DMC: "A Little Nothing" by Katie Gast

A LITTLE NOTHING

“I’d like a little nothing”, my father said to me.
The nothing that he wanted was impossible to see.
Not animal, nor mineral, nor vegetable, but this:
The nothing that I gave him was just a little kiss.

© 2016 Katie Gast. All rights reserved.


Douglas Florian has challenged us to write poems about nothing this month. Read his entire spotlight interview HERE.

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, January 29th, and one lucky participant will win a signed copy of his adorable new picture book:

DMC: "Chicken tried to hammer nails" by Katie Gast

Chicken tried to hammer nails
Instead, she hit her feathered tail
“Ouch!” she squawked. “This hammer’s weighty!
I can’t do it and you can’t make me!”

“Instead, I’ll sand the tree house floor.”
And she scritch-scratched across each board.
“That’s not sanding,” the old dog barked,
“Your chicken feet have left it marked!”

“I learned this trick from my old ladies -
the swanky ones with the Mercedes.
You’re dog-gone wrong with your critique, 
our tree house floor now looks antique.”

© 2015 Katie Gast. All rights reserved.


Corey Rosen Schwartz has challenged us to write a stanza or two about building a treehouse, using unpredictable rhymes of more than one syllable. Click HERE for all the details.

Send your stanzas 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, June 26th, and one lucky participant will win a personalized copy of Corey's delightful new picture book:

DMC: "Dear Cat" by Katie Gast

Dear Cat,

I love you on my lap.
I love to hear your purr.
But must your play involve a snap
And what’s with all the fur?
Oh queen, aloof. You go your way
You barely look at me.

Best regards throughout your day,
Your slave eternally.

© 2015 Katie Gast. All rights reserved.


David Elliott has challenged us to write a letter poem this month.  Click HERE for details.

RSVP with 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 February 27th, and one lucky participant will win a personalized copy of David's delightful new collection of bird poetry:

DMC: "What Do Hens Know?" by Katie Gast

WHAT DO HENS KNOW?

What do hens know? 

     Morning call is one cock’s crow.
     Their feed is scattered to and fro
     and all their eggs go to gateau. 

What do hens know?

     To find a spot far from the flow,
     to hide their nests so chicks can grow
     to brood, to cluck, to let them go.

© 2015 Katie Gast. All rights reserved.

Joyce Sidman has challenged us to write a "Deeper Wisdom" poem this month. What's a Deeper Wisdom poem, you ask? Click HERE for details.

Send your wise words 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 January 30, 2015, and one lucky participant will receive an autographed copy of Joyce's gorgeous new collection of children's poetry:

DMC: "Cock-a-doodle-A-ROO" by Katie Gast

Then elephant shouted,
"I'm not to be doubted.
I can wake up that farmer, I swear."
Though his "Cock-a-doodle-A-ROO!"
woke up all Timbuktu,
Farmer slept through the elephant’s blare.

– Katie Gast, all rights reserved.


Lori Degman has challenged us to wake Farmer McPeeper.  If you would like to join in the animal antics, write a stanza in the same style as COCK-A-DOODLE OOPS! (click HERE for details) and send to TodaysLittleDitty (at) gmail (dot) com or use the contact form in the sidebar to the right.

All participants will be rounded up for an end-of-month hoedown on August 29th and entered to win a personalized copy of Lori's delightful new picture book: