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Of course you know it’s Poetry Month
but do you know that
the wonderful and
mouth-wateringly
delicious Jama Rattigan
has herded poet bloggers
in the Kidlitosphere onto
her site  this month?

Thank you, Jama!

 

(And check out my group blog,
TeachingAuthors.com!
Every Friday when we talk
poetry, poetry, poetry!)

 

I write a poem each day; during Poetry Month 2015 I’m sharing *PPPs 
Welcome to Poetry Month 2015!

Eli and I will be feeding you one PPP per day for Poetry Month this year.  What is a PPP, you ask?  A *Previously Published Poem.  I have so many poems in so many anthologies, books and magazines, Eli thought I should snap a leash on one each day this month and give it a walk around the block.  So that’s what we’re doing this year.  Enjoy!

(once you click on the title of the poem to the right,
the post shows up below ↓ )

Eli thinking deep, poetic thoughts…

April 28

I AM STANDING


My best friend, author and poet Bruce Balan and his wife sail around the world in their trimaran. Bruce and I email an original poem to each other every day.

This joint poem was published in A KICK IN THE HEAD selected by Paul B. Janeczko (Candlewick Press 2009)

(The internet can play havoc with the alignment of a poem.  In order to align this poem properly, I am separating the words with dots.  In the book, there is simply blank space.)

I AM STANDING – Girl on Land, Boy at Sea
by April Halprin Wayland and Bruce Balan

Girl on Land…………………….Boy at Sea
I am standing…………………….I am standing
feet apart……………………………feet apart
hands on hips……………………..hands on hips
bare feet……………………………..bare feet

in damp grass
………………………………………….on wood deck

rooted, rooted

to the earth………………………moving, moving
…………………………………………with the waves

I am………………………………….I am
climbing
…………………………………………climbing

up this……………………………….up this
tree

…………………………………………mast

swaying
…………………………………………swaying

with the wind……………………..with the wind
to and fro
…………………………………………..to and fro

sparrows, jays, crows,
…………………………………………..pelicans, gulls, terns,

and blossoms all around
……………………………………………and white caps all around

climbing
……………………………………………..climbing

up this tree
………………………………………………up this mast

in our yard
………………………………………………on our boat

in this town
……………………………………………….in this sea

in my world………………………………in my world.

published in A KICK IN THE HEAD selected by Paul B. Janeczko (Candlewick Press 2009)

from MorgueFile.com

from MorgueFile.com

photo (c) Alene D. Rice ~ all rights reserved

photo (c) Alene D. Rice ~ all rights reserved


poem © 2015 April Halprin Wayland. All rights reserved

One Response to “I AM STANDING”

  1. Jan Annino says:

    I remember checking out this title from the Library to read with BookPALS.

    Here in Florida irritating insectss can be nearly a daily event (as much as I don’t bug most bugs) so bug poems are good to share. And this unique voice of FIRE ANTS is a real stinger. Brava!

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