DMC: "Race Toward Goals" by Sydney O'Neill

RACE TOWARD GOALS

Do you race toward goals with giant leaps,
bounding over small obstacles, scaling tall walls,
ignoring distractions and focusing on your destination?
Or do you prefer to race with a steady pace
of slower steps, marveling at small obstacles,
tunneling paths through tall walls for others to follow,
swerving to investigate intriguing distractions?
Maybe you do both at different times.
That's fine. As long as you keep moving,
you'll get there.

© 2019 Sydney O'Neill. 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 this 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: "Leave a Messed-Up Mind Clear" by Sydney O'Neill

LEAVE A MESSED-UP MIND CLEAR
          ~with a line from "Truth, by Tyrone Bittings"

Poetry can hang around, or leave
and then again drop in, easy like a
friend who understands the messed-up
hour, day, year of muddled mind
and helps to find a thought that’s clear.

© 2018 Sydney O'Neill. All rights reserved.

"Truth, by Tyrone Bittings" © 2018 Nikki Grimes, from BETWEEN THE LINES.


Click HERE to read this month's interview with Nikki Grimes. She has challenged us to write a golden shovel poem using a line from one of the poems in the post.

Leave your golden shovel on our March 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, March 30th, and one lucky participant will win a copy of her new companion novel to Bronx Masquerade:

DMC: "Night Monster" by Sydney O'Neill

NIGHT MONSTER

Burrow under blankets.
Block out light.
Curl to make me little.
Squeeze eyes tight.

Shush my booming heartbeat.
Breath comes hard.
Listen to the darkness.
Stay. On. Guard.

THUMP  Was that a footstep?
GROAN  Too. Near. 
CLINK    He’s getting closer.
CLUNK  He’s here!

MOM!  A MONSTER!  SAVE ME!
Quick, she flicks on light.
Whew! The monster’s gone.
Guess I gave him a fright.

© 2017 Sydney O'Neill. 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 tomorrow, Friday, October 27th, and one lucky participant will win a personalized copy of her enchanting new picture book from Holiday House:

DMC: "What Does the Wind Know?" by Sydney O'Neill

WHAT DOES THE WIND KNOW?

What does the wind know?
     That daunting peaks will weather low.
     Roots resist the gusting snow.
     Updrafts lead to vertigo.

What does the wind know?
     To blow seeds off so they may grow.
     Falling leaves still do-si-do.
     Playful breezes make hearts glow.

© 2015 Sydney O'Neill. 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: "Catch a Falling Star" by Sydney O'Neill

Catch a Falling Star

I need to catch a falling star,
paste it on my
head real
tight.
I won't have to
say stuff
right.
Everyone will
see I'm
bright!

© 2014 Sydney O'Neill. All rights reserved.


J. Patrick Lewis has challenged us to write a zeno this month. What's a zeno, you ask? Click HERE for details.

To join in the fun, send yours to TodaysLittleDitty (at) gmail (dot) com, or use the contact form in the sidebar to the right. All zenos will be included in the wrap-up celebration on October 31st, and one lucky participant will win a copy of Pat's gorgeous, new, "best of" collection: