November 09, 2007
and relations more clearly than men, who fail to
live it worthily, but who think that they
are wiser by experience."
H.D. Thoreau - Walden
,
Thanks for subscribing to the Kiss The Fish newsletter where we celebrate the wit, whimsy and poetry of a child’s voice. Even the cantankerous Henry David Thoreau couldn't resist a child. They say the New England hermit loved huckleberry hunting with the neighborhood children more than any sophisticated conversation in the parlors of his townsfolk.
Speaking of hucklberries, why not ask a kid to take you huckleberry hunting this month. Find a safe place for you and your children to explore and ask them to lead the way. Let them guide you through your yard, around your block, into a tunnel, under a slide, across a puddle - and see if Thoreau is right about a kid's eyesight.
The older I get the more I want to see things clearly. What glasses do for our physical eyesight, children can do for our spiritual eyesight. Don't get all bent out of shape if you bump into some things along the way. Developing a child's voice usually involves a few minor bumps and bruises.
Bill Buczinsky
Founder
A Child's Voice
Congratulations to Tyler of Logan Jr. High for winning the September poetry drawing. He will receive a free copy of my new book Strange World. Enjoy Tyler's dreamy poem.
Falling, weightless through the clouds,
Angelbirds carrying me in their wings.
The sun breaking free from the blue sky,
Beautifully gleaming,
Just one question to ask...
Am I only dreaming?
Wind, rushing against my cheeks,
Droplets of water fall from the sky.
Hitting my back like pins, bullets in action,
Soaring downward,
Closer to the ground.
I have to know one thing...
Am I only dreaming?
Gravity, sucking me down,
Winged guardians finally let go.
Flying back to heaven,
Rain nipping my neck,
Close to my moment of truth.
My mom says "open your eyes."
Only dreaming!
Parents and teachers - try writing poems for your kids and submit them to our Lunchbox Poetry.
You and your children might enjoy composing poems in my new book Strange World. It's full of poems, prompts, inspirational quotes, whimsical drawings and lots of room for children to find their own poetic voices.
My most poetic moment in the last month came while teaching a kindergarten class about metaphor. A little button of a child wrote a poem describing herself as a fortune cookie.
So taking our cue from a fortune cookie that I would have called a peanut, I give you this month's poetic prompt:
If you were a fortune cookieWhat would you say?
What wonder of wisdom
Would you unfold today?
A prompt is like a push from
behind when you're learning to ride a bicycle. They are designed to push a poem forward and get kids writing. Ask your kids to make a long list of fortune cookie words as well as words of wisdom. Start playing with that list and you might be surprised at the fortune inside!
I started A Child’s Voice 10 years ago with a vision to help children. As I develop my online Poetry Shoppe, I wanted to do a little more than provide poetry products. With that in mind, I decided to donate a portion of the profits to three important organizations.
1. National PTA Organization - As the largest volunteer child advocacy association in the nation, the PTA provides parents and families with a powerful voice to speak on behalf of every child while providing the best tools for parents to help their children be successful students.
2. The National Center for Family Literacy - More than 1 million families throughout the country have made positive educational and economic gains as a result of NCFL's work, which includes training more than 150,000 teachers and thousands of volunteers. The NCFL champions a very important cause that promises a brighter future for all families.
3. AboutFace USA - AboutFace USA is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing information and emotional support to individuals with facial differences. Families are also included as part of the organization support network. The goal of AboutFace USA is to assist all persons with facial differences to have a positive self-image and self-esteem so that they can participate fully in their communities.
Uncool is cool -
If you're cool enough to admit it.
'Cause the cool know
When it comes to the flow,
The cool know how to go with it.
Open as the sky
Welcoming the wind,
Clouds accept the rain,
The water lets you swim.
So come on breeze,
Keep it cool.
Putting people down,
Suprise you who's the fool.
Uncool is cool -
If you're cool enough to admit it.
'Cause the cool know
When it comes to the flow,
The cool know how to go with it.
I hope you enjoyed the monthly update. Tell a friend to visit our website and sign up for our newsletter.
Until next time...Kiss The Fish,
Bill Buczinsky
A Child's Voice
Visit us at www.childs-voice-poetry.com