poetry bits

30

2012-02-11T11:22:00.001-08:00

The pedigree of honey

Does not concern the bee;

A clover, any time, to him

Is aristocracy.

--Emily Dickinson

Published in Poems for Youth, 1918

The Horse

2012-02-06T08:07:00.001-08:00

As I pranced around the darkened meadow,

The one I had once called home.

I felt a black wave of sadness,

As my foals had left me to roam.

So many dreams that had not come true,

I felt them in that wave.

But the lovely meadow was no more,

For the men sent it to its grave.

It used to be so bright, so happy,

With not a drop of sadness.

The flowers numbered more than many,

The grass was sweet and lasting.

But now the men had found it.

They dug out all the vivid flowers,

They pulled the earth up by its roots.

The sweet grass was made all sour.

I dance through it once again,

The last time I would be here.

Then I shall leave for the sky,

My foals await me there.

~Helen, Grade 6, Thurston Middle School

The Octopus

2011-09-21T08:45:00.001-07:00

Tell me, O Octopus, I beg,

Is those things arms, or is they legs?

I marvel at thee, Octopus;

If I were thou, I’d call me Us.

-Ogden Nash

Published in A Family of Poems, My Favorite Poetry for Children, 2005

Lemonade

2011-08-10T09:53:00.001-07:00

Selling by the curb

Kids coming from all over

Fifteen cents a cup

--Rachel, Grade 6, Thurston Middle School

Published in The Westwood Public Library’s 2008 Poetry Anthology

Just Magic

2011-08-10T09:50:00.001-07:00

I can feel the gentle cool breeze, as it brushes on my cheek.

It feels magical as the flowers silently stare at me.

As the moon looks down,

and the crickets sing,

You have a feeling

It is going to be a magical night.

--Anusha, Grade 3, Sheehan School

Published in The Westwood Public Library’s 2008 Poetry Anthology

The Rider

2011-07-07T16:29:00.001-07:00

A boy told me

if he roller-skated fast enough

his loneliness couldn’t catch up to him,

the best reason I ever heard

for trying to be a champion.

What I wonder tonight

pedaling hard down King William Street

is if it translates to bicycles.

A victory! To leave your loneliness

panting behind you on some street corner

while you float free into a cloud of sudden azaleas,

pink petals that have never felt loneliness,

no matter how slowly they fell.

--Naomi Shihab Nye

Published in A Family of Poems, My Favorite Poetry for Children, 2005

The Dream Keeper

2011-05-28T12:27:00.001-07:00

Bring me all of your dreams,

You dreamers,

Bring me all of your

Heart melodies

That I may wrap them

In a blue cloud-cloth

Away from the too-rough finger

Of the world.

--Langston Hughes

Published in Poetry for Young People: Langston Hughes, 2006

Vacation

2011-05-22T13:09:00.001-07:00

Ahhh Florida
long plane rides
it was all
a
surprise
Hot Hot beaches
burnt toes too
two big pools
shark attack games in the pool
oh no
crazy
Jack
late nights
pillow fights
vacation
vacation
now comes to an end
WOW
vacation!

~Hannah, Grade 4, Hanlon School

The Stars

2011-05-22T13:03:00.001-07:00

See the brightness of the stars,

glowing stars!

They hover over earth,

the earth’s an artifact of nature,

just kick away the cars!

How they glow, glow, glow,

in the icy air at night,

and the heavens seem to twinkle

with a crystalline delight!

Giving light, light, light,

in the very darkest nights,

even helps people in their very deepest frights.

How they shine, shine, shine,

keeping all the earth’s time, time, time,

in a sort of runic rhyme

all from the stars

from the glowing, glowing, glowing of the stars!

~Philip, Grade 4, Sheehan School

Hail

2011-05-22T13:00:00.001-07:00

Crash!

The Hail Comes D

It lands on my head

Then I fall DOWN !!!

~Caitlin, Grade 4, Sheehan School

RAIN

2011-05-22T12:56:00.001-07:00

Rain Rain

Go away

Come again another day

The sky is grey so I can’t play.

It makes me pout and scream and shout

Rain Rain

Go away

Inside I can’t stay.

Outside, I want to play.

Please come again another day.

