Thank you, Poetry Friday friends for helping me celebrate the launch of my new book On a Snow-Melting Day this month! Many of you wrote reviews and shared blog posts, which I greatly appreciated. Thanks to Molly, Margaret, Carol, Linda, Mary Lee and Jama–click on their names if you’d like to read their posts. And many other Poetry Friday friends posted reviews on GoodReads.
Some non-Poetry Friday folks also shared reviews. Raven and Maria interviewed me and wrote lovely posts. Some blog posts offered ideas for using On a Snow-Melting Day in the classroom: Two Writing Teachers, Archimedes Notebook, and LitLinks.
And of course, there’s Today’s Little Ditty where Michelle has hosted a month-long celebration. I’m thankful to all who wrote a poem for the TLD challenge. It occurred to me today that I should try my own challenge. (Note to self: if there’s a next time, try the challenge out before asking anyone else to do it!)
Winter has returned this week, and the hound and I took a cold word-collecting walk to gather inspiration. I possibly got overly-hyphenated when I came inside to warm myself and write:
February Walk
Crisp-winter stomp,
hound-prancing romp
Snow-freckled trees
worn, rustling leaves
Snout-plowing trail
squirrel-chasing tale
Boot-tramping creak
ear-flapping streak
Glaciers in claws,
popsicle paws
Nosing the door
snooze-ball once more.
—©Buffy Silverman
Happy Poetry Friday! Carol has the roundup of today’s posts at The Blog With the Shockingly Clever Title.
The “snout-plowing trail” made me think of my beagle. We didn’t get any snow in Maryland this year, but Rudy has happily moved on to sniffing out spilled bird seed. Sigh.
Love your “snow-freckled trees” Buffy–and wishing you much success with your new book!
Loved following this prancing hound’s romp to the final snooze! 🙂
Thanks, Karen–and thanks for hosting Poetry Friday!
Ah, enjoying winter from afar…just the way I like it! Congratulations on the book!
Thank you, Ruth (and I can see the appeal of winter from afar!)
Buffy, I am still getting visitors to my blog about your new book. My little granddaughter loves the photographs and associates the pictures with the characters. Her best page to review is the snowman-drooping one. When she goes to that page she starts singing Frosty the Snowman. This proves that your book is picture-ready for 2 1/2-year-old little readers.
What I especially like from today’s poem:
snout-plowing trail- I think Sierra would enjoy this descriptor because she loves dogs, hiking, and learning new words.
glaciers in claws
Thanks, Carol, for your enthusiastic blog support! And I’m glad that Sierra is enjoying the book.
How wonderful a poem of appreciation can be and is…those snow freckled trees!
Thanks, Linda. I’m happy to report that as of yesterday our trees have lost their snow freckles.
Buffy: This is so cute… snooze-ball once more. Thanks for this smile-making poem!
Glad it made you smile!
Love this, Buffy! I had so intended to write a poem to your DMC challenge, and the month has just gotten away from me with school visits. Ugh. But I adore your book and love the well-deserved wonderful reception it’s received–wheeee!
Having school visits is a great reason not to write a challenge–hope they went well. Thanks for your kind words, Laura!
How wonderful, Buffy. Who could not love the exuberance of a snout-plowing trail and an ear-flapping streak? So MUCH to love in it!
Thanks, Kathryn. My ear-flapping hound is a lot of fun to watch.
We have near-sixty today & the weekend, then snow returns! I love your book, Buffy, & you are on a ‘hyphenating’ roll! Love that ‘snooze-ball/once more’!
And our snow completely disappeared in the last two days–the lake is starting to melt. Thanks for your snow-melting enthusiasm!
I am so glad you shared your prompt and it definitely added to my tool box. February Walk is so much in the present, using all the senses. Thank you, Buffy.
Glad you found the prompt helpful, Janice!
I love your poem and want to try again using it as a model/mentor. Then branch out. Can’t wait to get your book and share it with kids. I am doing a few school visits where I drag in 3 suitcases of poetry books to let kids marinate in all these wonderful books they might not see otherwise!!! So yours will be a great addition. I definitely love that snooze-ball line ’cause we can relate. Our granddog is such a gymnast but adores her naps.
Thanks, Janet–and oh those lucky kids at your school visits! I appreciate your including Snow-Melting Day!
Love those popsicle paws too — adorable. So nice to read another snow-melting poem from you this week. 🙂
I’ve been wiping those popsicle paws a lot lately, so they are on my mind. Thanks again for your wonderful post, Jama.
Love it, Buffy! Although technically unnecessary (you kind of did try out your challenge ahead of time by writing the book, didn’t you?), this bonus poem makes me smile big time. Many hand-clapping thanks to you and belly-rubbing thanks to that precious snooze-ball of yours for inspiring us at TLD all month long! May I add your poem to the wrap-up celebration?
Of course–I’d be delighted to have the hound’s romp included in your wrap up.
Oh and yes, the book. I forgot about that…
Oh, I love those “popsicle paws”! Wonderfully observant poem, Buffy. Woof! 🙂
Thanks, Renee–and a woof woof, too!