Madness – Through Round One

Quick update on the March Madness knock-out poetry tournament.

I’m relieved and delighted to say that I made it through Round One of the March Madness – which was a tough battle against a great poem by Carol Wilc. I am now in the next ‘anxious wait’ period – waiting for my next word to be posted. In Round Two, I’m up against Laura Salas, who won Round One with her ‘knack’ poem.

As with all things to do with children’s writing, I am finding the competition to be fantastic fun and friendly! The children’s writing crew has always been one big happy family, and whilst I hadn’t met many of the #MMPoetry crew prior to this event, I am again enjoying being a part of a wider kid-lit community.

A fantabulous event over at Ed DeCaria’s Think Kid Think blog. I hope you can follow us into Round Two!

March Madness Round One: Dotted

The March month of poetry Madness is well underway, over on Ed DeCaria’s ThinkKidThink blog. You  really should visit, read and vote, because it’s a heap of fun!  My Round One poem is now up – and the 36hr clock is ticking down…

My word was ‘dotted’ – and being the lower seeded poet (seeds are determined by degree of difficulty of the word) I knew I had to do something tricky to gain ground. I was hoping I wasn’t going too far out on a limb… (In fact, I had two poems I was tossing up between, and had to put it to a mini-in-house-vote to decide on an entry.) This morning I woke all anxious eagerness to read the poems, and I see that Carol, too has taken a risk with her poem. And done well! (I like risk-taking in poetry, but there always is that element of… risk!)

Click the picture to go direct to our poems.

So – what do you think? You’ll have to skip across to the melee of Madness, to find out. I’d love it if you vote for me – but seriously, you vote for the poem that you like best! (And while you’re there, check out all the other great battles, too. It’s fantastic. Well done, Ed!!!)

These links will help you navigate the Madness more easily.

1.  Official Rules  http://www.thinkkidthink.com/madness-2012-main/official-rules

2.  Live Scoreboard  http://www.thinkkidthink.com/madness-2012-main/scoreboard

3.  6-dotted-vs-11-allegedly: CLICK TO VIEW THIS MATCHUP!

March Madness – Poetry Tournament

After writing a poem a day for January, and a haiku a day for February, it most definitely IS madness to have put my name down for a poetry tournament in March – but silly, smart or otherwise, I’ve done it. And I’m sure it will be fun! You can read more about it at  Ed DeCaria’s blog, Think Kid, Think. (You can read the official rules here.)

Today the draw went up. Pressure is mounting! It’s a knock-out tournament, so each round – each poem – counts! My Round One ‘opponent’ is Carol Wilc. (It’s okay, Carol. I play nice. ) 

DO NOT FORGET AUSTRALIA – Blog Tour and Giveaway

This past week I’ve enjoyed reading the backstory for the wonderful new-release Walker picture book, DO NOT FORGET AUSTRALIA, by Sally Murphy and Sonia Kretschmar. Both Sally and Sonia have a swag of awards and commendations to their names, and collaboratively, they have created a rich and warm picture book that Australians can be proud of.

DO NOT FORGET AUSTRALIA tells the story of Henri and Billy, two boys who are oceans apart, but together in heart. Billy’s Australian father is fighting the war near Henri’s French hometown, Villers-Bretonneux. The year is 1918.

Inspired by a significant battle in World War I, the story doesn’t focus on the despair of war. Rather, the illustrations and text gently move the story past death and destruction, to focus on the hope – the lasting good that comes from cross-cultural compassion, empathy and aid.

When Henri’s village is destroyed in battle, Billy is one of many Australian children who work together to help rebuild Villers-Bretonneux. To this day the sign of acknowledgment remains; DO NOT FORGET AUSTRALIA.

DO NOT FORGET AUSTRALIA is a must read for all Australians.

Lest we forget.  

Do Not Forget Australia – Blog Tour

Hoping you can drop by next Thursday, 8th March, when I interview Sally Murphy and Sonia Kretschmar about writing and illustrating historical picture books.

January Month of Poetry – Done!

The wonderful learning and connecting that is a Month of Poetry has finished in a flurry of activity on the blog. So much chatter among participants. Such wonderful camaraderie and discussion. We were buzzing!

So much so, having already written one serious/heartfelt/bring-me-to-tears poem earlier in the day, in the space of 50 minutes at 10pm I wrote another… and of all things, it was a sonnet! You remember my struggle with the sonnet? Who would think I’d write THREE in the month – and one in less than an hour from startling idea to posted poem.

January Month of Poetry – Wk 4

In the middle of a Month of Poetry, this was my week of poetry. For two days I took poetry workshops with school kids, in preparation for our community Australia Day celebrations, where I was asked to organise a poetry competition to take place on the day – just for fun.

Alas, I had to make an abrupt exit from the celebrations when our road flooded, so I’ve very glad the competition ran smoothly. I’m just disappointed I wasn’t there to enjoy it!

<pre>

Australia Day 2012

The day was blissfully
noticably
silent –
an echo of
earlier years before the
road became a thoroughfare
and trees buzzed with
traffic.

In the afternoon
we went to check
the flood waters;
A 200m section of road
still submerged;
still water.   .. 

January Month of Poetry: Part Two

This year my goal for Month of Poetry (MoP12) was to write a sonnet. In truth, I wanted to play and ‘perfect’ the form. Not that I particularly *loved* the form – but because in other MoPs participants who have written a sonnet speak as if they’ve climbed Mount Everest. A challenge? I’m in!

I asked my friend Di Esmond for some pointers. Which she gladly gave in her own inimitable style. You can read Di’s simple sonnet tips on the Month of Poetry blog.

I wasted a day on my first attempt. Tried three different sonnets, on suitably learned topics. Failed. Crushing defeat. Rising frustration. Those five strong beats were a syncopated constipated curse! I quit.

At which point, my anger and frustration bubbled over… (Oops…) and resulted in Sonnet: Finito.  ….. 

January Month of Poetry – Part One

Once again, my year has started with a Month of Poetry – writing one poem every day for the month of January. This is an annual event I’ve co-ordinated since 2008.

After my quiet months of no writing in 2011, I’m finding a deeper level of creativity during the #MoP. I’m writing in new ways, and liking it.

#MoP12 poems are posted to locked pages on the Month of Poetry blog, and there is a great community of sharing and discussion each day, which I find inspirational and informative. (Love it!) Remembering past #MoP friends – and the promise of more this month – inspired this poem on Day One;

I Remember You

I remember you;
the way you
weave words on paper,
play emotions
with phrases and pausing,
your voice echoing
through line breaks,
imagery and stark
haunting words.

I remember you;
breathing life
and form into poetry
so that when I read
no credit is needed –
the words whisper
your name
and take the shape
of you.

This is how it is with #MoP. Learning to recognise participants by their individual way with words. Six days in and it’s already exceeded expectations.

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