Did you see Marilyn Singer’s “crow” poem yesterday? She tagged Kristine O’Connell George who is up today with two “rabbit” poems. She makes this connection: “Since owls might be considered “evil” from a rabbit’s point of view (as well as a crow’s!), I’m sending Rabbit I. and Rabbit II.” Here is that clever pair of poems.
Copyright Kristine O’Connell George. “Rabbit I. and Rabbit II. Originally appeared in I Am Writing A Poem About… A Game of Poetry. Edited by Myra Cohn Livingston. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 1997.
Five fun facts about Kristine O'Connell George:*she lives in a small California mountain neighborhood where peacocks run wild
*she is a teaching herself video photography and her first “movie” features the hummingbirds in her backyard
*she won both of the awards established by Lee Bennett Hopkins for her first book, The Great Frog Race and Other Poems
*she writes on an old drafting table equipped with a hydraulic lift so she can write standing up or sitting down (a $100 Craigslist find!)
*she once played 18 holes of golf with Nick Nolte without recognizing him (full story available upon request)
Look for these selected poetry books by George:
*Old Elm Speaks: Tree Poems (Clarion, 1998)
*Little Dog Poems (Clarion, 1999)
*Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems (Clarion, 2001)
*Little Dog and Duncan (Clarion, 2002)
*Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems (Clarion, 2002)
*Hummingbird Nest: A Journal of Poems (Harcourt, 2004)
*Fold Me a Poem (Harcourt Brace, 2005)
*Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems (Clarion, 2010)
Next up: Alice Schertle
Posting (not poem) by Sylvia M. Vardell © 2010. All rights reserved.
Image credits: Image credit: tagyoureitonline.com;captainstlucifer.wordpress.com/2007/08/;http://www.kristinegeorge.com/biography.htm;Judy Crescenzo
Kristine has definitely proved she was worthy of that "promising poet" award. I love all of her poetry books!
ReplyDeleteI remember another rabbit poem Kristine wrote--"Of Rabbits and Fences"--a cinquain that was included in Myra Cohn Livingston's book I AM WRITING A POEM ABOUT...A GAME OF POETRY.
Oh it's hard to choose just one favorite poet. I love many of them for so many different reasons. But Kristine's poetry has always been closest to my heart. I think it's because I grew up on a farm and I have such a connection to nature. I love Old Elm Speaks and the Great Frog Race because they are beautiful poems that are accessible to very young children without having to rhyme. When I first read I AM WRITING A POEM ABOUT...A GAME OF POETRY. I found it amazing to see how many wonderful poets were students of Myra Cohn Livingston: April Halprin Wayland, Alice Shertle, Janet Wong, Joan Bransfield Graham, and of course Kristine O'Connell George. If only to be a fly on the wall in the classroom!
ReplyDeletePlus I can't wait to read Emma's Dilemma. Thanks for such inspiring poetry Kristine!
One criticism for this grand dame
ReplyDeleteof poetry: She and her dog should
be wearing matching scarfs in the
photo.
:-)
ReplyDeletelooks like I need to seek out a copy of I AM WRITING A POEM ABOUT...A GAME OF POETRY...
Thanks, Sylvia for this delightful exchange. Kristine, I'm a real fan of your work. I haven't been tagged, but I thought I'd share a rabbit poem of my own-
ReplyDeleteRequiem
From a cat’s jaw
a rabbit fell
to our world.
I held it,
new-born,
in my palm,
curled.
In the night
it died without warning.
Days later
I am still mourning.
And out there,
somewhere,
while thin deer hover
at the garden’s edge,
trimming hollyhocks
and peach tree leaf,
a mother huddles
in the manzanita,
harboring
a quiet grief.
I wish I could
offer her
some small relief.
Michele Krueger
I stumbled upon this site and I am happy to find it. I am a small business owner and motivational public speaker. I am going to read more of her poetry. They are great!
ReplyDelete