My Late Excuse by Olivia Ware

I'm sorry I was late today,
It will not happen again,
It's just that a dinosaur ate my lucky pen.
My brother had the hiccups,
My sister had the flu,
Plus my new dog kept chewing up all my good school shoes.

I think I had the measles,
I had red pimples on my face,
My mother had signed me up for a surprise million dollar race.

I was dancing with a bear,
I was losing all my hair,
My day could not get worse,
I think tha tI was cursed.

So please just let me be,
while you think of all the bad things that have happened to me.
Thank you,
Oh, no! Ahhhhhh...ahhh....choooo!!

Olive Ware, Grade 5

The Moon by Brooke Dainis

There is only a little bit more
than the night before but my mind
can't help to adore its glowing ways
the wind pushes it behind a
cloud but then again I see it
found as rough night wind makes
tree branches sway.

Brooke Dainis
Grade 4

Crazy Cats by Holly Jenks

My cats are very crazy!
They throw all sort of wild parties!
When they have parties they trash the house.
At the parties they use my clothes as costumes.
In the morning they are sprawled on the floor.
That's it! Those crazy cats can't come no more!!!!

Holly Jenks
Grade 3

Report Card by Paul Sinno

My report card is here?
Why did I get those grades, Mom?
I had ummmmm,
An aching hand!
I couldn't see the board!
The teacher was cruel!
I couldn't finish the homework!
There were 50 pop quizzes!
My locker kept on getting jammed!
Someone robbed my binders!
I didn't have a pencil!
My spine snapped, repeatedly!
My neck ached --wait, what?
What did you say? I got all A's?
Wow, I must be a genius!

Paul Sinno
Grade 6

The Lake by Emma Harte

The lake is still.
Fog dances across the water.
Sunlight is its partner.
Morning has arrived.

Emma Harte, Grade 3

Gatorade by Keyon Rostamnehad

It quenches your thirst from the blistering heat during a big game,
It revives you like a doctor calling out, "Ready, set, clear!"
One sip takes you to a whole new world,
like you were just called by the Angels,
One sip takes you one step closer to clinching the game-winning shot,
a last minute goal, a walk-off grand slam,
Helping you step up to your game

GATORADE

Keyon Rostamnehad, Grade 5

Night by Julia Deininger

The sun is falling
Disappearing
Saying goodnight

The birds stop chirping
The children doze off
While the darkness cloaks light

Owls hoot
To awake the critters
That sleep through the day

The moon rises
And for a while
Night's here to stay

Julia Deininger
Grade 6

Poetry Reading a Huge Success!

Last night 56 poets showed up to get their copies of the library's 2009 Poetry Anthology! With their parents and other audience members, we had around 130 people packed into our meeting room to hear the kids read their poems. Guest poet Jayne Warren read from her early published works and then closed out the evening by reading her latest poem, Robin, which is included in the anthology. Keep checking the blog to read more of the poems included in this year's anthology.

Poetry Reading next Tuesday!

Wow, the response has been really overwhelming this year --we received over 200 poems! I've been so busy trying to get the anthology ready that I haven't had a minute to post on the blog. The reading is Tuesday, June 2, 7 pm, at the Westwood Library. The anthologies will be ready (keep your fingers crossed) and the poets will be presented with their copies. And hopefully, most of them will read their poems! Jayne Warren, who taught our poetry workshops this year, will read her early published poems, and also her latest work, which is included in the anthology. It's an inspiring evening, so don't miss it!

What is Purple?

Purple sounds like jazz at the coffee house
Smells like a new sharpie marker
Tastes like burnt broccoli
Purple is the bite from when you were two
I bet you anything if there was a word for the Loudest and most Obnoxious color,
Purple would win
Purple is coaxing someone to do the dare
The stack of rubbish on your floor
A glum Thursday when you fail the test
Purple is the long talk with your parents after your detention
The rusty bike sitting in the rain for the third night in a row

Julia Carlin, Grade 3

The deadline is past! The poems are in!

We received a record breaking 193 poems for our anthology! It's a miracle I can still type well enough to type this post. I'm working like mad on the book; the cover is at the printers; and plans for the reading are in the works. All I can say for sure is that there will be food and an appearance from a guest poet. Check back here for updates as we get closer to the date --June 2, 7 pm.

