Whimsical Poetry

This month we are talking about "whimsy." 

I am a big fan of whimsy! As a poet, I've found poetry and whimsy to often be one and the same.

Poetry is meant to delight. And of all the book experiences I've had so far, none delighted me more than creating THIS POEM IS A NEST (WordSong, words by Irene Latham, illus, by Johanna Wright). 

It's a collection of one big "Nest" poem (about a robin's nest across seasons) and 161 "nestling" poems found inside "Nest." So it's basically an exploration of how to have fun creating "found" poems.

I smile every time I think about this book. And when I read the poems, it just reminds me of all the reasons I write in the first place: JOY, DISCOVERY, MEANING... I love this little book!

NEST released in 2020—a year that unfortunately swallowed up a lot of books. It garnered several starred reviews (Booklist, Kirkus, School Library Journal), for which I continue to be most grateful. And then it kind of...disappeared.

So today I thought it would be fun to resurrect the NEST and share a bit of the whimsy found inside. If you like what you see, would you please share the book with others? Together we can spread whimsy around the world! (Whew. We sure do need it.)

Thank you so much for reading!

from the section called "Color My World"

RED

autumn leaves

puddle

beneath roof 

of sky

from the section "Poems About Wild Animals"

HERD OF ALPACA IN THE RAIN

snug in their

fuzzy coats,

they wait

for another 

sky

from the section "Emotions"

WHAT HOPE IS

a cup

of stars

from the section "Poems for Fun and Fulfillment"

WATCHING A SUNSET

blue

becomes

butter

from the section "Definition Poems"

A DEFINITION OF MAYBE

hinge between

wild

and safe

from the section "Ars Poetica"

WHERE YOU'LL FIND ME ON A FLYAWAY DAY

in

oak branches

where words

and art

anchor me

WHILE YOU SLEEP

moon 

stocks poems

with dreams

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Here are some additional resources for you to enjoy:

Nestling poems from teachers on EthicalELA! Peek Inside... THIS POEM IS A NEST video This Poem is a Nest Calendar Poems printable Poster Make your own NEST zine! How to Find Nestlings handout Printable Poems for Creating Found Poetry