~Ellen, Grade 4 Sheehan School

Bouncing Bubble Gum

2011-05-22T12:51:00.001-07:00

Boing boing

Quick quick quick

Ow ow no one can hear me

I want to be a quiet piece of bubble gum

~Delaney, Grade 4, Sheehan School

Turtle,Turtle

2011-05-22T12:28:00.001-07:00

Turtle, Turtle

Green and bright

Your tiny shell will hold your fright

Run, Run

As fast as you can

When you find your friend Dan

Play, Play

Your favorite game

Then do the same

~Meghan, Grade 4, Sheehan School

Airplane’s View

2011-05-22T12:26:00.001-07:00

When you’re in an airplane

high

are

you

houses are boxes and

cars are

dots

humans are almost impossible

to see

buildings are toys

backyards look

inches long

only with

an airplane’s

view.

~Peter, Grade 4, Sheehan School

Pelican

2011-05-22T12:17:00.001-07:00

Gliding across the ocean,

Five pelicans flap their wings,

Wing tip to wing tip.

Suddenly they head out to sea,

They dive into the water,

Scooping up fish in their pouched bills.

~Eamon, Grade 4, Sheehan School

Little Brothers

2011-05-22T12:12:00.001-07:00

Little brothers are a pain,

I feel like sending him to Spain.

He’s a hopping jelly bean,

You know he is very mean.

That is little brothers,

I love them the way they are.

~Sabrina, Grade 4, Sheehan School

Ode to Horses

2011-05-09T08:29:00.001-07:00

Running as fast as the wind,

Manes whipping,

Back and forth.

Sleek,

Beautiful colors,

Shining in the sun,

Chestnut,

Chocolate and,

Golden brown.

Their massive muscles,

Always moving.

Racing across racetracks,

Riders on their backs,

Grasping the reins,

In fear of falling,

Down,

Down,

To the ground.

Waiting patiently for a burst of speed,

And then they’re off!!

Almost flying,

Across the air,

As they run forever,

Constantly in motion.

~Nataniah, Grade 5, Downey School

September

2011-05-08T13:48:00.001-07:00

it rained in my sleep

and in the morning the fields were wet

I dreamed of artillery

of the thunder of horses

in the morning the fields were strewn

with twigs and leaves

as if after a battle

or a sudden journey

I went to sleep in summer

I dreamed of rain

in the morning the fields were wet

and it was autumn

--Linda Pastan

Published in The Invisible Ladder, 1996

Poem

2011-05-01T12:28:00.001-07:00

As the cat

climbed over

the top of

the jamcloset

first the right

forefoot

carefully

then the hind

stepped down

into the pit of

the empty

flowerpot

--William Carlos Williams

Published in One Hundred Years of Poetry for Children, 1999

The Reason I Like Chocolate

2011-04-23T08:54:00.001-07:00

The reason I like chocolate

is I can lick my fingers

and nobody tells me I’m not polite

I especially like scary movies

‘cause I can snuggle with Mommy

or my big sister and they don’t laugh

I like to cry sometimes ‘cause

everybody says “what’s the matter

don’t cry”

and I like books

for all those reasons

but mostly ‘cause they just make me

happy

and I really like

to be happy

--Nikki Giovanni

Published in A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children, 2005

Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People by Monica Brown, Illustrated by Julie Paschkis

2011-04-02T12:02:00.001-07:00

Take a look at this new book about the great Chilean poet Pablo Neruda

“Once there was a little boy named Neftalí who loved wild things wildly and quiet things quietly. From the moment he could talk, he surrounded himself with words. Neftalí discovered the magic between the pages of books. When he was sixteen, he began publishing his poems as Pablo Neruda. Pablo wrote poems about the things he loved—things made by his friends in the café, things found at the marketplace, and things he saw in nature. He wrote about the people of Chile and their stories of struggle. Because above all things and above all words, Pablo Neruda loved people.” –from the book flap

Also check out: The Dreamer by Pam Nunez Ryan, Illustrated by Peter Sis

Buffalo Dusk

2011-04-02T11:54:00.001-07:00

The buffaloes are gone.

And those who saw the buffaloes are gone.

Those who saw the buffaloes by thousands and how they

pawed the prairie sod into dust with their hoofs, their

great heads down pawing on in a great pageant of dusk,

Those who saw the buffaloes are gone.

And the buffaloes are gone.

--Carl Sandburg

Published in A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children, 2005

Smell My Fingers

2011-03-24T17:01:00.001-07:00

--for Jessica

Smell my fingers my daughter

says and thrusts them

at my nose. I back dive off

my chair as if the air were

poisoned. Where have they been

those sweaty things with six

years of sticky places

scenting their past? She laughs

and chases me around the room

with germicidal weapons,

insists on my surrender.

Caught, I find a pine cone

in her fist. She tells me

it is spring and that means perfume.

--David B. Axelrod

published in Strings: A Gathering of Family Poems, 1984

Poetry Reading/Book Release Celebration June 7

2010-06-02T14:46:00.001-07:00

Wow, it’s been another great year! Once again, we received almost 200 poems. The poets will be presented with their anthologies on June 7 at 7 pm, and, hopefully, most of them will read their poems! It's sure to be an inspiring evening, so don't miss it!

Watermelon by Amelia McQuade

2010-05-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

As I indulge to
take my first bite
My teeth break through
leaving joy left to face
It drips
And slips
and makes a mess
But NOTHING will stop me
The juice glides
down my throat with delight
As I notice if oozing down my cheek
As it's calling my name
to take another bite
The smell stuffs my nose
with the summer scent of watermelon
Oh how I wish it was summer
to eat my favorite fruit: WATERMELON

Amelia McQuade, Grade 6

My Home by Marissa Mealey

2010-05-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

Deep, blue ocean waves
hitting the soft sand
down below me

I stand high in the sky
my light warns a sailor
if they're getting close to me

Seagulls come up from stealing
little kids' food and fly
all around me

The beach is my home
I am happy here
I am a lighthouse

Marissa Mealey, Grade 6

baby bird by Kendall Blizzard

2010-04-28T17:16:00.001-07:00

a baby bird I am

new to this colorful world

eager to extend my wings and soar

mother bird nurtures me

and educates me the way of life

until I am prepared with my knowledge matured

to bound off of my nest

and be the greatest

a baby bird I was…

an eagle I am

Kendall Blizzard, Grade 6

Don’t Forget to Sign-up for the Poetry Writing Workshops!

2010-04-28T08:40:00.001-07:00

Thursday, April 29, Tom Daley will be giving poetry writing workshops at the Westwood Library. Grades 6, 7, and 8 will meet from 2:45 – 4:00, and grades 3, 4, and 5 will meet from 4:15 – 5:30. Tom taught workshops here two years ago and here is one of the poems that the kids wrote together with him. To sign-up, call 781-320-1042, or email us at westwoodpoetry@yahoo.com.

A Calendar Poem Listing the Quirky Moons of the Westwood Library Grades 3 – 5 Poetry Workshop

January is the moon of trying to beat the record at Grandma’s house of staying up to 6 a.m.

February is the moon of seeing the Lunar Eclipse.

March is the moon of the guinea pig visit.

April is the moon of the cherry blossom dance.

May is the moon of playing water basketball.

June is the moon of having an ice cream party in school.

July is the moon of going to Cold Stone Creamery for the first time.

August is the moon of celebrating my dog’s birthday and giving him doggie ice cream.

September is the moon of the first day of school.

October is the moon of ghosting my neighbors.

November is the moon of meeting a bunny that was my size.

December is the moon of seeing sea lions get fed at the New England Aquarium.

-Westwood Library grades 3 – 5 Poetry Workshop with Tom Daley

Aiden Fitzgibbon, Peter Jeong, Jordan Jud, Jessie Kreinsen, Zoe Luiz, Anusha Manglik, Ben Ouellette, Jack Papetti, Emily West

The poems are in!

2010-04-22T17:21:00.001-07:00

Thanks to everyone who submitted a poem for this year’s anthology. We received 167!! Keep checking here for news about this year’s poetry reading/book release celebration, and to read some of this year’s poems.

Poetry Writing Workshops with Tom Daley

2010-04-05T09:37:00.001-07:00

Tom Daley returns to the Westwood Library! On April 29, Tom will host 2 poetry writing workshops as part of the library’s Positively Poetry series. Students in grades 6, 7, and 8 will meet from 2:45 – 4:00, and students in grades 3, 4, and 5 will meet from 4:15 – 5:30. Registration is required. To register, email us at westwoodpoetry@yahoo.com, or call 781-320-1042. The poems produced at the workshops will be included in the library’s 2010 Poetry Anthology.

Tom Daley teaches poetry writing at the Boston Center for Adult Education, and poetry and memoir writing at Lexington Community Education. In addition, he is a member of the faculty of the Online School of Poetry, serves on the tutorial faculty of the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, and has been a guest instructor at Brown University, Stonehill College and SUNY Cobleskill. He has also been served as visiting poets at several schools.

