Look for the Helpers + the Poetry Friday Roundup

Today's Little Ditty is all about celebrating the small stuff.  

The everyday ditties of life. In our little corner of the online world, we challenge ourselves, learn together, take risks, and support one another in the writing process. We're about community, helping each other to reach our potential, communicating shared experiences, and spreading the gospel of children's poetry, or what I like to call "dittylove."

What a bunch of blah-blah. right?  Sorry. Blah-blah is my middle name. Check my passport.

But seriously, this is who I am. I feel most myself when I'm bringing folks together and helping to promote creativity.  I claim it as part of my "heartbeat" – that one little word I spoke about last January.

This month I'm shining the TLD spotlight on Nikki Grimes and Poems in the Attic. If you missed last Friday's interview, you'll find it HERE along with Nikki's DMC challenge and instructions on how to participate. I'm so impressed with the free verse poems I've received so far! Keep them coming, and be sure to check out this week's featured ditties by Julie Larios and Renée LaTulippe.

Today we're not only celebrating Poetry Friday (we'll get to the roundup in a minute), but also World Red Cross Day. May 8th was chosen for World Red Cross Day because it's the birthday of Henry Dunant, the Nobel Prize-winning founder of the Red Cross.

You want to talk about helping? The Red Cross and Red Crescent network has been helping people for over 150 years! Millions of people. Each year. Visit the American Red Cross website to discover the many ways they help others, and also how you can support them in that work.

I'm so pleased that Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong selected my poem "Look for the Helpers" to represent World Red Cross Day in The Poetry Friday Anthology for Celebrations. When Janet and Sylvia suggested that I also create a poem movie for the occasion, I jumped at the opportunity.

This wasn't the first time they challenged my technology skills. My son introduced me to iMovie when Sylvia and Janet were TLD's spotlight duo last June.  You would think making a video the second time around would be easier... but no, not really. Again, I couldn't have done it without my teenage IT guy. (Thanks, Dylan! xo)  But it was just as fun and creatively satisfying.

And what a boon to find so many wonderful photos in the Red Cross' database! I waded through more than 300 of them, but it was worth it to find just the right ones. I knew I wanted the focus to be on children, because children are some of the best helpers I know. 

Find this video and other goodies on PoetryCelebrations.com – home and party central 

for The Poetry Friday Anthology for Celebrations. Find the accompanying "Take 5" activities
for this poem at Sylvia Vardell's blog, Poetry for Children.

 

Now, who's ready for the Poetry Friday roundup?

It's been some time since our last Five for Friday party, so in honor of World Red Cross Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, and Mother's Day, I hope you will leave a five-word ditty (plus title, if you wish) about HELPERS or HELPING, along with your Poetry Friday link and a short description.


Participation is voluntary, of course. You may:

1. come up with 5-word ditty on the spot (please don't stress over it),
2. leave your link now and come back to add your 5-word ditty later,
3. choose not to participate in the Five for Friday at all, or
4. participate in the Five for Friday without a link. 

Here's mine, to start us off:

1. From Michelle at Today's Little Ditty:
 

 BECAUSE THE MOTHER'S DAY CARD SELECTION STUNK

Love you, Mom!
-Ditty Girl

2. From Kelly at Writing and Ruminating:

I'm in with an interview with the talented poet, Kendall A. Bell.

3. From Jama at Alphabet Soup:

At Alphabet Soup, I have a roundup of my ten favorite food poetry anthologies for adult readers

4. From Keri at Keri Recommends, in honor of helpers who don't know they are helping:

TO THE BAKER OF THE TURTLE CHEESECAKE

Your work salvaged my day.

My post is about dealing with scoliosis, complete with an acrostic poem and a video of a dolphin with a spinal curvature!

5. From Tara at A Teaching Life:

I'm in with a poem by Wendell Berry, inspired by one of my students, about being a poet.

6. From Laura at Author Amok:

I'm continuing my "In Residence" series from Northfield Elementary's 3rd grade today. The students I'm workshopping with have a few more list poems to share, modeled after Naomi Shihab Nye's poem "Words in My Pillow."

7. From Diane at Random Noodling and Kurious Kitty:

TODAY ON THE SUBWAY

Hoodie gives up his seat.

At Random Noodling: May 8 was V-E Day in 1945, I'm celebrating today with a poem from Kids of the Homefront Army.

Kurious Kitty has a poem from Rita Dove, one that she read last weekend at the Mass Poetry Festival.

8. From Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge:

YOUNG WRITERS

Your words enrich us all.

I'm honored as always to feature our Student Haiku Poet of the Month, Dylan Levy.

9. From Penny at a penny and her jots:

TO TEACHERS EVERYWHERE

Your shoes are not fillable!

At a penny and her jots, Landon and I are sharing our 13th collaboration on A Great Nephew and a Great Aunt.

10. From Laura at writing the world for kids:

LIBRARIANS

Selectors
Connectors
Protectors
Of books!

I'm in with an old poem of mine that just won a 5th-grade class poetry tournament: Oh, Did You Need That Homework?

11. From Catherine at Reading to the Core:

I'm still thinking about Irene's Artspeak! project from April, and have "Spring Blossoms," an original poem inspired by a George Inness painting.

