Poetry Tag: Jack Prelutsky is IT

April has come to an end and so does our game of Poetry Tag in celebration of National Poetry Month. What fun it’s been to watch the game unfold, with each poet sharing a poem, connected one to another and tagging the next poet. Yesterday, Douglas Florian shared a brand new poem, “My Monster.” Next up, Jack Prelutsky picked up the gauntlet and offered his own brand new original “monster” creation. He writes, “At first I was just going to submit a previously published poem, but then I decided to accept the challenge and not only respond directly to Doug's poem, but continue it. I don't think that my ‘response’ needs any explanation.” Here is Jack’s new creation.

DEAR MONSTER
By Jack Prelutsky

Dear monster, if you do not sweep,
I probably can’t fall asleep,
For when my room is thick with dust,
I’m filled with anguish and disgust.

Sweet monster, sweep as I request,
And then we both can get some rest.
Don’t hesitate, pick up the broom,
And clear the cobwebs from my room.

"Dear Monster" copyright ©2010 by Jack Prelutsky

Five fun facts about Jack Prelutsky
*he was born in Brooklyn, New York
*he has worked as an opera singer, folk singer, truck driver, photographer, plumber’s assistant, piano mover, cab driver, and standup comedian
*he collects frog miniatures
*he was the first Children’s Poet Laureate of the U.S.
*he has authored a guide book for young readers, Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry; How to Write a Poem (Greenwillow, 2008)
[Based on Poetry People; A Practical Guide to Children’s Poets]

Look for these selected poetry books written or compiled by Prelutsky:
*The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (Random House, 1983)
*Read-aloud Rhymes for the Very Young (Knopf, 1986)
*The Beauty of the Beast (Knopf, 1997)
*The 20th Century Children's Poetry Treasury (Knopf, 1999)
*Nightmares: Poems to Trouble Your Sleep (Mulberry Books, 1976/1993)
*The New Kid on the Block (Greenwillow, 1984)
*Something Big Has Been Here (Scholastic, 1990)
*The Dragons are Singing Tonight (Scholastic, 1993)
*A Pizza the Size of the Sun (Greenwillow, 1996)
*The Gargoyle on the Roof (Greenwillow, 1999)
*It’s Raining Pigs & Noodles (Greenwillow, 2000)
*Awful Ogre’s Awful Day (Greenwillow, 2001)
*If Not for the Cat: Haiku (Greenwillow, 2004)
*Read a Rhyme, Write a Rhyme (Random House, 2005)
*Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant: And Other Poems (Greenwillow, 2006)
*Good Sports; Rhymes About Running, Jumping, Throwing, and More (Knopf, 2007)
*Awful Ogre Running Wild (Greenwillow, 2008)
*Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face and Other Poems (Greenwillow, 2008)
*My Dog May Be a Genius (Greenwillow, 2008)
*The Swamps of Sleethe; Poems From Beyond the Solar System (Knopf, 2009)

THE END

Thank you, poets!

Thank you, poets, for joining in this month-long game of Poetry Tag and generously offering your poems for my readers to enjoy, then "tagging" a fellow poet who then shared her/his own poem CONNECTED to the previous poem in some way—by a theme, word, idea, tone. What fun it has been to celebrate each new poem and poet and enjoy the interesting connections between them all.

Thank you to J. Patrick Lewis, X. J. Kennedy, Avis Harley, Rebecca Dotlich, Lee Bennett Hopkins, Joan Bransfield Graham, April Halprin Wayland, Joyce Sidman, Marilyn Singer, Kristine O'Connell George, Alice Schertle, Jane Yolen, Heidi Stemple, Lesléa Newman, Marilyn Nelson, Pat Mora, Naomi Shihab Nye, Carrie Fountain, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Matthea Harvey, Helen Frost, Georgia Ella Lyon, Marie Bradby, Nikki Grimes, Tracie Vaughn Zimmer, Janet Wong, Betsy Franco, Bobbi Katz, Douglas Florian, and Jack Prelutsky.

What a lovely community of poets, what a wonderful way to enjoy each day of National Poetry Month.


Thank you, readers, too, for joining in, for commenting, and for your year-long support of a blog focused exclusively on poetry for young people. I hope you’ll take this idea of playing “Poetry Tag” into your schools, classrooms, libraries, work and play places, and challenge your kids and colleagues to find, share, and link poems all year long! Now, YOU’RE IT!