Tom Daley’s own work has been published in numerous journals, including Harvard Review, Prairie Schooner, Barrow Street, Vox, Diagram, and Hacks: The Grub Street Anthology.

My Late Excuse by Olivia Ware

2009-12-03T16:57:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-03T16:48:00.000-08:00

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

2009-06-09T07:37:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-09T07:31:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-09T07:29:00.000-07:00

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

Emma Harte, Grade 3

Gatorade by Keyon Rostamnehad

2009-06-09T07:08:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-06-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-05-29T01:39:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-05-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-05-21T16:03:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-01T14:54:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

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

2009-02-19T14:53:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-05T12:23:00.001-08:00

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

2009-02-02T07:33:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-28T12:44:00.000-08:00

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

Poetry Reading a big hit!

2008-05-08T12:01:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday night 65 people gathered at the library for this year's poetry reading/book release celebration. The young poets were presented with their anthologies and read their work. The students from Tom Daley's poetry writing workshops read their group poems together and guest poets Jayne Warren and Tom Daley each read 2 poems. The anthology is available for reading at the library.

Don't forget to send us your poems

2008-03-31T11:42:00.001-07:00

The deadline for poetry submissions for this year's anthology is Friday, April 4. Don't be late!

First Poetry Writing Workshop a Success!

2008-03-31T11:37:00.000-07:00

At last Thursday's poetry writing workshops, Tom Daley discussed with the students the origins of their names, the names of the days of the week, and the names of the months of the year. Then everyone got a chance to try their hand at creating their own day and month names, which gave them their first poems of the workshop. Tom will return next Thursday to offer more poetry writing fun.

It's not too late!

2008-03-19T12:06:00.000-07:00

It's not too late to sign up for the library's Poetry Writing Workshops with Tom Daley. See previous post for info! Workshops to be held on March 23, April 4. Call 781-320-1042 to register.

Hurry Up Mice by Alyssa Haney

2008-03-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

Scamper, scurry
Mice must hurry
To get the cheese
In time

Alyssa Haney
Grade 4, Downey School
-from The Westwood Public Library's2007 Poetry Anthology

Fire by Sarah Hyde

2008-03-19T11:55:00.000-07:00

Hot, burning embers

Crackling in the emptiness

Slowly burning wood.

Sarah Hyde
Grade 6, Thurston Middle School
-from The Westwood Public Library's2007 Poetry Anthology

WINTER IS HERE by Kelley Webster

2008-03-12T12:13:00.001-07:00

Crisp cold air that blows around.
My heart thumps against the wind.
It can not stop.
I can not wait until the snow comes.
I see the first snowflake, then another
then another...
Now my heart is thumping fast.
WINTER IS HERE!

Kelley Webster
Grade 3, Deerfield School
-from The Westwood Public Library's
2007 Poetry Anthology

Poetry Writing Workshops with Tom Daley

2008-03-01T11:37:00.000-08:00

The Westwood Library will host a two-part series of poetry writing workshops led by local poet/educator Tom Daley as part of its Positively Poetry series. The first workshop, on March 27, will focus on writing, and the second, on April 3, will focus on editing. On each Thursday, students in grades 6, 7, and 8 will meet from 2:45 – 4:00, and students in grades 3, 4, and 5 will meet from 4:15 – 5:30. Students must attend both workshops, and registration is required. The poems produced at the workshops will be included in the library’s 2008 Poetry Anthology.

Tom Daley teaches poetry writing at the Boston Center for Adult Education, and poetry and memoir writing at Lexington Community Education. In addition, he is a member of the faculty of the Online School of Poetry, serves on the tutorial faculty of the Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick, and has been a guest instructor at Brown University, Stonehill College and SUNY Cobleskill. He has also been served as visiting poets at several schools.

Tom Daley’s own work has been published in numerous journals, including Harvard Review, Prairie Schooner, Barrow Street, Vox, Diagram, and Hacks: The Grub Street Anthology.

Positively Poetry 2008

2008-02-06T11:39:00.000-08:00

The Westwood Library has once again received a grant from the Westwood Educational Foundation in support of our project, Positively Poetry. The project was a huge success last year, and we're looking forward to another great year. We'll be publishing our annual Anthology of Original Poetry, which will include poems by students in grades 3 - 12; we'll be hosting a series of poetry writing workshops by local poet/educator Tom Daley on March 27 and April 3; and we'll end the series with a poetry reading/book release celebration on May 6. Keep checking the blog for updates!

