It is that rollicking good time day when you are encouraged to carry a poem and share it with friends, family, strangers - pass it around like a smile!
It started in NYC several years ago and now is celebrated all over. Go to poets.org for ideas of how to celebrate and poems you can print to carry or share. At my library I am postings and passing out some of my favorites by Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, Lucille Clifton, and many others. Fun times!
You can follow the hashtags #poetrymonth #pocketpoems or #poemaday to follow my Twitter and Instagram haiku with photos (haiga) all month and find other poets that are posting today and all through National Poetry Month.
My eight year old son went to school with this in his pocket:
Put Something In
Draw a crazy picture,
Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-grumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a loony-goony dance
'Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain't been there before.
-Shel Silverstein
We found it in the Special Edition (2009) A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein.
What are you packing today?
The Friday Poetry Round up is celebrated today by Irene at Live Your Poem...
8 comments:
Hi! I am in residence at an elementary school, working in 5th grade. There was no way I'd let the students miss Poem in Your Pocket Day. They each took a piece of Irene Latham's Octopus Postcards (posted at Gotta Book yesterday).
I love the idea of putting something silly in the world. We could use some of that after the week's events.
Put something silly in the world.. yes! I actually shared Shel Silverstein at a school visit yesterday -- so many favorites! Love the presentation of your pocket poems... mine were crudely folded. Will work on that for next year. :)
Can't imagine a better poet than Shel Silverstein for a kid to have in their pocket! My daughter loves Signals (also in A Light In the Attic) and recites it regularly.
What a fun poem for your son to put in his pocket! Did you put one in yours too? Love your enthusiasm for this.
Violet N.
Ha Ha Violet of course I did! :) I had my iPod loaded with my Instagram haiku/haiga from the last couple weeks. I was just waiting for someone to ask!! LOL
What a fun day of celebration!
I'm going to do a belated Poem in Your Pocket day tomorrow. Now which poem shall I choose? I like the poem your son chose!
I carried Lucille Clifton's "Blessing the boats" around on Poem in Your Pocket Day. I forgot to help my kids find a poem! :-( I really like the Silverstein poem.
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