Posting (not poem) by Sylvia M. Vardell © 2010. All rights reserved.

Image credits: tagyoureitonline.com;captainstlucifer.wordpress.com/2007/08;schoollibraryjournal;gasolinealleyantiques

Poetry Tag: Douglas Florian is IT

Did you see Bobbi Katz’s poem, “Medusa” yesterday? Now she has tagged Douglas Florian who offers this brand new original poem “that's connected to the previous monstrous one.” Here’s one to relish!




My Monster
By Douglas Florian

My monster lurks beneath the bed
It's got green teeth, a purple head
A long spiked tail,
And claws to gore:
I told my monster
Sweep the floor!


Copyright 2010 by Douglas Florian used by permission of the author, who controls all rights.

Five fun facts about Douglas Florian
*he was born in New York
*he worked as a political illustrator and cartoonist
*he has his own blog, FlorianCafe
*he is a well-known painter and artist
*he uses many different media in his illustrations including rubber stamps and brown paper bags
[Based on Poetry People; A Practical Guide to Children’s Poets]

Look for these selected poetry books by Florian:
Bing Bang Boing (Harcourt 1994) and Laugheteria (Harcourt 1999)

These animal-themed collections:
Beast Feast (Harcourt 1994)
On the Wing (Harcourt 1996)
In the Swim (Harcourt 1997)
Insectlopedia (Harcourt 1998)
Mammalabilia (Harcourt 2000)
Lizards, Frogs, and Polliwogs (Harcourt 2001)
Bow Wow Meow Meow (Harcourt 2003)
Omnibeasts (Harcourt 2004)
Zoo’s Who (Harcourt 2005)
Dinothesaurus (Simon & Schuster, 2009)

These “seasonal” poetry collections:
Winter Eyes (Greenwillow, 1999)
Summersaults (Greenwillow, 2002)
Autumnblings (Greenwillow, 2003)
Handsprings (Greenwillow, 2006)

Plus, these new picture book poetry collections:
Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars (Harcourt, 2007)
Poetrees (Simon & Schuster, 2010)



Next up: Jack Prelutsky



Posting (not poem) by Sylvia M. Vardell © 2010. All rights reserved.

Image credits: tagyoureitonline.com;captainstlucifer.wordpress.com/2007/08;wildrosereader;macmcrae.com

Poetry Tag: Bobbi Katz is IT

Yesterday, Betsy Franco shared a myth-based poem for teens. Today, she tags Bobbi Katz who asks, “Is it okay for me to use a poem from the THE MONSTEROLOGIST: A MEMOIR IN RHYME such as 'Medusa?' That relates to Betsy's Greek mythology theme.” Here’s an extra treat for all of you Percy Jackson, Lightning Thief, and “Clash of the Titans” fans-- Bobbi Katz’s clever poem, “Medusa.”




Medusa
By Bobbi Katz








Just one look at Medusa
Could turn you to stone.
When she says, "Let's talk."
Play it safe. Use the phone.
She's a very vain monster,
But she'll never say,
"I'm having a terrible bad hair day.
"
What's the complaint that Medusa makes?
"I can't do a thing
with this head full of snakes!"

Copyright 2010 by Bobbi Katz, The Monsterologist: a Memoir in Rhyme, used by permission of the author, who controls all rights.

Five fun facts about Bobbi Katz
*she was born in New York
*her first job was as a freelance writer and editor of Middle Eastern affairs
*she has also worked as a social worker, an art historian, a fashion editor, and a radio talk host
*she is also a peace and environmental activist
*she has also authored professional books such as Partner Poems for Building Fluency (Scholastic, 2006)
[Based on Poetry People; A Practical Guide to Children’s Poets]

Look for these selected poetry books by Katz:
*Puddle-wonderful: Poems to Welcome Spring (Random House, 1992)
*We the People: Poems (Greenwillow, 2000)
*A Rumpus of Rhymes: A Book of Noisy Poems (Dutton, 2001)
*Pocket Poems (Dutton, 2004)
*Once Around the Sun (Harcourt, 2006)
*Trailblazers; Poems of Exploration (Greenwillow, 2007)
*More Pocket Poems (Dutton, 2009)



Next up: Douglas Florian



Posting (not poem) by Sylvia M. Vardell © 2010. All rights reserved.


Image credits: tagyoureitonline.com;captainstlucifer.wordpress.com/2007/08;wildrosereader;lunchat1130