Poetry reading a huge success!

2007-04-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

Monday night's poetry reading was a huge success, with 96 people attending! The room was packed! Many young poets read their work as their parents and friends looked on. A few poets chose to receive their books without reading their poems, but everyone received hearty applause. Guest poets Jayne Warren and Zoe Mason, students from the writing studio at the Walnut Hill School, entertained the crowd by reading poems from their younger days, and then closed the program by reading some of their more recent work. It was an inspiring night.

Poetry Anthology bigger than ever!!

2007-04-03T08:03:00.000-07:00

Thanks for your submissions. This year we had 140 young poets submit their work for our seventh annual anthology. Many of them will be reading their work at our poetry reading in celebration of the release of the book, so come and hear them!

Poetry Reading

2007-03-24T13:18:00.000-07:00

Come hear young poets read their work at the Westwood Library's Poetry Reading on Monday, April 9, at 7:00 pm. The reading is in celebration of the release of the 2007 Poetry Anthology and will feature guest poets Mitch Dewar, Zoe Mason, and Jayne Warren, all students from the writing studio at the Walnut Hill School.

Jayne Warren to read at Porter Square Books

2007-02-17T11:00:00.000-08:00

Jayne Warren will join with other members of the Workshop for Publishing Poets in a reading at Porter Square Books in Cambridge. The reading will take place on Monday, March 5, at 7:00 pm. If you enjoyed hearing Jayne read at the Westwood Library's poetry reading last year, hear her read some of her most recent work.

Send Us Your Poems!

2007-02-11T12:55:00.000-08:00

The Westwood Library is now accepting submissions for the 2007 Anthology of Original Poetry. The anthology, which began 6 years ago with poetry by middle and high school students, this year will include poetry by students in grades 3 - 12. Submitters need not be Westwood residents. Send us one poem, no longer than 30 lines, with family friendly content and language. This is not a contest! Every poem will be published. Poems must be received by March 23. Anthologies will be available at a Book Release Celebration/Poetry Reading on April 9. Send poems to westwoodpoetry@yahoo.com, and include your name, grade, school name, email address, and telephone number.

Poetry Workshops a Huge Success!

2007-02-11T12:50:00.000-08:00

30 local kids showed up at the Westwood Library on Jan. 31 to learn about writing poetry from Barbara Helfgott Hyett. In each hour-and-a-half workshop, Hyett stressed some of her rules for writing poetry: Write everything down! The eraser is your enemy! Cross out, don't erase! Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite!

Don't forget to sign up

2007-01-27T11:13:00.001-08:00

for the poetry workshops this week with Barbara Helfgott Hyett! The workshops are a wonderful opportunity for kids to work with a professional poet. See previous blog for more info or call 781-320-1042 to register.

Positively Poetry

2007-01-12T12:08:00.000-08:00

Positively Poetry will take place at the Westwood Public Library from January through April, 2007. The series will begin with poetry workshops with Boston area poet Barbara Helfgott Hyett on January 31. The library will publish its annual Anthology of Original Poetry, this year including poetry from students in grades 3 - 12. The final event will be a poetry reading at the library in April, where students can read their poems. Check the blog for updates, or call 781-320-1042 for more information. Positively Poetry is made possible by a grant from the Westwood Educational Foundation

Poetry Writing Workshops

2007-01-12T12:07:00.000-08:00

Boston-area poet/educator Barbara Helfgott Hyett will visit the Westwood Public Library on Wednesday, January 31, to conduct poetry writing workshops for students. Helfgott Hyett has worked as a Visiting Poet in over 60 school districts in Massachusetts, and has taught at a number of colleges and universities. She is the author of four books of poetry: The Tracks We Leave, Natural Law, The Double Reckoning of Christopher Columbus, and In Evidence: Poems of the Liberation of Nazi Concentration Camps. The first workshop, from 1:30 – 3:00, is for students in grades 6, 7, and 8. A second workshop, from 3:15 – 4:45, will be for students in grades 3, 4, and 5. The workshops kick off the Positively Poetry series at the library, and are made possible by a grant from the Westwood Educational Foundation. Registration is required. Call 781-320-1042.

