DMC: "Bored Game or Board Game" by Kathleen Mazurowski

BORED GAME OR BOARD GAME

Stuck inside with nothing to do.
Check the shelves for something new.

Don’t remember how to play.
We’ll make the rules along the way.

Pick a color, red or blue.
Throw the dice and you get two.

I go next and roll a four.
Move the disk and add three more.

Changing the rules as we see fit
Toss the board and now you’re it!

© 2020 Kathleen Mazurowski. All rights reserved.

TLD reader Tabatha Yeatts has challenged us to write a poem about a game (any kind). Click HERE for more details and to add your poem to the padlet. While some poems will be shared as daily ditties this month, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration on Friday, March 27th.

A DMC Meet and Greet

"Shadow meets Mirror" by Markus Koller

The wise and illustrious ditty master, Dr. Seuss, once wrote, "There is no one alive who is youer than you."  So true! And thanks to Jane Whittingham's DMC challenge for September, I've been having the best time hobnobbing with the "all-about-me" acrostics that have found their way onto the padlet so far. All back-to-school open houses and PTA meet and greets should be this much fun! Wouldn't it be great to see what a classroom of students might come up with?

I've learned about your dreams—

CONTRADICTION 

Cheriee is an aging dreamer
Hoping for a healthy planet
Even when the news is dire, she
Resists despair, revelling in nature, but
Is afraid of spiders,
Entrancing as they may seem to
Everyone else 

                    © Cheriee Weichel, 2019

and aspirations,

NAME GAME

Lost in thoughts
Imagination whirling
Next poem, book, task
Determines the days
Accomplishments appreciated

Sometimes
Undecided, but always
Enthusiastic!

                     © Linda Baie, 2019

your writing strategies—

LIMERICK MAKER

Linda likes to pen poetry

Iambic and non-rhyming schemes

Noting word syllable counts
Drafts and revisions – look out!

Anyone’s fair game for her themes

                    © Linda Mitchell, 2019

FOREVER WRITER

Just a writer and a poet

Always  jotting notes and such.

Never tires of seeking whimsy

In kind words that move and touch.

Ever writing, ever writing, ever writing.

                    © Janie Lazo, 2019

and culinary preferences,

TASTE

Joyce adores 

Olives, roti, miso soup and 

Yearns to taste

Cultural meals that don’t include

Eels

                    © Joyce Ray, 2019

WHO I AM

Cindy eats handfuls of cherry tomatoes.

In her garden she digs up potatoes.

Never resists a good mystery book.

Doesn't ever desire to cook.

Yearns for dark chocolate to be totally calorie free.

                    © Cindy Breedlove, 2019

your inclinations toward travel—

THE TRAVELER

Doing whatever I can to

Accrue more funds to

Venture forward again and again

In a quest to explore

Distant (and not so distant) lands.

                    © David McMullin, 2019

NOW

Kathleen is

A lady who likes to

Travel to different countries 

Having already been to all 50 states.

Loves reading and writing poetry,

Especially haiku,

Even if she doesn’t quite get all the 

Nuances.

                    © Kathleen Mazurowski, 2019

and the ways you find your bliss at home,

CORY'S WAY

Can perch for hours in her backyard

Oasis―observing, listening, communing―picture taking;

Reveling in the buzziness of bees and antics of squirrels, all

Yielding as much joy as flowers of sun and glories of morning.

Can perch for hours in her backyard

Oasis, oblivious of time―totally immersed.

Re-energized. Inspired. Amused . . . by

Robins sparring for equal time at the bath. 

And bunny rabbits nibbling greens they should not.

Daily wonders, weaving joy into poems-pics-books

One-of-a-kind      spun the Cory-can way.

                    © Cory Corrado, 2019

and I can't wait to be introduced to many more of your all-about-me acrostics over the coming days! Post 'em HERE.

Laura Purdie Salas is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup at Writing the World for Kids. Congratulations are in order for the release of her latest nonfiction rhyming picture book—Snack, Snooze, Skedaddle! Be sure to enter her giveaway for a signed, personalized copy.

DMC: Found Haiku by Kathleen Mazurowski and Tabatha Yeatts

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” 
          – Thomas Merton, No Man Is an Island


I've certainly been enjoying losing myself in the "found haiku" that folks have been submitting for Linda Mitchell's July ditty challenge! Read last week's interview with Linda HERE.


To give you a taste of what's been contributed so far, here's one by Kathleen Mazurowski that speaks to one of my favorite qualities in a person—being a good listener.

habits of the heart
chutzpah and humility
listen with respect

          found poem by Kathleen Mazurowski
          from Five Habits to Heal the Heart of Democracy by Parker Palmer


I'm also quite taken with this one by Tabatha Yeatts that weaves together science and story.

we beings whose brains
are memory and foresight
time is our story

          found poem by Tabatha Yeatts
          from "This physicist's ideas of time will blow your mind" by Ephrat Livni

As of the writing of this blog post, you'll also find haiku about children, learning, and pushing the limits by Dianne Moritz, Rebekah Hoeft, and Kay Jernigan McGriff, respectively. I think I'll try to add to our "found haiku" padlet this week. How about you?

Jone Rush MacCulloch is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup at Deowriter. She shares a trio of poems inspired by a poetry prompt fortune teller!

DMC: "Kindness" by Kathleen Mazurowski

KINDNESS

Your friendly smile,
a simple hello,
an open door,

could spread,
become infectious
even epidemic

But, maybe cure
loneliness,
anger,
fear.

Kindness is contagious.

© 2019 Kathleen Mazurowski. All rights reserved.


Click HERE to read this month's interview with Karen Boss, Editor at Charlesbridge. Her challenge this month is to write a poem in second person, speaking directly to a kid or kids about something that you think is important for them to know.

