Poetry Online

Before I get to the online poetry sites I want to let you all know about, I first have to add two more poetry recommendations that I somehow left off the last post. How I managed to forget about Douglas Florian I will never know (the horror!) - he is one of my absolute favorite children's poets. With poetry collections like Beast Feast, In the Swim, Handsprings, Autumnblings, Insectlopedia and Summersaults (just to name a few) he is one of the best poets writing for kids today. His newest collection is Comets, Stars, The Moon and Mars and includes this brilliant tribute to former planet Pluto:

"Pluto was a planet.

But now it doesn't pass.

Pluto was a planet.

They say it's lacking mass.

Puto was a planet.

Pluto was admired.

Pluto was a planet.

Till one day it got fired."

- Douglas Florian, Comets, Stars, The Moon and Mars

My second I-can't-believe-I-left-this-off-the-first-list recommendation is Hailstones and Halibut Bones: Adventures in Color by Mary O'Neill. First published in 1961(!) this collection of poems about color was probably my first introduction to poetry as a child. I will never forget reading these poems as a kid and being amazed at the beauty of the poems and the imagery she created. My favorite poem is "purple" because naturally, purple is my favorite color. Honestly, how can you resist this?:

"Time is purple
Just before night

When most people

Turn on the light -

But if you don't it's

A beautiful sight.

Asters are purple,

There's purple ink.

Purple's more popular

Than you think...

It's sort of a great

Grandmother to pink."

- Mary O'Neill, "What is Purple?" from Hailstones and Halibut Bones: Adventures in Color

There's more to the purple poem, but I just thought I'd give you a taste. Now come in to the library and get the book!

Now on to the online...

First we have a nice assortment of fun poetry sites linked up to the library's Fun & Games webpage (which you get to from the Kids' Page). I especially like the Giggle Poetry site so be sure to have a look there.

Second I wanted to alert you to Joyce Sidman's "For Poets and Writers" webpage because she's got some really great advice for budding writers. If you aren't familiar with Joyce Sidman, she is an amazing poet, author of Song of the Water Boatman (a Caldecott Honor book) and the new This is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness among many others.

As I find more online poetry sites that I think you should know about, I'll post them here. In the meantime, go forth and write! Everybody is welcome to submit their original poetry for publication on the Book Buddies blog! Also feel free to let me know what other poetry books you are reading and enjoying!