Puns, Allusions, and Other Word Secrets by Jennifer Fandel

2006-06-30T10:32:00.000-07:00

This book is part of a great new series called Understanding Poetry, and it's the best book I've seen for older kids about poetic devices. The poems that are used as examples are by some of my favorite poets: Pablo Neruda, e. e. cummings, Dylan Thomas, and William Carlos Williams, to name a few. Each book in the series tackles a different set of devices, and with the wonderful examples given it's really easy to see what they're all about.

Poetry Reading a huge success!

2006-06-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

Over 60 people attended the poetry reading/book release party at the Westwood Library on May 30. Hats off to all those students who read their poems! Jayne Warren started the evening by reading her first published poem, The Pond, published when she was 10 years old. The 4th and 5th graders were presented with their anthologies, and most of them read their poems. The middle and high schoolers were then presented with their anthologies, and also read their poems. Jayne finished up the evening by reading her recently published poems, Chairlift at Nashoba Valley and The Night Uncle. After such a great success, we can't wait for next year! The kids were very impressive, both in the quality of their poems, and also the poise and confidence they read with.

The poems are in!

2006-05-13T12:02:00.000-07:00

We have collected all the poems for the two anthologies, and are in the process of putting together the books. Thanks to everyone who submitted their poems! The books will be available at the (constantly rescheduled) poetry reading/ book release party on Tuesday, May 30 at 7:00 pm. Everyone is invited to come and hear kids read their poems. And we'll have food!! Local poet Jayne Warren will read from her recently published works. Here are a couple of poems from new anthologies.

QUAIL (A WINTER ACROSTIC)

Quite an
Uncomparable bird
Always trying to avoid the
Intelligent hunter
Lasting as long as it can

Charles DeAngelis
Grade 4, Hanlon School

SKATEBOARDING

a rush of hot air
across my face
as the cars zoom
left and right!

the thick oily stench
of the gas station
floats above my head

the drab and rusted sign
by the towering fence
my friends are just past it
so I kick into the park

I shut out all the noise
and try to concentrate
as I run up to the top of the ramp

Crash!
I slide back down the pipe
wishing I had never tried it

Max Otsuka
Grade 7, F.A. Day Middle School

Spring

When'er the snows of winter melt away,
The clouds appear more hopeful - joyful, glad
To once again be free to drift and play
In skies of blue, and sunnily be clad;
And even when the rains do fall upon
The earth and drown the world in sadd'ning haze,
Will sunshine sometime bring a brighter dawn
And leave the air to be by sweetness praised;
The trees rejoicingly bring forth their leaves,
Which tell of colors glorious and gay
In all the whisp'rings of the playful breeze,
And Love and Beauty now reclaim the day:
For Beauty's known when spring's first flower blooms,
And Love in sweet air like a rainbow looms.

Stephen Wright
Grade 10

Poetry reading rescheduled again!!

2006-04-16T06:39:00.000-07:00

The poetry reading/book release party to celebrate the release of the Westwood Public Library's 2006 Poetry Anthologies has been rescheduled (again!!) to Tuesday, May 30 at 7 pm. Come and hear original poetry being read by local students! Don't worry, we won't reschedule again.

Deadline extended!!

2006-04-16T06:36:00.000-07:00

The Westwood Public Library will continue accepting poems for the 2006 poetry anthologies through Friday, April 28, so keep those submissions coming!!

April Poetry Writing Workshop for 4th and 5th Graders

2006-04-01T11:16:00.000-08:00

Visiting poet Jayne Warren returns to the Westwood Public Library to give a poetry writing workshop for 4th and 5th graders on Wednesday, April 19 from 3 - 5:00. Jayne led a well-attended workshop during February vacation. Participants will learn how to get started writing a poem, how to edit their work, and will work with different poetic forms. Jayne has published poems in numerous periodicals, and her poem "Chairlift at Nashoba Valley" is included in the recently released anthology Rough Places Plain, Poems of the Mountains. Students are not required to have attended the February workshop. Participants can submit their poems to the library for inclusion in the 2006 Anthology of Original Poetry to be published by the library. Call 781-320-1042 to register, or email us at westwoodpoetry@yahoo.com.

Westwood Library sponsors VOYA teen poetry contest winner: Katherine Horan

2006-03-21T06:48:00.000-08:00

Katherine Horan, whose poem,The Accidental Plagiarist, was included in the Westwood Public Library 2005 Poetry Anthology, has been selected as a winner in VOYA's Teen Poetry Contest 2005. The Westwood Library sponsored Katherine's entry in the contest. VOYA, Voice of Youth Advocates, devotes its April issue to poetry, and runs an annual contest. As one of five national winners, Katherine's poem will be included in this year's April issue. She will also receive a cash prize. Congratulations, Katherine!