Post your poem on our June 2019 padlet. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties this month, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration on Friday, June 28th. One lucky participant will win a copy of I Am Someone Else: Poems About Pretending, collected by Lee Bennett Hopkins and illustrated by Chris Hsu, available online for preorder, and coming to a bookstore near you on July 2, 2019.

DMC: "My Dinosaur Makes Waffles" by Kathleen Mazurowski

MY DINOSAUR MAKES WAFFLES

My dinosaur loves breakfast.
She eats it everyday.
Waffles are her favorite,
that she makes a special way.

The batter is her trademark
with bits of spinach green.
They rise up high and fluffy,
and proper for a queen.

Crispy nooks and crannies,
complete this tasty treat.
A wonder to behold,
She flips them with her feet!

© 2018 Kathleen Mazurowski. All rights reserved.


Click HERE to read this month's interview with Deborah Bruss and Matt Forrest Esenwine. They've challenged us to write a poem about something you would not expect a dinosaur (or another kind of animal) to do.

Leave your poem on our April 2018 padlet. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties this month, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration on Friday, April 27th, and one lucky participant will win a personalized copy of their fun new rhyming picture book from POW! Kids:

DMC: "Tornado" by Kathleen Mazurowski

TORNADO

Rains pelt, winds whip, fears unfold,
turbulent thunder storms brewing,
looking for funnel clouds as the
sky turns a greenish grey.
An eerie quiet
descends.
Take
cover.

© 2017 Kathleen Mazurowski. All rights reserved.

Click HERE to read this month's interview with Carrie Clickard. Her DMC challenge is to write a poem about a person, place, or thing that spooked you as a child.

Post your poem on our October 2017 padlet. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties this month, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration this Friday, October 27th, and one lucky participant will win a personalized copy of her enchanting new picture book from Holiday House:

DMC: "Writing is like Parenting" by Kathleen Mazurowski

WRITING IS LIKE PARENTING

Writing is like parenting.
Dreams, questions, joys, doubts,
You have to let go.
Release your best efforts to the world.

© 2017 Kathleen Mazurowski. All rights reserved.


Click HERE to read this month's interview with Melissa Manlove, Senior Editor at Chronicle Books. Her DMC challenge is to write a poem that explores how writing (or a book) is like something else.

Post your poem on our May 2017 padlet. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties this month, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration tomorrow, Friday, May 26th. Two lucky participants will win a book published by Chronicle earlier this year: LOVING VS. VIRGINIA by Patricia Hruby Powell, illustrated by Shadra Strickland, or LOVE IS by Diane Adams, illustrated by Claire Keane.

DMC: "Anxiety" by Kathleen Mazurowski

ANXIETY

Creeps into dreams.
Steals sleep.
Doubts decisions,
But
it could have. . .
It might have. . .
It would have. . .
It should have. . .
I wake up sweaty,
Heart palpitating.
Breathe.

© 2017 Kathleen Mazurowski. All rights reserved.


Jeannine Atkins has challenged us to write a poem that uses personified feeling. For more details, click HERE.

Post your poem on our February 2017 padlet.  All contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration on Friday, February 24th, and one lucky participant will win a personalized copy of her latest novel-in-verse from Atheneum Books/Simon & Schuster:

DMC: "A Man with a Cart" by Kathleen Mazurowski

A MAN WITH A CART

He travels the streets 

Pushing his cart

Jing-a-ling, Jing-a-ling 

 

Summer celebration 

Calling to children

Jing-a-ling, Jing-a-ling 

 

A break in the day

Stopping the workers

Jing-a-ling, Jing-a-ling 

 

Neighbors gather

Smiling and laughing 

Jing-a-ling, Jing-a-ling 

 

On to the next block

Pushing his cart

Jing-a-ling, Jing-a-ling 

 

Sweet relief from the heat

Jing-a-ling, Jing-a-ling.

 

© 2016 Kathleen Mazurowski. All rights reserved.

 

 

Diana Murray has challenged us to write a poem about an unlikely hero this month. Click HERE for more details.

Post your poem on our August 2016 padlet. All contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration TOMORROW, Friday, August 26th, and one lucky participant will win a personalized copy of her fun new picture book from Roaring Brook Press:

 

 

 

DMC: Blueberry haiku by Kathleen Mazurowski

Sweet, tart, tangy juice,
Regal sphere of indigo,
Nutritional star.

© 2016 Kathleen Mazurowski. All rights reserved.

Photo by Petr Kratochvil

Amy Ludwig VanDerwater has challenged us to write poems about small things— animals or objects you see everyday and don't give much thought. Click HERE for more details.

Send your poem to TodaysLittleDitty (at) gmail (dot) com, or use the contact form in the sidebar to the right. All contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration on Friday, March 25th, and one lucky participant will win a personalized copy of her delightful nonfiction picture book:

DMC: Silver and gold from Kathleen Mazurowski

There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed . . .

Things from my refrigerator.
Albert Allen’s alligator.

Mr. Tobin’s fresh grown squash.
Edamame succotash.

Bacon, sausage, juicy steak,
Pudding, pies, and birthday cake.

                                                          – Penny Parker Klostermann, all rights reserved

Concrete, bricks and silverware,
Sweet Rapunzel's golden hair.

                                                         – Kathleen Mazurowski, all rights reserved


Penny Parker Klostermann has challenged us to write one to four couplets following her example– things we might feed a dragon to avoid being swallowed ourselves.  Click HERE for more details.

Send your couplets to TodaysLittleDitty (at) gmail (dot) com, or use the contact form in the sidebar to the right. All contributions will be included in a whopper of a cumulative poem featured at our wrap-up celebration on Friday, August 28th.  One lucky participant will win a personalized copy of Penny's deliciously funny debut picture book: