Birthday Bash + Poetry Friday Roundup

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Cake via Craftsy member SweetandSwanky

Welcome to my birthday bash!

Amazing.  My blog baby, Today's Little Ditty, turned one year old this week.  I appreciate you dropping by to help me celebrate!  We'll get the party started with a round of mini-golf, then some special announcements, and wrap things up with cake and the Poetry Friday roundup.

Over the past twelve months, I have posted 35 original poems here.  Some of them have gotten lots of attention, others not so much.  Today I'm taking the opportunity to re-post one of my lesser-viewed favorites. "Golf Day" was originally posted on September 20, 2013.  (I've included the link just in case you want to see the oh-so-cute photos of my munchkins... now significantly more teen-like.  Sigh.)

 

          Golf Day

          I pick a club that’s just my size

          and ball so bright it hurts my eyes,

          then place it on the perfect spot

          to give that ball a great big swat!

          Swing once… a miss.

          Swing twice… just air.

          The third time, with a bit more care…

          Going

                        going

                                      going…

                                                    THWACK!

                                                It hits the wall,

                                       starts

                        rolling

          back.

          Oh no you don’t!

          I won’t be beat.

          Don’t need the club,

          I’ll use my feet

          to kick

                        and chase you

                                                  to the hole…

                                                                           At last

                                                                           that ball

                                                                           drops

                                                                           i

                                                                           n

                                                                           t

                                                                           h

                                                                           e

                                                                           bowl.

          My da says, “That’s not how it’s done,”

          but he’s just sore because I won.

          © 2013 Michelle Heidenrich Barnes.  All rights reserved.

Speaking of bowls, is it time for ice cream yet?

No, not yet.  But it is time for some delicious announcements!  When I debuted Today's Little Ditty on April 10, 2013, I had no idea of the wild and wonderful year in store, nor the special relationships I'd make along the way.  I did, however, have a pretty clear vision of what I wanted this blog to become.  Sure, I wanted a place to showcase my own work, but more than that, I wanted it to be a fun community playground of sorts.  That's why I introduced Haiku Garden, Limerick Alley, and Five For Friday parties like last week's poetry celebration.  Now I'd like to take Today's Little Ditty three steps further in that direction. 

Please help me welcome my new team of contributors to Today's Little Ditty!

Lyrical Language Doctor

A Class Act

Science Sleuth

Rhyme Crime Investigator

I'm not sure how well this Fab Four can sing, but for those of us who consistently strive to improve our craft, I'm thrilled to be able to learn from Renée LaTulippe, Laura Shovan, Buffy Silverman, and Carrie Clickard.  Like jimmies on ice cream, contributor posts will be sprinkled throughout the year; each of these fabulous poets writing in a specific area of expertise. (Make mine mint chocolate chip, please.)

 Next, for those who are sweet on a fun poetry challenge, I'm thrilled to introduce:

The Ditty of the Month Club!  

Design: Miranda Barnes

This is a club for anyone and everyone.  (Even my kids are excited to join in.)  Each month, we will be given a new poetry challenge– a theme and/or form to write our own poems.  Several may be featured as daily ditties, but all of them will be collected in one wrap-up post at the end of the month.  Holy smokes, it's DITTYMANIA!   But wait, there's more... who do you suppose is going to come up with these challenges?  Nope, not me.

On the first Friday of every month, the Ditty of the Month Club will open with a new

*Spotlight ON* interview series!  

Here, I will be interviewing authors, anthologists, editors, agents... whoever I can get my hands on in the business of children's publishing.  These are the folks who will be coming up with the month's ditty challenge.  Sometimes, they may even have a special goodie to offer as a reward at the end of the month.   How cool is that?!!

Are you, or is someone you know, an author or anthologist with a book coming out this year?  Or maybe you know of an editor or agent who might find it fun to take part in the Spotlight ON series?  Send me an email by using the contact form in the sidebar to the right.  The spotlighted author for May is already lined up, but I can't give away ALL my surprises today, now can I?

Many, many thanks to all of you who will be helping my birthday wishes take flight over the next year!    

Cake, anyone?

And now here's my gift to you: the Poetry Friday roundup!

Leave your direct link and a few words to describe your post in the comments and I will add them here throughout the day.

1. Robyn is showcasing a wonderful young poet, Liana Kiln, in her Haiku Student Poet of the Month series at Life on the Deckle Edge.

2. At Author Amok, Laura Shovan's "Source Poems" series continues with guest blogger Mary Bargteil's allegiance to T.S. Eliot's FOUR QUARTETS.

3. Elizabeth Steinglass treats us to an uncommon view of a violet– just one of many treasures she is exploring in her "Backyard Treasures" series this month.

4. Myra celebrates diversity and the voices of the silenced with Langston Hughes' poem, "I Dream a World" at Gathering Books.

5. At Buffy's Blog, Buffy shares an original poem inspired by a predatory encounter in her suburban neighborhood.

6. Diane's trio for us today includes puppet poems and a little music at Random Noodling; New Hampshire poet, Richard Eberhart, and an excellent Poetry Month slideshow presentation at Kurious Kitty's Kurio Kabinet; and a quote by Eberhart at KK's Kwotes.

7. Matt is is with a fun, original poem at Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme, and check out all the other events he'll be participating in this month as well.

8. At Tapestry of Words, Becky is celebrating her favorite poets this month.  Today she focuses on Christina Rossetti.

9. Linda Baie at Teacherdance has been wandering into the realm of haiku.  She shares an original haiku from something she saw on the way home one day.

10. Join Bridget at wee words for wee ones for an original and hilarious take on an overprotective mom and a daredevil kid.

