Wyatt asks Norman "How's About a New Story?"
Ready to read Norman’s answer? Scroll down . . .
Glug
Glug
Glug . . .
But first a finny!
Q: What does a parrot fish say?
Q: What does a parrot fish say?
A: Polly wants an oyster cracker!
Do you have a question for Norman the Goldfish- about friends, school, pets, family, life in and outside the fishbowl? Send him a letter!
Don’t forget to order your copy of NOT NORMAN: A GOLDFISH STORY and NORMAN: ONE AMAZING GOLDFISH!!
Poetry Challenge #273-Akiko Yosano
There are days when I do not want to write a poem—because I don’t want to do the thinking that goes into choosing a topic or form or emotion or or or…Those days Haiku is our default. Haiku is one of the first poetry forms students learn because it’s short: 3 lines, rules are specific: 17 syllables 5-7-5, and the topic preset: nature. Even better, as Cindy taught me: singing the beginning of Moonlight in Vermont sets the Haiku rhythm.
Before Haiku there was the Tanka. A tanka is a 5-line 31-sylable poem that is actually 2 poems. The first being a complete haiku—in which the “nature” is often more human based. The second poem portion of a tanka is a response or reflection on the first.
“snow and stars shine on her disheveled hair; ginkgo leaves scatter in the sunset; the nightingale sleeps with doubled-up jeweled claws.””
Tanka are more nuanced in ways that are unique to Japanese and difficult to discuss in English terms, for that reason, many of those published in English are translations from Japanese, especially the works of Akiko Yosano whose tanka incorporate vivid, sensual images and frank freshness that were startling—for their time, and especially coming from a woman—and still surprising and evocative today.
Akiko Yosano, born on Dec. 7, 1878, is the pen name of this Japanese author, poet, pioneering feminist, pacifist, and social reformer. Her real name was Yosano Shiyo, “Ho Sho.” Akiko began writing poetry in high school and published her first volume of poetry in her early 20s, entitled Midaregami (Tangled Hair), the collection included 400 tanka poems. Before her death in 1942, Akiko published about 20 volumes of Tanka. Here are translations of a few of her poems:
Poetry Challenge #273
Tanka Like Akiko
In honor of Akiko Yosano, let’s try our pens at creating a tanka with a theme of love, passion, life.
Tanka are five-lines long with a set number of syllables in each line: 5-7-5-7-7. They consist of 2 parts that are actually more like two separate poems. The first poem is a 3-lines of 17 syllables, with 5 syllables in the 1st line, 7 in the second and 5 in the third. The 2nd poem has two 7 syllable lines.
Begin by creating the first poem incorporating nature to create a metaphor or simile to describe a human or human trait.
The last 2 line poem respond to/reflect upon the first part.
Once the two poems are created, complete the poem by rework the 3rd line of the haiku to include engo (en-goh): words act as a binder between the upper and lower poem to help connect the two parts and complete the tanka.
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, Tanka!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2400+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
Fin Pal asks Norman "Do you sleep at night?"
Xujan-Mei’s underwater watercolor is fintastic! And look! He drew himself inside the diving suit!
All the cool blue makes it sort of hard to read the questions, so they are:
Do you sleep at night time?
In the world, what is your favorite color?
What do you think? Do goldfish sleep?
Ready to read Norman’s answer? Scroll down . . .
Glug
Glug
Glug . . .
But first a finny!
Q: Where do goldfish sleep at night?
A: Where do goldfish sleep at night?
Q: In riverbeds
Want to learn more cool facts about goldfish sleeping? Click over to AquariumGenius.
Do you have a question for Norman the Goldfish- about friends, school, pets, family, life in and outside the fishbowl? Send him a letter!
Don’t forget to order your copy of NOT NORMAN: A GOLDFISH STORY and NORMAN: ONE AMAZING GOLDFISH!!
Poetry Challenge #272-John McRae's Legacy
“In Flanders fields the poppies blow…”
The red poppy is the symbol of remembrance worn to honor fallen soldiers because of a poem written by John McCrae, a Canadian doctor and poet born on November 30, 1872.
During World War 1, McCrae served as brigade-surgeon to the First Brigade of the Canadian Field Artillery which, in April 1915, was involved in the Second Battle of Ypres, a horrifically bloody fight during which about 87,000 people lost their lives.
The following day, McCrae noticed the wild poppies blooming in the fields of makeshift graves and was moved to write the poem “In Flanders Field,” written from the point of view of the fallen soldiers.
The poem, published in Punch Magazine, that Dec 1915, was hugely popular and very soon therein, the red poppy was adopted as the memorial flower.
Poetry Challenge #272
Leave Taking
Imagine someone is leaving.
