Haiku Garden: Celebrating Spring

Abhishek Sundaram

Haiku amongst friends—
Is there any nicer way to welcome spring?

I'm celebrating this week's vernal equinox with haiku from the Golden Haiku competition, sponsored by the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District in Washington D.C.

This annual competition selects haiku to be displayed on more than 300 signs adorning tree boxes throughout D.C.'s central business district, "to bring a smile to commuters and visitors alike and brighten the winter landscape as flowers began to bloom."

It certainly brought a smile to my face to find out that my haiku was selected as one of two honorable mentions! 

Toshihiro Gamo

The contest's “Spring in the City” theme turned out nearly 2,000 entries from 50 countries and 41 states, and the District of Columbia, which the judges narrowed down to about one hundred favorites. Read them all here. Among them, you might recognize at least two other names—Diane Mayr and Elizabeth Steinglass, both of whom have been featured in the Haiku Garden at Today's Little Ditty (here and here). Diane and Liz have kindly allowed me to post their winning "Golden Haiku" as well. I'm tickled cherry blossom pink to be in such good company!

Oak leaf buds by staticgirl

"Hooped Moon" by Joey Rozier

Beautiful, aren't they? 

The photos, by the way, weren't part of the contest, just my attempt to pretty-up today's post.

I also wanted to tell you what a fantastic time I've been having doing "research" for next month's Classroom Connections series! I've been reading so many wonderful and diverse books—eclectic poetry collections, lyrical picture books, and engaging verse novels. The insights and classroom exercises the participating authors and editors are sharing for elementary, middle, and high school students are also amazing! So stay tuned for National Poetry Month. Next week I'll be publishing the schedule of events. 

Did you know today is National Goof Off Day? Now that's a holiday I can use! Rebecca Herzog is rounding up the Poetry Friday fun and games at Sloth Reads. Once again it seems I've missed the mark when it came to participating in this week's theme, but lest I be considered a party pooper, here's a goofy poem from a few years ago that might fit the bill.

The Flight Before Christmas

Ready or not, the holiday season is upon us.  Are you a thriver or a surviver?  I like to complain about Christmas craziness as much as the next person, but truth be told, I love this season of joyful chaos: the twinkling lights, the holiday music that drives my husband crazy, my children's effervescence, spending time with family and friends, and the foundation of love and generosity that underlies it all.

Oh, and did I mention the 3rd Annual Holiday Writing Contest, sponsored by Susanna Leonard Hill?  Now there's some jolly good fun to ring in the season!  The rules: write a children's story about a Holiday Mishap, mix-up, miscommunication, mistake, or potential disaster (a la Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer).  Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate, but is not to exceed 350 words.

Be sure to stop by Susanna's blog, Something for Everyone in the World of Children's Books, to peruse all of the entries.  After finalists have been selected, voting will take place starting December 16th, and winners announced on Thursday, December 19th.

I hope you enjoy reading my (330 word) entry as much as I enjoyed writing it!

 

THE FLIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

‘Twas a week before Christmas and all was not well.

While out on a test flight, the sleigh hit a swell.

An icy cold blast took St. Nick by surprise

and sent him careening through blustery skies.

Tossed this-a-way, that-a-way, capsized, upended,

a thought flashed before him as Santa descended:

What good are warm boots and a snazzy red suit,

if what you don’t have is a good parachute?

He called to his reindeer (though none were in sight),

“Come Dasher! Come Dancer!  Be swift in your flight!

Come Prancer and Vixen!  Come Comet and Cupid!”

But none of them came, and poor Santa felt stupid.

Through clouds of whipped cream, he kerplopped like a cherry;

his jolly demeanor, now somewhat less merry.

With huge, booming voice he exclaimed,

"HO HO HO!

 READY OR NOT…

 LOOK OUT BELOW!”

Unaware, until then, of the ill-fated flight,

the elves all looked up with their jaws dropped in fright.

Could it be?  Yes, it was!  Old St. Nick in free fall!

Those quick-witted elves wasted no time at all.

They worked as a team, without missing a beat,

to pile up snow, oh, at least fifty feet.

Would Santa Claus notice with everything white?

He needed a map he could read from great height.

So the elves in their hats of bright red and bright green

encircled the mound to make sure it was seen—

the red hats on one side, the green on the other.

At first they formed one word, and then came another:

the reds on the left side spelled L-A-N-D;

on the right were the green hats with H-E-R-E.

While Santa still dropped like a streak through the sky,

he saw this and gave a most gratified sigh.

He aimed, best he could, for the elves’ snowy mound

that cushioned his fall when, at last, he hit ground.

Nothing came close to the love Santa felt…

with a smile he said, “Guess I need a seat belt.”

© 2013 Michelle Heidenrich Barnes. All rights reserved.

Poetry Friday friends, there's more fun to be had just around the bend!  Please join our round-up host, Tabatha Yeatts, at The Opposite of Indifference.

The Witching Hour

We're halfway through the Halloween Countdown, and the suspense is killing me!  Will I survive this Insomnia?

A "weensie" dose of lighter fare may be just what I need to pull through, so I've decided to enter the 3rd annual Halloweesie Contest sponsored by Susanna Leonard Hill.  The rules of the contest are simple: write a Halloween story in 100 words or less.  It can be scary or funny, poetry or prose, but it must be appropriate for children and include the words spooky, black cat, and cackle.

Well, you know me, I took the "little ditty" approach.

          THE WITCHING HOUR

          This is the tale

          of two cats and a whale

          named Spooky, Cackle and Boo.

          Each Halloween

          the trio is seen

          traversing the ocean blue.

          An unusual sight—

          black cats in the night

          on the tail of a whale, it’s true.

          But once every year

          when bewitching time’s here,

          they set sail and admire the view.

          © 2013 Michelle Heidenrich Barnes. All rights reserved.

Courtesy of Eunice and Andrew, Lazy Cats Are Here

Be sure to stop by Susanna's blog, Something for Everyone in the World of Children's Books, to read and enjoy all of the entries.  After the finalists have been selected, there will be a vote for the winner on Monday, November 4th.

Mighty Saguaro

I'm a sucker for a poetry challenge, especially one inspired by a photograph.  

That's one of the things I enjoy most about writing greeting card copy.  An editor sends a batch of artwork to a group of writers and says, "Here, see what can you do with these."  Twelve birthday greetings and a few weeks later, you find out if any of your copy was selected.  Or, sometimes all you hear back from the editor is silence, which is not nearly as much fun.

Today's little ditty was inspired by a poetry contest being run by Gayle Krause at The Storyteller's Scroll.   If you want to join in the fun, hurry, the contest only runs until April 20th.  Good luck!


 Mighty Saguaro

Mighty saguaro!

Defender of calm—

woodpecker’s beat and coyote’s song.

Giant saguaro!

Sixty feet tall—

proud desert hero, protector of all.

Fearless saguaro!

Silent, yet strong—

arms poised for action should something go wrong.

Noble saguaro!

Imposing you stand—

benevolent king throughout the land.

© 2013 Michelle Heidenrich Barnes.  All rights reserved.