and so on. I’ll announce the winner of this week’s giveaway on Sunday, April 7th.
This week’s prize from Wild Rose Reader will be a copy of Lemonade and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word, which was written by Bob Raczka and illustrated by Nancy Doniger.
Beautiful poems with such wonderful imagery, Elaine. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteElaine, thank you for this colorful kick-off to Poetry Month!
ReplyDeleteMy father loved the forsythia and we always new spring was here. Now I live in a more northern clime and spring is short....though still beautiful.
ReplyDeleteLove your photos and your flower artistry in words.
Janet F.
So nice to hear from you Elaine! I love your poems and have missed them. Happy poetry month!
ReplyDeleteI have 2 granddaughters that I don't get to see very often, so I send them cards several times a week. I like putting poems and short stories in the cards. May I use some of your "yellow" poems?
ReplyDeleteLinda H.,
ReplyDeleteI'd be happy if you shared my "yellow" poems with your granddaughters!
Linda H.,
ReplyDeleteI'd be happy if you shared my "yellow" poems with your granddaughters!
Welcome back. Glad all is well. Love the poems and love you too!
ReplyDeleteI've been wondering how you're doing so the update was especially nice. Life does get busy, doesn't it? We moved last August, and with a much longer commute to work, life has been hectic. I don't get to see my two grandchildren as often as I'd like, but we do the best we can.
ReplyDeleteLove the poems, especailly "Daffodils" such beautiful images "dipped in sunlight/dusted with gold" so lovely!