11. Over at The Poem Farm today, Amy has "Suitcase," #11 in her series of original THRIFT STORE poems.

12. Violet Nesdoly has written an array of punny poems in response to a Homophoem Poetry Stretch challenge.

13. Catherine shares a beauty of a poem by William Wordsworth, "I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud," at Reading to the Core.  Catherine has also started a blog for parents, Mrs. Flynn's Literacy Corner, where today she discusses the importance of sharing Mother Goose rhymes with little ones.

14. Join Lorie Ann at On Point for an original haiku, "Dancing on the Volcano." (Something for the bucket list, perhaps?)  At readertotz, Lorie Ann reviews PRESTO CHANGE-O! A BOOK OF ANIMAL MAGIC.

15. Tabatha shares poems by Diane Mayr and Megan Arkenberg as part of her wonderful "Directory of Imaginary Poems" series at The Opposite of Indifference.

16. Stop by Charles Waters Poetry to catch up with Charles' goings on and to read his original poem, "Aerial Beauty."

17. At my juicy little universe, Heidi visits the Progressive Poem for another entry in her National Poetry Month Travel Journal. 

18. Mary Lee's poetry travels have taken her to the CN Tower.  You can find her "Our Wonderful World" poem-a-day Poetry Month Project at A Year of Reading.

19. At Reflections on the Teche, Margaret offers an answer to the question, "Why Poetry?" using an interesting slideshow format and she also takes a different spin on an I am From poem.

20. Tamera Will Wissinger features a call for children's poetry submissions and an original book spine poem she created for Travis Jonker’s book spine poem gallery.

21. Irene is in today with some wise words from Paul Janeckzo and a look at FIREFLY JULY over at Live Your Poem.

22. Laura Purdie Salas' "riddle-ku" series continues at Writing the World for Kids.

23. Linda Kulp at Write Time provides today's line for Day 11 of Irene Latham's Progressive Poem.

24. It's "J-day" at Mainely Write, featuring an original poem called "Just Across the Street."  Donna's A-Z challenge has been to write poems that celebrate book titles by Maine authors.

25. Jeannine's post today at Views from a Window Seat celebrates Richard Wilbur's ode to laundry and angels, "Love Calls us to the Things of This World."

26. Doraine has the cinquain of the day for us over at Dori Reads.

27. Amy at Hope Is the Word reviews MY AMERICA: A POETRY ATLAS OF THE UNITED STATES, compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins and illustrated by Stephen Alcorn.

28. JoAnn shares a Teaching Authors Fifth Blogiversary giveaway and fun video reading of Mary Ann Hoberman's "Counting-Out Rhyme" from THE LLAMA WHO HAD NO PAJAMA.  And at her own blog, an original apostrophe poem and another giveaway! (Generous folks, these Teaching Authors!)

29. At Bildungsroman, Little Willow has lyrics from Where is Love Now? (originally by Sam Phillips, newly covered by Nickel Creek).

30. Jan celebrates poetry with a green theme today at Book Seed Studio.  She showcases three wonderful book selections: THE GREAT BIG GREEN, WELCOME TO THE GREEN HOUSE, and HAILSTONES AND HALIBUT BONES.

31. Catherine Johnson shares a sweet "Panting Pantoum" at her blog today and announces the winners of last week's giveaways.  (Spoiler alert: I'm one of them-- yippee!!!)

32. The finals of #MMPoetry 2014 wrapped up last night with Samuel Kent's brilliant "A Letter on Behalf of Ampersand" defeating Josh Close's totally wacky "A Penny for your Thoughts."  Ed DeCaria asks that you pop over to Think Kid Think and check them out if you haven't already.

33. At GottaBook, Greg's "30 Poets" series continues with poems by Avis Harley and Charles Waters.

34. In case today's cake and ice cream was not quite enough, Karen Edmisten is featuring Mark Strand's "Eating Poetry."

35. Joy has been diving into haiku at Poetry for Kids Joy.  She offers several of her own creations and a challenge for us all to try.

36. Keri is in with an original poem about pine pollen at Keri Recommends. Achooo!

37. At Poet! Poet!, Anastasia is in a gardening mood with an original haiku titled "Pruning the Roses."

38. Betsy at I Think in Poems shares two favorite poems that have grown from her Facebook Collaborative Poetry Project this month. 

39. Angie Karcher would like everyone to know about RhyPiBoMo (Rhyming Picture Book Month), where 35 amazing guest bloggers and 35 daily lessons are helping writers understand more about writing poetry and rhyming picture books. Registration ends April 16th.

40. At Wild Rose Reader, Elaine has an original list poem titled "Things to Do If You Are a Mole."

41. Emily Jiang addresses the topic of revision and poem formatting today, using her original poem, "Magical Melody," from her newly published book, SUMMONING THE PHOENIX: POEMS & PROSE ABOUT CHINESE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

42. Janet reviews LOCOMOTION by Jacqueline Woodson at All About the Books.

43. At Used Books in Class, Mrs. Bennett takes a closer look at the lyrical language of Puccini's La Bohème.

44. Carol has been participating in Mary Lee Hahn's "Our Wonderful World" series this month.  You can find her CN Tower poem at Carol's Corner.

45. Tricia is in with an original poem about baseball at The Miss Rumphius Effect.

46. At Blue Window, B.J. Lee shares some final thoughts about being in the March Madness children's poetry tournament along with her round four pantoum, "Behind the Dancing Rain."

47. Tara's classroom has been pondering the lives of early pioneers.  She shares Willa Cather's "Prairie Spring" at A Teaching Life.