DMC: "Office Horror Story" by Suzy Levinson

OFFICE HORROR STORY

"Come closer," it said,
"for I must be fed.
All documents welcome, 'cause I want to SHRED."

"No, thank you," I said,
creasing with dread.
"A contract like me would prefer to stay read."

"Closer," it pled.
"N-O," I said.
"Why don't you eat that old phone book instead?"

"Tasty," it said.
"SHREDDY-SHRED-SHRED!"
That's when I slipped off the table and fled.

© 2018 Suzy Levinson. All rights reserved.


Calef Brown has challenged us to write a poem that tells the story of two anthropomorphized objects. They can be an odd couple, close friends, mortal enemies, or meet each other for the first time. The poem can be about an adventure they have together, a conflict, a game they play, anything. Click HERE for more details and to read this month's Spotlight ON interview.

Post your poem on our October 2018 padlet by October 31st. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up presentation this Friday, November 2nd, and one lucky participant will win a signed copy of Calef Brown's latest collection of ghoulish poetry from Carolrhoda Books:

DMC: "Daily Squirrel" by Suzy Levinson

DAILY SQUIRREL

This squirrel knows where I live.
This squirrel knows who I am.
Every day
he seems to say,
"I'd like one peanut, ma'am."

He stares into my house.
He stares and scratches fleas.
Every day
he seems to say,
"Ahem? One peanut, please."

© 2018 Suzy Levinson. All rights reserved.

Click HERE to read this month's interview with Julie Fogliano. She has challenged us to stare out the window and write a poem about what we see. You might even consider writing something down every day for a week:

At the end of the week, read through what you wrote and write your favorite bits on a separate piece of paper. I bet there will be a poem in there somewhere… see if you can find it.  – J. F.

Leave your poem on our May 2018 padlet. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties this month, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration this Friday, May 25th, and one lucky participant will win a personalized copy of her stunning new picture book from Roaring Brook Press:

DMC: "A Beastly Combination" by Suzy Levinson

A BEASTLY COMBINATION

Angry bears +
cranky deer +
edgy ferrets +
gloomy hippos +
irritable jaguars +
knavish llamas +
moody newts +
obnoxious penguins +
quarrelsome rhinos +
slovenly toucans +
unpleasant voles +
whiny X-ray tetras =
YUCKY ZOO!

© 2017 Suzy Levinson. All rights reserved.


Click HERE to read this month's interview with Carole Boston Weatherford. She has challenged us to write an abecedarian poem.

Generally each line (or word) of an abecedarian poem begins with A and continues in alphabetical order until you reach Z. For this challenge, you may start and end with whichever letters you choose, as long as they are sequential.

Post your poem on our September 2017 padlet. While some contributions will be featured as daily ditties this month, all contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration on Friday, September 29th. One lucky participant will win a copy of Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Eric Velasquez (Candlewick Press, 2017).

DMC: "November" by Suzy Levinson

NOVEMBER

When the world's closing in,
way too loud
way too cold
I curl up in my chair,
which is soft
which is old
pull my knees to my chin,
with a book
with a cat
watch the rain as it falls...
pitter-pat
pitter-pat.

© 2016 Suzy Levinson. All rights reserved.


Ann Rider has challenged us to write poems about places of refuge and solace this month. Click HERE for more details.

Post your poem on our November 2016 padlet. All contributions will be included in a wrap-up celebration on Friday, November 25th, and one lucky participant will win a copy of BEFORE MORNING by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beth Krommes, courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers.

DMC: "Mary Louisa Boit, Age 8" by Suzy Levinson

"The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit" by John Singer Sargent (1882)

MARY LOUISA BOIT, AGE 8

Florence and Jane have been
whispering, whispering
older-girl secrets that aren't meant for me.

I'm stuck with Julia—
babyish, babyish,
handing me Dolly as if I'm still three.

My mind's like a mare, always
galloping, galloping
far from this parlor, unbridled and free.

© 2016 Suzy Levinson. All rights reserved.


Laura Shovan has challenged us to write persona poems this month. Click HERE for more details. You don't need to include the artwork that inspired your poem, but you are welcome to as long as I can properly attribute the artist/photographer.

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, May 27th, and one lucky participant will win a personalized copy of her fantastic new verse novel for middle grade readers:

DMC: "King Kong Song" by Suzy Levinson

KING KONG SONG

BANANA BITTY DITTY!
Me gorilla and me pretty!
When me show up in the city,
all the peoples stop to stare!

BANANA ROOTY TOOTY!
Peoples screaming at my beauty!
So me bid them HOWDY DOODY
as me swingy through the air!

BANANA KONGA KINGY!
Me climb up this shiny thingy!
Look, a bird with metal wingy
want to touch my pretty hair.

© 2016 Suzy Levinson. All rights reserved.

King Kong (Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, 1933)

David L. Harrison has challenged us to write poems inspired by the word "ditty" this month. 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 this Friday, February 26th, and one lucky participant will win a copy of his newest collection for children:

For an additional chance to win, write a poem inspired by "leaves" for David's Word of the Month (W.O.M.) challenge HERE. 

DMC: "Mushrooms" by Suzy Levinson

MUSHROOMS

Deep in the hush and the gloom of the wood,
mushrooms are standing like they've always stood.
                                                            No one knows they're there.

The world's in a rush! It keeps zooming around!
No one looks down at what lives on the ground...
                                                            Mushrooms? They don't care.

© 2016 Suzy Levinson. 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: "Caterpillar" by Suzy Levinson

CATERPILLAR

Caterpillar, caterpillar,
squirming to and fro.
Won't get far inside my jar...
Should I let you go?

Caterpillar, caterpillar,
sitting on a tree.
Ever seen a leaf so green?
Take a bite. You're free!

© 2015 Suzy Levinson. All rights reserved.


Rebecca M. Davis has challenged us to write poems about acts of kindness this month– the more specific and vivid the better.  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, November 27th, and one lucky participant will win copies of two delightful picture books published by Boyds Mills Press: THIS ORQ. (HE CAVE BOY.) and THIS ORQ. (HE SAY "UGH!") by David Elliott, illustrated by Lori Nichols.