Write a poem from that person’s point of view. In the poem, discuss what might happen after they are gone.
Focus on one specific thing they will miss about the place. Or perhaps that will not be missed.
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just write It!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
What Inspires Me? Museum of Broadway
There are museums for everything, right? Art museums, Sports museums, Train museums, Firefighter museums, Sex, Toy and Torture museums (different buildings in different cities). And yes, there is even the Museum of Everything. But… not quite everything!
Finally the museum that will have Broadway Theatre loves knocking their foreheads saying “Duh! It’s about time!” is live!
The Museum of Broadway opened officially November 15, 2022.
I was so lucky to get a sneak peek of the Museum a few days before its official opening.
One word: WOW!
The costumes, the scenery, the makeup, the props…There is No Business Like Show Business (Sing it Nathan!)
Museum of Broadway has got some of everything that makes Broadway, Broadway Baby!
I predict it will be SOL soon.
Hint: Book you’re Museum of Broadway tickets at the same time you’re book your Broadway Show tickets. That’s a must!
What my hungry writer’s heart found most inspiring were the words.
Handwritten Lyrics from Chorus Line with “picture of someone” scribbled out and “picture of a person I don’t know” written below it.
Richard Rogers word list—surrey, curry, flurry—scribbled for Surry with the Fringe on Top.
Hmmm... what do you think sounds better: “Ducks and chicks and geese make tasty curry? or better scurry?”
And more words!
Artist Rachel Marks’ revisioning of the entire Showboat score into art.
Museum of Broadway. Inspiring! Don’t take my word for it!
The website has a sneak preview video—I tried to post it but couldn’t embed, so click over and watch: Museum of Broadway: About (themuseumofbroadway.com)
What Inspires Me? Plungers, Hooves & Boobies
Creativity is a quagmire of contradictions: “Follow the rules” “Learn the rules, then break them” “Make your own rules” “Rules are meant to be broken” “You didn’t follow the rules” “Been there done that”…
This is especially true of the picture book publishing world in which the two-dimensionality of paper/binding, materials used, production and printing costs are hard and fast. Working within these physical constraints are part of what makes creating picture books challenging and exciting.
Many other “rules” about picture books, however, especially those pertaining to subject matter, have absolutely nothing to do with physical limitation. Rather these rules are set by gatekeepers “protecting” tender young eyes and minds. Really?
At times like these, with books being banned right and left for various reasons, it is a surer bet to stick to safe subjects. This “play it safe” trap is one (I am not proud to say) I often fall into when choosing which story ideas to pursue. Safe is predictable. Safe is easier. Safe is also, often, bor-ring.
I’m good with safe. Or was until a cluster of picture books challenging the good ole safe kittens-bunnies-sunshine-lollipops-happy-ever-after picture book “norm” knock me right out of my comfy, safe nest. Picture Books like these on Travis Jonkers’ “The Most Astonishingly Unconventional Books of 2022” list. Picture books with daring, exciting, surprising ideas and characters—and creators— that delight and remind me.
Interior of Sam Winston’s A Dictionary Story
Here’s a sampling of books from Jonkers’ Astonishing List:
One and Everything by Sam Winston about a story—the best, most important story ever—that called itself “The One” and started eating all the other stories—stories made of seas and full of dogs and . . .
Sanm Winston, other picture books include A Child of Books with Oliver Jeffers and A Dictionary Story which he self-published with proceeds from a Kickstarter campaign, about a dictionary that brings her words to life. Here’s the video of Sam explaining the A Dictionary Story project—fascinating!
I Want to Be a Vase by Julio Torres, about a plunger who would rather be a vase which gets all the household objects thinking about what they’d rather be. Here’s the read-aloud.
Torres calls the book “a Coffee Table Book for Kids.” it’s so hot, so trendy Seth Myers featured Torres and “Vase” on Late Night.
Hooves or Hands? by Rosie Haine. A concept book Jonkers’ calls, “a surreal and playful exploration of our relationship with horses.” Which would you rather have? Hooves or hands? Four legs or two? Eat food or hay? Say yay or neigh? Rosie Haine, who’s PB debut It isn’t Rude to be Nude is likewise smart, thought-provoking and fun.
Boobies by Nancy Vo. A book all about Boobies—yes those Boobies! Blue-footed Booby, who does not have any boobies at all, since only mammals have boobies wants them. Thus launches an exploration of boobies, who has them why, where milk comes from—boobies and plants too! Vo makes taboo titty talk fun and fine!