Miracle on the Diamond by Mark Bernardo

Miracle on the Diamond

The aroma of baked sunflower seeds
On the dugout floor
The pitch is releasing
I grip the bat
I have to think fast
The ball starts to curve
My bat meets the ball
I hear the reaction
I start running
The ball soars like a hawk
Excited fans rise
I dash for second base
Outfielders attempt
To catch the high ball
Rounding third base
The fans say, “Keep running!”
The ball thrown into home
I slide,
Safe, home run, six to five!

Mark Bernardo
Grade 4

The Whispering Woods by Kristen Cuccoli

The Whispering Woods

The woods whisper
In their own
Little language
Whisper, whisper, whisper

The bushes rustle
The trees crackle
Under
The howling wind

The woods
Are a library
They are silent
But full of thinking

The woods whisper
In their own little language
As I
Walk through

Kristen Cuccoli
Grade 6

Jayne Warren's Poetry Writing Workshops

Here's what Jayne says about the poetry workshops she recently gave at the library. "I started off having the kids pick a color and then brainstorm ways to describe it without mentioning the name of the color i.e. "purple." They wrote about other things that were that color, memories connected to these colors, feelings they had about those memories. When they were done I explained that the reason I had done this was because poetry is a web of associations. Poets find ways to describe things in new ways so that readers can understand. They use traditional similes and metaphors but also subtext. We talked about when words aren't enough to describe things, when people substitute action, like if they're happy. This is what poets do, combine feelings and associations to create a full picture. Then I introduced the poem "This is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams. Most of the kids were against this poem or felt it wasn't poetic enough. They thought it was too simple. We talked about how this poem describes an apology about something that was enjoyed. They then wrote thier own apologies about something they had enjoyed doing at the time. We had poems about robbing banks, punching people, pushing sibling, watching too much tv, etc. They had a lot of fun with this exercise."

Poetry Writing Workshops with Jayne Warren

Poet Jayne Warren will teach 2 poetry writing workshops at the library on March 18 for children in grades 3, 4, and 5. Jayne is a student at Smith College, and graduated from the Writing Studio at Walnut Hill School in 2008. She has published poems in numerous journals, including the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Blue Pencil, Walnut Hill's literary journal. Her poem, Chairlift at Nashoba Valley, was included in the recently published anthology Rough Places Plain, Poems of the Mountains, and she has taught several poetry workshops at the library in the past. The first workshop, from 3:30 - 4:15, will be for students in grades 3 and 4, and the second workshop, from 4:30 - 5:15, will be for students in grades 4 and 5. Registration is required and will begin on Monday, February 23. Call 781-320-1042 to register.

A River of Words by Jennifer Bryant

Yes, I know, some people will say this is a picture book and so doesn't belong on this blog, but it's a wonderful book, and it's about one of my favorite poets, William Carlos Williams. The book was just named a 2009 Caldecott Honors book for Melissa Sweet's collage-style artwork, which incorporates the text of many of Williams's poems. I have always thought Williams's poetry is well suited for children (check out the Poetry for Young People series book William Carlos Williams) and this book is sure to provoke new interest in his work. I never knew that he was a doctor! His poetry is so appealing, I just assumed that he was a full-time poet. It's certainly inspiring to learn that someone can be so accomplished as a writer when it's not even their full-time job. It's also funny to read about such a distinguished poet being called "Willy!" This book clearly satisfies the Caldecott requirement of being "distinguished." In the back of the book are a timeline of Williams's life, publications, and world events, and also notes by the Author and Illustrator which let the readers in on how the book came about. Review by Stacy Church

Blue by Elizabeth Collins

Blue

Blue is the sky,
Engulfing me,
Covering me,
Swallowing me
The expanse that takes up the whole world.
Blue is the ocean, the water
Dripping.
Flowing.
Streaming.
Gushing.
Blue is a baby’s blanket
Snuggled up against it,
Warm.
Nice.
Safe.
Blue is
Calm.
Safe.
Soft.
Huge.
Tiny.
Sleep.


Elizabeth Collins

Grade 6, Thurston Middle School

Our first poetry submission of 2009!

The Majestic Falls

The gush of falls,
That are 170 feet tall,
Blaze the amber sky,
Soothe the eyes,
Of my disguise,
As soon as they magically fall.

My echo pierces the tunnel walls,
Behind the thundering falls,
I gaze about,
Binoculars out,
To see the majestic falls.

The light strikes the water,
Trying harder & harder,
To release the beautiful rainbow,
That follows the light in tow,
To behold the breathtaking sight...

***

A sheer curtain of pure Niagara!

Aasheen Qadri
Grade 6, Thurston Middle School