Poetry Friday: Hello Spring- Bird Edition

Hello and welcome to Poetry Friday! This week's round up is hosted by Carol's Corner blog. To welcome spring, Carol is sharing a beautiful Daffodil poem written by Ralph Fletcher. Be sure to click over to enjoy all of this week's poetry goodness.

Last week, I welcomed spring with a poem. This week is another hello to spring, but it comes courtesy of a choir of birds.

Hello Spring

by Kimberly M. Hutmacher

Chitter, chitter, chatter

Cheep, cheep, cheep

Tweet, tweet, twitter

Beep, beep, beep

Cackle, cackle, caw

Coo, coo, coo

Gobble, gobble, hum

Cock-a-doodle-doo

Hello, hello, welcome

Spring, spring, spring

Chirpy, chirpy, chipper

Songbirds sing

Copyright 2019

The 2019 Progressive Poem starts Monday, April 1st with Matt Forrest Esenwine's Radio, Rhythm, and Rhyme blog. I will be adding to the poem on Wednesday, April 3rd. The full schedule is linked in my sidebar. I started participating in Poetry Friday almost two years ago. I sat out the Progressive Poem last year, and just watched with admiration from a distance. I'm both excited and a little nervous to be participating for the first time, but I think it will be fun!

Happy Almost National Poetry Month!

Poetry Friday: Hello Spring!

Welcome to Poetry Friday. This week's round up is hosted by Sloth Reads blog. Be sure to click over once you've finished up here to enjoy all of this week's poetry goodness. I missed the challenge posted for "Goof Off" poems, but I did write a little something to welcome spring.

Hello Spring!
by Kimberly M. Hutmacher

Hello new day
Hello spring
Hello new life
Fledglings sing!

Hello raindrops
Soaking ground
Hello green grass
Newly found.

Hello trees
bursting with buds
Hello worms
emerging from mud.

Hello tulips
dotted with blooms
Hello spring cleaning
Hello brooms.

Hello springtime
Hello dreams
Hello sunshine's 
hopeful beams.

Copyright 2019

Poetry Friday: Climate Change

Welcome to Poetry Friday! This week's round up is hosted by Heidi at My Juicy Little Universe blog. Today, teens around the world are spearheading a School Strike for Climate. In support of these young leaders, Heidi asked that our Poetry Friday theme this week be centered around climate change.
Though I know the causes of climate change are many and the problem seems bigger than us, we all have a small part to play that ultimately could make a difference.

Climate: DIRE
by Kimberly M. Hutmacher

Year after year
New records are made.
We have a problem,
Some can't be swayed.

Bitter cold temps,
Mountains of snow,
Monsoon rains,
Mighty winds blow.

Melting glaciers,
Wild fire,
Blistering heat,
Warning: DIRE!

Polluted oceans,
Deadly disease,
Species extinction,
Where are the bees?

Climate change
It's not FAKE NEWS!
Please REDUCE,
RECYCLE, REUSE.

Get involved.
Call your rep.
Join the fight.
Take a step.

Copyright 2019

I'll end this post with some book suggestions on this topic to use in the classroom. There are so many great titles available. It was hard to choose, but here are a few:

The Lonely Polar Bear Written and Illustrated by Khoa Le 

What Is Climate Change? Written By Gail Herman and Illustrated by John Hinderliter

Poetry Friday: Remarkably You by Pat Zietlow Miller

Welcome to Poetry Friday! This week's round up is hosted by Reading To The Core Blog. The optional theme for this week's round up is International Women's Day. 

I've been purchasing books for Aria's Easter basket, and one of those books was Remarkably You (Harper, 2019) written by Pat Zietlow Miller and Illustrated by Patrice Barton. This rhyming picture book is a celebration of individuality. It's also a call to use the gifts we've been given: 

No matter your volume, your age, or your size,
YOU have the power to be a surprise.
You have the know-how.
You're savvy and smart.
You could change the world.
Are you willing to start?

I absolutely adore the theme of this book, and I decided to use it as a mentor text for a poem dedicated to Aria.

Remarkably Aria
by Kimberly M. Hutmacher

That twinkle in your eye
Your sly mischievous giggle
The way you happy dance-
skip, stomp, twirl, and wiggle.

The toddle of your walk
Your super unstoppable run
The way you bunny hop hop
You make life so much fun!

Your willingness to help
every chance you get
Your gentleness and sweetness
with each and every pet.

The firmness of your no!
The confidence of your yes!
The diligence in your play
It's hard work- not a mess!

The way you greet new friends
with a wave and a little, "Hi!"
Welcoming each new face
Not even one bit shy.

The clever things you think and say
The amazing things you do
Perfectly meshed together
To make you remarkably you!

Copyright 2019

On this International Women's Day and just shy of Aria's 2nd birthday, I want Aria to always know what an incredible gift she is to us and to the world.

Miller ends her book with these two stanzas, and I think they are the perfect way to end this post:

So whether you're daring or careful or kind,
embrace who you are and the way you're designed.
Dream your own dreams.
Hear your own heart.
You could change the world.
You just have to start.

Follow your path.
Do what you love to do.
Be completely,
uniquely,
remarkably
YOU.