As has been the case so often in the past—and forevermore—Boobies will stop my ramble. Have no fear, these books and more are on Travis Jonker’s “The Most Astonishingly Unconventional Books of 2022” Bookstop list! When you finish here, click over to read about the rest. And. . . Commercial: If you decide to buy online, try Bookstop.org first as the proceeds go to support Indie Bookstores.
Along with making me laugh and wonder, these mind-expanding, possibility packed picture books reminded me that “No” and “No one will ever” and “No way can I” are lies we tell ourselves so we won’t have to dare.
Thumb your nose at the rules, push the conventional boundaries and DARE! If we do “go there” and do IT well, they absolutely will come along for the ride! Now that’s inspiring!
Poetry Challenge #271-As Defined By...poet Gayl Jones
This time, because it’s her birthday and we can, let’s celebrate the write, poet, activist whom author Calvin Baker called "The Best American Novelist Whose Name You May Not Know.”
Happy Birthday Gayl Jones!
Gayl Jones has always known who she is and where she’s from. By seven, she was writing her own stories…or maybe channeling is a better word for it. At 26 Jones first novel, Corregidora was published. In a 2015 interview Toni Morrison told the NY Times “… no novel about any black woman could ever be the same after this.”
Jones was born Nov 23, 1949, in Lexington, Kentucky. Her father Franklin worked as a cook, and her mother Lucille was a homemaker, storyteller, and writer who wanted more for her daughter, granddaughter, great granddaughter of storytellers. So, DNA! Jones’ style of writing, it’s said, “had to have been influenced by the stories her mother and grandmother told her.”
Voted, one of AALBC.com’s 50 Favorite Authors of the 20th Century & 2022 National Book Award Finalist for The Birdcatcher, Jones is also a poet with several published collections including Song of Anninho. Her AALBC write-up states that Jones tells “…a painful truth of the past, present and hopefully not the future.”
In a 1982 interview, Gayl Jones said that just like most people, she felt “connections to home territory-connections that go into one’s ideas of language, personality, landscape.”
Poetry Challenge #271
As Defined By
Using Jones’ poem Circle for inspiration, capture one moment, one incident, one action or interaction with a significant person in your life in a poem.
Include a few lines of dialogue that round-out that person’s personality.
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing!
Don’t Think About it, just Define It!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge 2000+ days ago. Now we take turns creating prompts to share with you. Our hope is that creatives—children & adults—will use our prompts as springboards to word play time. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl):
All who subscribe, comment or share a poem will be entered in . . .
What Inspires Me? Amy Gallup
Amy Gallup isn’t a real person. And no, the photo below (same as the one in the preview) is not me—although, I must admit, that is what Covid hair me looked like—that’s Amy’s creator Jincy Willet.)
But, dang, don’t I wish Amy Gallup were real and that I could meet her. Amy’s creator, author Jincy Willett, similar to Amy in The Writing Class and others of Willett’s book, is a writer, editor, writing teacher living in San Diego, California, so theoretically I could meet Jincy in person. But I don’t think I will. (Although Jincy Willet’s website Intro is sassy and irreverent, read for yourself, but not now…wait until after you my post, please.) I am afraid I might be disappointed. Amy Gallup however, never disappoints me.
This morning, for example, I was reading a pre-facing-the-frost early chapter of The Writing Class when I came upon a passage explaining why Amy began writing a blog, even though she had no intention of doing so, nor did she want anyone to read it ever. Amy’s excuse for writing the blog is that “She did have to do something creative, even if it was just some little thing, because she was not writing and…
…not writing was hard work, almost as hard as writing.”—Amy Gallup, page 39 The Writing Class (published by Picador, 2008).
Amy/Jincy has a wicked wit she unleashes joyfully throughout her books. Take the usual disclaimer printed in The Writing Life:
And Jincy dreamed up—and unabashedly used—one of the most brilliant book titles ever: Winner of the National Book Award. Imagine it printed in author bio, dust jacket, or spoken in an introduction…go ahead.
One incy-wency problem with using Winner of the National Book Award as a title, and perhaps the reason it isn’t an actually National Book Award winner—because it totally should be—and the reason you might not have heard of author Jincy Willett before now, is that Winner of the National Book Award it is so flipping hard to find online: Try to find it—let alone buy it online. Google it every-single-other-NBA-winner-finalist-hopeful reference pops up.
Upon considering that title, I began listing other clever brilliant albeit probably equally problematic titles and made a list.
Lists are what Amy writes sometimes to make herself feel better… (refer back to above quote).
Here’s my list of titles to consider for future books. You’re welcome to use any-all as long as you publish before me! I’m calling it my
List of Brilliant Titles
Bestseller
NY Times Bestselling
All Time Bestseller
Blockbuster
Made into Movie
Adapted for Television
Booker Prize Winner
Million Selling Author