David L. Harrison was our spotlight author in February 2016, when we featured his book Now You See Them, Now You Don't: Poems about Creatures that Hide (Charlesbridge, 2016). It seems fitting that he should write a poem about the nesting moon—something we might otherwise have missed. The poem also fits in beautifully with Amy Ludwig VanDerwater's "Small as a Chickadee" challenge: "Write a poem about something small, an animal or an object you see every day and do not usually give much thought."
No one's brought a poem to the potluck based on David's challenge yet. Any takers? By the way, David also holds monthly challenges at his blog. You should check it out!
MOON NEST
During your serene nightly journey
to sooth the mischief left by your cousin,
you pause to visit my hackberry tree.
I understand that you can’t stay.
Other lives need your attention.
Yet on this night the moon herself
chose to nest in my hackberry tree,
beam me gifts of the moon mother,
bring me peace, awe, delight,
leave me the magical stuff of dreams.
© 2017 David L. Harrison. All rights reserved.
The DMC challenge for National Poetry Month is to contribute to our Ditty Potluck. Follow the guidelines for any one of the last 28 challenges, choosing from the following recipes:
Click HERE for an alphabetical list of all the DMC challenges.
Click HERE for an alphabetical list of all the Spotlight interviews.
Post your poem on our April 2017 padlet and be sure to indicate which challenge you are responding to. All contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration on Friday, April 28th, and one lucky participant, chosen randomly, will select from the following:
Option 1: A set of 8 copies of The Best of Today's Little Ditty: 2014-2015 to use with a classroom or extracurricular group.
Option 2: One copy of The Best of Today's Little Ditty, plus a $20 gift card to purchase a poetry book(s) of your choice.
Option 3: A $25 gift card if you already have all the copies of The Best of TLD you need.
"to sooth the mischief left by your cousin"
ReplyDeleteWhat a great line!
Thank you, Rebekah.
ReplyDeleteThe magical stuff of dreams... I was going to say "if only we could bottle it," but that's pretty much what you did with this poem! Thanks for the sublime elixer, David. :)
ReplyDeleteVery nice, David! The image you created in my mind reminded me of the Moon Bear stories.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing the moon 'nest' in tree branches, and it does seem to be "gifts of the moon mother." This is another moon poem to love. Thank you, David!
ReplyDeleteI know David usually writes for children, but this incredible poem (that made me shout "Oh" halfway through to an empty room) is a poem for EVERYONE. Oh, my. What a wonderful poem. I know I have been absent for awhile, but I will try to be caught up soon. Thanks, David and Michelle, for this wonderful poem.
ReplyDelete