THE ACCIDENTAL PLAGIARIST

The accidental plagiarist
Should not be utterly dismissed
For his transgression, as it is
Time's Fault for any cheat, not his.
He has a thought, but it's been claimed;
All joys and all emotions named.
The lovers' vows have all been sworn;
It makes a poet quite forlorn.
He can't be blamed for redone rhymes,
Not e'en those writ a thousand times,
For knowledge contains such a store
It seems we're always storing more.
And if a poet seeks to write
A rhyme already brought to light,
The poem will be left, decayed,
When critics cry that it's cliched.
The great ideas died with the greats
And rules were set on granite plates
To make all new works formulaic,
Melodramatic, or prosaic.
A true original idea
Has become wanting on our Gaea.
So ends my little tale of woe,
I'm sure you've heard it elsewhere, though.

Katherine Horan

SEND US YOUR POEMS!!

2006-03-21T06:18:00.000-08:00

You have until April 13 to send your original poems to the Westwood Public Library for inclusion in the 2006 Poetry Anthologies. We'll be publishing two anthologies this year: one for middle and high school students, and one for 4th and 5th graders. This is not a contest! All poems submitted will be published - one per student. 30 line limit, family friendly language, please. The books will be available on May 2 and will be presented to the poets at a poetry reading at the library. Don't worry, reading your poem is optional! Send your poems to westwoodpoetry@yahoo.com. Include your full name, grade, school, email address and phone number.

Notes from Jayne Warren's Poetry Writing Workshop

2006-02-25T10:49:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday's Poetry Writing Workshop was a huge success! Here are some notes from Jayne about Fun Forms.

Haiku: A haiku is one of the shortest forms you can write in. It only has three lines: the first has 5 syllables, the second has 7 and the third has 5 (try clapping to count the syllables in a word.) Traditional haikus have some words that relate to a season (snow for winter, rain for spring, etc.)

Example:
Temple bells die out.
The fragrant blossoms remain.
A perfect evening!

Cento: A cento is a form of poetry in which you put together different lines from a poet. Pick your favorite poet and cut and paste lines until you have something that you like and that makes sense! For more of a challenge, some people use lines from all different poets. Remember though to credit your sources!

Pantoum: A pantoum is a very difficult form to follow, but it is far from the most difficult you can try. I'm putting this here just for those of you who want to try something different and harder - kind of like a puzzle. A pantoum has 4 lines in each stanza (in case you don't know, a stanza is just like a paragraph.) The last and first line of the poem must be the same. Here's where it gets to be harder: the second and fourth lines of the first stanza then become the first and third lines of the second stanza. The second and fourth lines of the second stanza become the first and third of the third stanza and so on. Here's an easier way to look at it: pretend the letters are the lines in the stanza, a, b, c, d. That's the first stanza. Now look at the second and notice what repeats: b, e, d, f. The e and the f lines are your own invention.) In the last stanza you repeat the second and fourth lines of the previous stanza BUT instead of making up your own first and third lines, you take the first and third lines of your first stanza. Confusing, I know. Try looking for an example online are at the library.

Chairlift at Nashoba Valley by Jayne Warren

2006-02-01T12:46:00.000-08:00

How still it is; the snow
begins to drop, each flake shifting
like silk. It looks so easy.
The chair, steel and struggling, as bells
struggle to ring. It is meant to last.
Glass rivers under snow, the steel
glints, frayed ends disappearing, dissolve
into cables. Out of sweetness,
out of the core of despair, fear
licks the rim, earth sleeps inside
the mountain. The sky peers
from hiding. In the one house where we are
welcome, sweetness, waiting to become
the unknown. Come as death or pity,
wings beating air against my cheek.

Poetry Writing Workshop

2006-02-01T06:14:00.000-08:00

The Westwood Public Library will be offering a poetry writing workshop for 4th, 5th and 6th graders on Wednesday, February 22 from 3 - 4:30. Visiting poet, Jayne Warren, will talk about how she got started writing poetry, her work with poet Barbara Helfgott Hyett and the Workshop for Publishing Poets, and her experiences as a writing student at the Walnut Hill School in Natick, MA. Participants will do exercises to help them get ideas for writing poems and to express themselves through poetry, and learn how to edit their own work. Jayne has published poems in numerous periodicals, and her poem "Chairlift at Nashoba Valley" is included in the recently released anthology Rough Places Plain, Poems of the Mountains. The participants can submit their poems to the library for inclusion in the 2006 Poetry Anthologies published by the library. Call 781-320-1042 to register.

