Shhh….Surprise Party Here!

I’m touched. You’ve gathered from near and far to surprise me on my birthday. You’ve brought balloons and cake, hats and streamers. You’re hiding in closets, ready to jump out and sing!

What’s that? This isn’t a party for moi? You’re here for the Progressive Poem? You don’t think there’s a cake large enough to hold that many candles anyway? Well fine, let’s just celebrate with poetry.2016 Kidlit Progressive Poem

This year’s Progressive Poem, organized by the brilliant and talented Irene Latham, started in the sky, imagined life undersea, and then returned to land. When I noticed that the third lines of the first two stanzas wished for non-human talents that allowed these imaginary trips, I thought I could continue that pattern. Or not. Maybe I should stick with rules-of-three, and prepare to turn in a different direction (and of course someone can return to this pattern because even though IT IS my birthday as I might have already mentioned, I only get one line at this party.) For now I’ll let us stay on land and savor what’s around us. Let’s ignore the recent snow and ice pellets and celebrate spring.

A squall of hawk wings stirs the sky
A hummingbird holds and then hies
If I could fly, I’d choose to be
Sailing through a forest of poet-trees

A cast of crabs engraves the sand
Delighting a child’s outstretched hand
If I could breathe under the sea
I’d dive, I’d dip, I’d dance with glee

A clump of crocuses crave the sun.
Kites soar while joyful dogs run
I sing to spring, to budding green

Clearly what this poem needs now is some spleen–take it away, Michelle! Want to follow along for the rest of the month? Here’s where the poem has been and where it will travel:

1 Laura at Writing the World for Kids

2 Joy at Joy Acey

3 Doraine at Dori Reads

4 Diane at Random Noodling

5 Penny at A Penny and Her Jots

6 Carol at Beyond LiteracyLink

7 Liz at Elizabeth Steinglass

8 Janet F. at Live Your Poem

9 Margaret at Reflections on the Teche

10 Pat at Writer on a Horse

11 Buffy at Buffy’s Blog

12 Michelle at Today’s Little Ditty

13 Linda at TeacherDance

14 Jone at Deo Writer

15 Matt at Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme

16 Violet at Violet Nesdoly

17 Kim at Flukeprints

18 Irene at Live Your Poem

19 Charles at Charles Waters Poetry

20 Ruth at There is No Such Thing as a Godforsaken Town

21 Jan at Bookseedstudio

22 Robyn at Life on the Deckle Edge

23 Ramona at Pleasures from the Page

24 Amy at The Poem Farm

25 Mark at Jackett Writes

26 Renee at No Water River

27 Mary Lee at Poetrepository

28 Heidi at My Juicy Little Universe

29 Sheila at Sheila Renfro

30 Donna at Mainely Write

21 thoughts on “Shhh….Surprise Party Here!

  1. Hi, Buffy–

    I’m so dang behind this year, but I believe that as we get older our birthdays SHOULD last longer, so without shame I’ll wish you many happy returns of the month, and thank you for balancing out this stanza with more “I” and lovely lyricism. I liked the repeated “If ” in the 3rd line of each stanza so far, but this works very well too!

  2. Happy Birthday! I’m happy to have so many forums to say it! And I’m glad you scheduled a party to celebrate. I love the line you added. It is definitely time to celebrate spring, even if we do have ignore what’s happening outside. When I read your line, my first thought was, me too!

  3. Happy Birthday, Buffy. It’s a lovely way to begin your celebration with a beautiful line for the poem, and all of us! Hope the day fills with singing just for you! Wonderful to add in a bit of sound.

  4. Happy Birthday, Buffy! Streamers and balloons and all the best poems for you, my dear! Thank you for this lovely spring green line… I love the singing. Brava! xo

  5. Happy Birthday, Buffy! Love your line. Of course with “budding green” you’re forever young, though 29 never looked so good. 🙂 Eat some cake for me.

  6. Oh yes, we are singing to spring and all other festivities of the earth, but also to Buffy on her birthday. A happy day indeed for celebration you and poetry! Yay! I love your sweet line. Where to now????Hmmm. Can’t wait to see.

  7. Happy Birthday, Buffy! And thanks for your gift of a beautiful line to work with!. How does that work anyway… it’s your birthday and we get the singing and the present??? Love that “budding green.” 🙂 I promise to be careful with it. No spleen.

    1. What, no spleen?? That’d be perfect! Then again, there are plenty of other possibilities…caffeine, wax bean, Dramamine, polypropylene…the possibilities are near-endless!

      Buffy, I do love your line…very musical and spring-like!

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