THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY

THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY
April 12, 2016

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Poetry Friday: Poetry Postcard 29


Greetings, poets and postcards lovers. It's Poetry Friday. Today, Linda Baie is hosting the blog roll at Teacher Dance. Linda has been a huge supporter of my poetry postcard project, even donating the lovely vintage Valentine postcard you see at the top of this post.
Not my Valentine. But he is here for a reason. Read on.
I have a new postcard poem today (#29 in the 44 Postcard Project) and a craft!

I am taking a poetry road trip this weekend, but not with a Yeti.

Last March, three poets from North Carolina visited us here in Maryland. We had readings, a workshop, and one fabulous meal at a Greek restaurant. (You can the NC poets' work on my blog: Richard Krawiec, Debra Kaufman and Stephanie Levin.)

Now, it's our turn to travel south. Poet Fred Foote and fiction authors Danuta Hinc and Jen Grow -- all Little Patuxent Review staffers -- are joining me in the mommy van known to my kids as The Mars Rover.

We leave around lunchtime, so please forgive any delays posting your comments. We'll be leading some workshops and an evening reading (details here). If you're near Cary, NC on Saturday, I hope you'll drop by.

We'll be stopping for at least one meal along the way, I  hope it's not here:

Bit of Sweden, 9051 Sunset Blvd.
Hollywood, Cal.

"The World's Most Unique Restaurant"
World's most unique restaurant,  you say? I can only guess what's on the menu.

The World’s Most Unique Restaurant

Starters
Fingernails of white lipped snails
baked in their tangy goo.
Underwater salad dressed
with phytoplankton stew.

Main Course
Fractal cauliflower over
gojiberry mash.
Yeti-hair spaghetti with
green pollen – just a dash.

            Desserts
Rubber bark and lemon shark,
our chef’s signature pie.
Layer cake with scale of snake
frosted with phorid fly.

            From the Owner
Come brave our culinary treats,
from gorsebush wine to pickled meats!
We are unique down to our seats.
It is our joy to serve you.

Laura Shovan

Did you spot the Yeti?

Imagining what is served at the world's most unique restaurant was too delicious a challenge to turn down.

Try the prompt with your students. What do they think might be served at the world's most unique restaurant? I promise, they will never forget the definition of "unique" after trying this prompt.

On to the craft. What to do with all of those Valentine cards you received yesterday? After a grace period -- we don't want to break any loving hearts -- we can make postcards from them.

This is a great project for recyclers. Take an old card,

Here's an interesting card I've been saving.
I can always save the note inside.
 cut off the front, the part with the picture.
Now I have two pieces.
Use a postcard you already have to help you trim the front of the card to postcard size.

I used a standard postcard as a guide.
Voila! Postcard. Add it to your collection or send to a friend. Remember, postcards stamps just went up to thirty-three cents.

Poetry Postcard #29 Information:

Back:
Bit of Sweden
9051 Sunset Blvd.
Hollywood, Cal.
Phone: Bradshaw 2-2800
The World’s Most Unique Restaurant Featuring the largest Smorgasboard, fine foods and liqueurs.

A “Colourpicture” Publication, Boston 15, Mass., L.S. Office 2143 So. Alsace

21 comments:

Matt Forrest Esenwine said...

I get the feeling I'd rather not see the wine list. ;) Fun poem - and probably fun to write, too!

Author Amok said...

I probably broke Google looking for unusual vegetables, Matt. Don't tell anyone. There really is a green cauliflower that resembles fractal swirls.

Linda B said...

Someone just posted a strange kind of vegetable on Facebook that reminded us all of a fractal, & there is your own fractal veggie! Amazing the connections in the world. I love the idea of your poem & the inspiration from that one line-very cool to do, Laura. You are posted!

Tabatha said...

I've bought that green cauliflower before. (It was too odd to resist.) I love your poem and the name of your mommy van :-) Thanks for encouraging us to repurpose our special cards. Good idea. Have a great trip!

Author Amok said...

Thanks for posting my link, Linda. Enjoy your school expo. Any fractal projects?

Author Amok said...

Tabatha, I'm glad someone else shares my love of odd produce. Julia is a fan of exotic fruits. We love buying and trying "new" things.

Margaret Simon said...

One of my students has recently gotten very interested in the Yeti so we did a project to build the Yeti. He stands tall and big outside our classroom. I'll share your poem and activity with my students. They enjoy a unique challenge.

Donna Smith said...

Go here for some fractal fun! I had a blast with the interactive fractal tree there: http://fractalfoundation.org/resources/what-are-fractals/
Cute poem that would get students involved in lots of vocabulary hunting! Wouldn't it be fun to post it with links students found that pictured or defined words. A whole week's worth of lessons crammed into one poem!

iza said...

Oh I LOVE this. "Yet-hair spaghetti" Haha!

Tara @ A Teaching Life said...

That was fun to read and to visualize, Laura. Safe trip today in the Mommy Van ( I have one of those, too, the Hippie-mobile ,on account of all the progressive bumper stickers!)...which I lived on your route!

Liz Steinglass said...

My favorites were the yeti-hair spaghetti and the phytoplankton stew. This would be a very fun writing prompt. I would also want to see the illustrations.

Diane Mayr said...

We are unique down to our seats.

You sure are! Have a great time in NC.

GatheringBooks said...

This is just plain brilliant and so much fun! I love the poetry prompts too, Laura. Too beautiful. I have a special affinity with postcards - reminds me of the Griffin and Sabine trilogy - are you familiar with that series? :)

Jone said...

What a great idea. I have a poetry postcard project for April where student poems are sent around the world.

Bridget Magee said...

Fun post! I love the dessert selection:
"Layer cake with scale of snake
frosted with phorid fly"
Yum?
Thanks for the prompt and craft ideas! Safe travels to NC. =)

jama said...

Okay, this is hands down my fave poem of your project so far.

Such a menu! And I love the Yeti hair spaghetti. Still shuddering over the layer cake with scale of snake. Reminds me of Macbeth's witches. . .

Author Amok said...

Jama, how did I know you would enjoy this post? Personally, I think snake scales would make a pretty cake. And perhaps a safer (for me) snake.

Unknown said...

You had me at "pickled meats." Just those two words made me start to drool.

Ruth said...

Yeah, "unique" isn't necessarily what we look for in a restaurant! :-) Thanks for this one!

Author Amok said...

I would love to see your class yeti. He must make a great mascot. Does he eat spaghetti?

Mary Lee said...

YUM!!!

(not)