Poetry Books We Love

2006-01-16T14:00:00.000-08:00

A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children edited by Caroline Kennedy and illustrated by Jon J. Muth. I confess that when I first saw this book, I thought it would have the same old children's poets you find in every other children's anthology. I was surprised to see that she included poems by Christina Rossetti, William Blake, Dylan Thomas, Elizabeth Bishop, and even Sylvia Plath! And the illustrations are beautiful. So, it's not just a book for young children; it's good for middle school and high school, too.

Editor (and poet) Liz Rosenberg has a number of poetry books for teens, my favorite of which is Earth-Shattering Poems. It includes a beautiful poem by Pablo Neruda called If You Forget Me, with the lines,

If suddenly
you forget me
do not look for me,
for I shall already have forgotten you.

I also like her anthology The Invisible Ladder; it's all contemporary poets, and has a short biography of each.

One last book: Unleashed, Poems by Writers' Dogs, edited by Amy Hempel and Jim Shepard. Here's the beginning of Daisy, Five, Speaks to Sophia, Two by Ralph Lombreglia

I was here first.
I'm the real baby.
In a former life, it was me
who was cute, cute, cute.

Poetry Reading May 2

2006-01-16T11:13:00.000-08:00

The 2006 Poetry Anthologies will be available at a book release party and poetry reading at the Westwood Public Library on May 2, 7:00 p.m. Come pick up your copy of the book and read your poem! We'll have food!!

CALLING ALL POETS!!

2006-01-16T11:02:00.000-08:00

It's time for us to start collecting poems for the Westwood Public Library's 2006 Poetry Anthology of Original Poetry by Middle and High School Students. And because so many younger students have asked us about having their poetry included, we've decided to publish another book, The Westwood Public Library's Poetry Anthology of Original Poetry by 4th and 5th Grade Students.

This year we'll be accepting submissions by email as well as at the Westwood elementary school libraries, the libraries at the Thurston Middle School and Westwood High School, and at the Westwood Public Library. But you don't have to be a Westwood resident!

Send your poem to: westwoodpoetry@yahoo.com. Be sure to include your full name, grade, school, email address, and phone number. 30 line limit, family friendly language, and only 1 poem per student. If you send more than one, we'll pick which one to publish. Poems accepted until April 13.

One Night by Patrick Feeney, grade 9

2006-01-16T10:14:00.000-08:00

One night when all was dark as pitch,
The only source of light was that of,
The stars and moon so bright,
Each of them so right,
For a night such as this.

Reprinted from The Westwood Public Library's 2002 Poetry Anthology

Rhyme by Craig Byer, grade 10

2006-01-16T10:07:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like a cup of tea,
Sweet and hot made just for me.
It tastes so good late at night,
But I enjoy it most at morning light.

Reprinted from The Westwood Public Library's 2003 Poetry Anthology

Spring Flowers by Alex Jundanian, grade 6

2006-01-16T10:03:00.000-08:00

Oh flowers, you wade by the wind,
And stop by open grass meadows.
You stay by the sun, the rain and the moon,
And you also know when it's time to bloom.

Oh flowers, you live and thrive under the bright mid-day sun.
And you take a quiet nap in the shimmering night.
Your bright colors attract many noses,
Especially orchids, daisies, and roses.

Oh flowers, you are so beautiful,
And your petals shine brightly in the daylight.
Your home is to bees and many other things,
And then you know it's time for spring.

Reprinted from The Westwood Public Library's 2004 Poetry Anthology

Dreaming on an Empty Stomach by Carly Moniz, grade 11

2006-01-16T09:54:00.000-08:00

Some days, I want to paint the sky in green,
Just to see what color the sun will shine.
And other times I wish to be unseen,
To be forever lost beyond the line.

At noon I'll sail my ships upon the seas,
But row back into shore when I'm too far.
A bee? Who is the queen that I must please?
Will those in front please leave the door ajar?

"The Road goes ever on," a great man said.
Another spoke of two diverging paths.
A map may steer me out of my own head,
But can I face the world and all her wraths?

When I decide to fly and not to crawl,
Will I circle the clouds or will I fall?

Reprinted from The Westwood Public Library's 2005 Poetry Anthology