Friday, February 6, 2009

Poetry Friday

Stressed out? Read this while I raid the candy jar (it's filled with Dove dark chocolates -- an unintentional pun.)

Chocolate
Velvet fruit, exquisite square
I hold up to sniff
between finger and thumb
how you numb me
with your rich attentions!
If I don't eat you quickly,
you'll melt in my palm.
Read the rest of the poem here. If that's not enough to satisfy your craving, pick up Arnold Adoff's Chocolate Dreams: Poems. Great fun for kids & adults with a sweet tooth.
I started a new poetry residency this week, working with fourth graders at Harford Hills Elementary in Parkville, MD. Having a wonderful, but the schedule has me taking off from the bus stop in the morning and returning home 20 minutes before my middle schooler in the afternoon. Barely enough time for a cup of tea and a few of those "exquisite squares" of "velvet fruit."
My students and I were working on food poems today. Sandra Cisneros' "Good Hotdogs" is the model. I've posted the lesson -- on writing with imagery -- recently. But hot dogs aren't my thing. When it comes to coping with stress, there's only one food for me.
There's more delicious poetry at Wild Rose Reader. Elaine is hosting Poetry Friday today.
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9 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 6, 2009 at 10:54 AM

    Oh, this is wonderful! Velvet fruit -- what an apt description!

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  2. Andromeda JazmonFebruary 6, 2009 at 11:36 AM

    Don't remember reading this before but I love this:

    "Knotted smoke, dark punch
    of earth and night and leaf, "

    I just happen to be eating Scharffen Berger Bittersweet Fine Artisan Dark Chocolate squares while reading today's poetry. Heaven!

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  3. Author AmokFebruary 6, 2009 at 11:37 AM

    I know it! Didn't think anything could make me love chocolate more, but this poem is so sensory & delicious. Yum.

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  4. tanita✿davisFebruary 6, 2009 at 1:17 PM

    Oh, hey -- this is some sensual stuff. If we'd let it, it would liquefy everywhere! Ooh.

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  5. jamaFebruary 6, 2009 at 2:14 PM

    Oh yes, I'm willing to crumble to ruin anytime. Liquefy me!!

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  6. Kelly PolarkFebruary 6, 2009 at 2:31 PM

    Oh, I like that! I'll have to check out the Chocolate Dreams book as well.

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  7. Author AmokFebruary 6, 2009 at 4:27 PM

    Jane Yolen also has a wonderful chocolate poem. It's in the "Food Fight" anthology edited by Michael J. Rosen (out of print, but worth getting hold of).

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  8. Denée Barr Art News and MoreFebruary 6, 2009 at 5:51 PM

    Yummy poetry!

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  9. AnonymousApril 10, 2009 at 7:25 PM

    You work at Harford Hills now?
    No way!
    I used to go there when I was little.
    That was a long time ago though.
    I hope you like it as much as I did.
    I know it's changed a lot.

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