12. From Donna at Mainely Write:

TO A SON FROM HIS MOM

You've
always
been a
super hero!

 A few acrostics for a spring tulip or three.

 13. From Matt at Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme: 

HELPER

Son:
he's a big one.

Today I'm re-posting an original poem that Jama originally posted last week. Make sense?? I also pose a question that needs to be solved.

14. From Carol at Beyond Literacy Link: 

                    In honor of Mother's Day (families who help each other):

 

 BINDING TIES  

Family lives intertwined in love
 

                    In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week:

GREAT TEACHING
Rests in the teacher's heart

Today's post is a compilation of images for Spring's Symphony enticing writers to join in to bring a creative, vivid spring gallery of artistic expressions. Included is my offering for the NIkki Grimes' wordplay challenge.

15. From Sally Murphy:

TO MY BELOVED ON HIS BIRTHDAY

Your love
lifts me up.

I am in this week with a post about repetition in poetry

16. From Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference, with two five word ditties:

Who sees a ripple's end?
 

Best first impulse: a smile.

I've got swaps and moms.

17. From Mary Lee at A Year of Reading:

FOR MY GENIUS HOUR HELPER

Couldn't do it
without
you!

Today, I have a poem about poetry.

18. From Charles Waters:

Happy Poetry Friday! I have a new blog post up at Poetry Time.

19. From Brenda at Friendly Fairy Tales:

FOR MOMS:

Hearts are full of you.

My link is for a haiku in honor of the UK’s new Duchess of Cambridge and to celebrate May flowers.

20. From Karen Edmisten:

I'm in today with Spring (Again) by Michael Ryan.

21. From Heidi at my juicy little universe:

Thanks to you and Nikki for getting me going today. I've answered both challenges in one painful poem.

22. From Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect:

I'm feeling a bit melancholy today as we prepare to send our graduates out into the world this weekend. In their honor I am sharing the poem If by Rudyard Kipling.

23. From Julie at The Drift Record and Books Around the Table:

A HELPER IN THE GARDEN

Little hands pulling big weeds! 

Over at THE DRIFT RECORD, I posted the poem I wrote in response to Nikki Grimes's DMC challenge.

And at BOOKS AROUND THE TABLE, I posted some thoughts about the terrors and joys of motherhood.

24. From Amy at The Poem Farm:

"Poetry Friday host serves...friendship!"

Today at The Poem Farm, I have a crafty poem, a Poetry Peek with 5th grade poets, and a giveaway of a CD that matches your post today - a kindness CD titled FORCE FIELD FOR GOOD, by Barry Lane.

25. From Renée LaTulippe:

I have no PF post this week, but here's my ditty:

HIGH FEVER
Brother offers brother soothing art.

26. From Jan at Bookseedstudio:

TO MY DAUGHTER

Daughter-made tea mug, hugs

With a heartmelt thank you to the TEACHING AUTHORS, please hop on over to my site, Bookseedstudio, for collaboration with Katherine Paterson,
this Poetry Friday.

27. From Sylvia at Poetry for Children:

Thanks for your fabulous poem AND video-- which is the focus of my post today-- only I'm adding the "Take 5" activities for your poem. Happy World Red Cross Day!

28. From little willow at Bildungsroman: 

I posted The House and the Road by Josephine Preston Peabody at my blog, Bildungsroman.

29. From Myra at Gathering Books:

I have Naomi Shihab Nye's "Flag of Childhood" up at Gathering Books today.

30. From Joy at Poetry for Kids Joy:

DEAR AMERICA,

Stitch
stripes
stars.

Yours,
Betsy

I've got an original poem and a poetry challenge.

31. From Laura Law:

I discovered Poetry Fridays after taking Renee and Penny's rhyme and meter webinar. (It was excellent!!) I hope to learn the ropes so that I can become a participant with this group. I've enjoyed reading the other ditties posted. Here's mine.

TO ALL HELPERS

Going before, showing the way

32. From Jone at Deowriter:

I have an original poem today about house wrens.

33. From Margaret at Reflections on the Teche:

On your feet, scars: a story

Like Laura Shovan, I have invited my students to write list poems after Naomi Shihab Nye.

34. From Jessica Bigi, an original poem:

Walking the balance Beam

Poem BY Jessica Bigi

Little steps
Tiptoeing steps
Little steps
Growing into
Bigger steps
You’re sweet
Steeps balancing
Across life
And our hearts
Tip to toe -
Tip to toe
Clapping cheering
Letting go
Little steps
Tiptoeing steps
Growing into
Bigger steps
Your steppingstones
In life

35. From Buffy Silverman:

No post for me today--I've been in Michigan's Upper Peninsula this week, speaking to 3000 plus kids who were participating in Young Authors. Here's a ditty in honor of all the wonderful kids I met this week:

Young authors write the future.

36. From Ramona at Pleasures from the Page:

Here's a ditty I created to go along with my post and gratitude for the poetry friends who share each Friday: 

POETRY LOVE FOR UNDER $10!

Thank you Catherine and Tricia.

Thanks, poetry helpers!

The Poetry Friday roundup is closed to links now, but 5-word ditties are still welcome.

Wishing you and yours...                                          

Art4TheGlryOfGod Photography by Sharon