Poetry Friday: Julia Donaldson

Reading around author Julia Donaldson's site yesterday, I found a good poem for Poetry Friday. Donaldson, who used to create songs for children's TV, says that she finds it hard to write in anything but verse. So for Poetry Friday, I direct you again to her site for "A Day in My Life," a humorous take on the creative process. It begins,     

Tea in bed. Second cup.
Dislodge cats. Get up.
Son to school. Spouse to work.
Sit at desk – mustn’t shirk.

For the rest of Donaldson's poem, click here. (Scroll down on that page.) "Gruffalo," which the Glasgow-based writer mentions in the poem, is the name of her most popular children's book.

Other poetry offerings today include a piece about Dylan Thomas's "Fern Hill," at Here in the Bonny Glen; a thumbs-up review of Diane Siebert and Stephen T. Johnson's Tour America: A Journey Through Poems and Art, at Bartography; "Paul Revere's Ride" and a link to a cool poetry site, at Jen Robinson's Book Page; a link to a poetry controversy, at Bookshelves of Doom (isn't that a great blog name?); a mention of a new illustrated book of work by e.e. cummings, at Book Buds;  Gerard Manley Hopkins's "Spring," at Scholar's Blog; "Casey at the Bat" and some Casey picture books, at A Chair, A Fireplace and A Tea Cozy; and a charming picture book, Once Upon a Tide, considered, at Big A little a. Also, Slayground quotes a poetic YA novel  by David Levithan, and  Mother Reader pens an "Ode to Mo" (in Fibonacci form, no less). A poem is a brook? See The Simple and the Ordinary.  Farm School has Emily Dickinson on the mind,  while Mungo's Mathoms is thinking Yeats.

Comments

[Kelly]

That's a good one, Susan!
Is it true you're going to the BlogHer conference? I may meet you, if so. I'm not sure I'm going to go to the conference, but I'm visiting my sisters in Santa Cruz at that time!

[Susan]

Yes, I'm going! I have to iron out minor details (plane, hotel, whether Junior and his dad will spend the weekend gallivanting around SF, etc.) Jen Robinson is going, too. Let's plan a kid lit dinner!

[Kelly]

Excellent. I can't wait to meet you guys.

[Liz B.]

Oh, I am jealous beyond the telling!!

[Susan]

Liz, come, too! California dreamin' all the way!