Thursday, May 19, 2022

Poetry Friday Roundup is Here! Plus a STEAM Poetry Sneak Peek

Welcome! I'm so excited to host this week's Poetry Friday Roundup! (If you're not familiar with Poetry Friday, you can read more about it here.)  I'm also pleased to share a poem I wrote that appears in a new anthology. 

But first, I want to provide a "sneak peak" at a new project from my friend and former poetry instructor, Heidi Bee Roemer, creator of the amazing site, STEAM Powered Poetry. Beginning June 1, Heidi will host a STEAM poetry video series called Wee Steamers. Each episode will feature early education teacher Sheila Kerwin sharing a STEAM poem and a brief lesson especially for young children. The corresponding blog post will provide free PDF downloads containing the poem, a related book list, activities, and even a snack recipe! These all-in-one, fun STEAM mini-lessons will be great resources not only for early education teachers, but also for parents and grandparents to share with tiny tots!

Even though the Wee Steamers series doesn't officially kickoff until June, you can catch a sneak peak right now by checking out the first poem, “Five Little Fishies,” at the STEAM Powered Poetry website. While you're there, be sure to subscribe on this page, so you don't miss any future posts! For even more poetry-related goodness, you can follow Heidi on Twitter, too!  

Now, as promised, I'm pleased to share one of my own poems, "Backyard Dandelions," which is featured in Imperfect II: Poems About Perspective: An Anthology for Middle Schoolers (History House) edited by Tabatha Yeatts. Imperfect II contains the work of over 50 poets from around the world, including my fellow TeachingAuthor April Halprin Wayland. April shared one of her poems from the collection last month. It's such fun to have our work appear in the same book!

Finally, it's time for the Poetry Friday roundup! Please use the Mr. Linky widget below to add your link. Note: this is my first time using Mr. Linky, so if you have trouble, please include your link in the comment so I can try to fix any issues!

I'm looking forward to reading all the Poetry Friday posts over the next few days! If you receive this blog post via email, I hope you'll visit the online version to check out the links for yourself! 

Happy writing!
Carmela

 

39 comments:

Susan T. said...

"Backyard Dandelions" is fun! I look forward to the dandelions' appearance in our yard each spring. I linked a post at Chicken Spaghetti, but am not entirely sure that Mr. Linky accepted it. At any rate, Happy Poetry Friday! Thank you for rounding up.

Matt Forrest Esenwine said...

I love dandelions, but can readily identify with your poem! And congrats to Tabatha on her new book - as well to Heidi, Kimberly, and crew on powering forward with their new video series, full STEAM ahead! ;)

Carmela Martino said...

Sorry you had issues, Susan. I was able to get the link to appear. Hope I have the title the way you wanted. I have to run now but look forward to reading your post.

mbhmaine said...

Thanks for the sneak peek at Heidi's newest project. It sounds like a wonderful resource and I'm going to share it with our school's PreK teacher. I loved the different perspectives in your dandelion poem. I was quite surprised to realize recently that some of my students (in rural Maine!) didn't realize that those "white, cottony puffs" were actually the same plant as dandelions. It was time for a spontaneous time lapse video! Thanks for hosting this week!

Janice Scully said...

What an interesting dandelion poem, written in haiku, showing off the different phases as well as making themselves useful to the "me" of your poem. Congratulations! I love all the poems in Tabatha's book. I also signed up to hear more steam powered poetry. Thanks, Carmela.

Sally Murphy said...

Oh I love this poem as much as I love dandelions. Even as an adult I can't resist blowing the 'wish flowers', even if that means more weeds in my front lawn. Thanks for sharing and for hosting.

Linda B said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Linda B said...

I love dandelions and keep telling everyone to let them be. They are bee's first food of spring! Love your ending, too, Carmela. Heidi's Wee Steamers are sure to be a hit for young ones. Sounds like fun! Thanks for hosting!

laurasalas said...

I love all the different perspectives in your dandelion poem, Marti. I'm out of the country for a couple of more days, and I've been marveling anew at the perspective that travel gives us.

Michelle Kogan said...

Fun poem Carmela, I didn't know Goldfinches liked dandelions, and I remember my daughter also getting paid for pulling dandelions, maybe it's a dad daughter thing. Thanks for sharing your poem, I love the treasure-trove of poems Tabatha selected. And it looks like an info-packed-fun site Heidi's assembled. Thanks also for hosting!

Marcie Flinchum Atkins said...

Oh I love your dandelion poem. So many good memories rolled up into dandelions!

Mary Lee said...

Thanks for hosting! I love all your different perspectives on dandelions.

jama said...

Charming dandelion poem, Carmela! The ending made me smile :). And thanks for the heads up about Wee Steamers. Enjoyed Sheila's video (fab resources too)! Thanks for hosting this week!!

Amy LV said...

Thank you for hosting today, Carmela, and for sharing Heidi's and Sheila's new project. I now am singing the fishy song to myself. :) Your dandelion poem made me smile, especially the goldfinch part. I was out picking dandelions yesterday for dandelion jelly, and I had to elbow the bees away! Happy continued spring!

Karen Eastlund said...

The dandelion poem brought back many memories. Also, I loved hearing about Heidi's STEAM project, I will look into it. Thanks for everything, and especially for hosting.

Jessica Coupé said...

Love how the whole family are interacting with the dandelions! Thanks for hosting Poetry Friday today.

Marilyn Garcia said...

I love the different perspectives in your poem about dandelions. It is so true there are two kinds of people, those who love dandelions and those who want to eradicate them!

Thanks for sharing the info about Wee Steamers - sounds fantastic.

Anastasia Suen said...

What a wonderful ending, Carmela! I would never have thought that dandelions would lead to a new videogame!

jlcjbuzz said...

Carmela, Thanks for hosting! Congrats on having your poem published. I think it definitely speaks to the age - middle schoolers are wiley and willing if a task leads to something good! ~Carol from The Apples in my Orchard.~

Patricia Franz said...

Carmela, thank you for hosting and for sharing the STEAM powered poetry link. I have a few kindergarten teachers in my family and have passed along this great resource!

author amok said...

Thanks for hosting today! I'm excited to read more of this wonderful STEAM poetry... I know I had fun writing my collection of robot poems.

I am here late today (techinical difficulties) with a verse novelist interview. Barbara Bottner is known for her picture books, but her YA novel-in-verse I AM HERE NOW came out in 2020. It is a complex portrait of a 1960s era teen who must confront her abusive mother. https://laurashovan.com/2022/05/poetry-friday-i-am-here-now/

April Halprin Wayland said...

Carmela, what a bouquet of good things you've offered!

I like the way your series of haiku sets the scene and ends with a surprise.

I'm on the hunt for dandelions daily because tortoises LOVE them and we have two babies and a 28-year-old. To torts, dandelions are the finest dessert--yum!

Linda Mitchell said...

I've had such fun spending time with Imperfect II this week. It's very nice to connect with others this way. Oh, the dandelions I picked and gave and then received...probably enough to make some wine. Such good memories. Thank you for hosting this week.

Rose Cappelli said...

Great memories of dandelions. Thanks for sharing, hosting, and all the extra info in this post. The Wee Steamers will come in handy when my grandkids visit.

Heidi Bee Roemer said...


Thank you, Carmela, for sharing our exciting WEE STEAMERS news. I am heartened by everyone's kind remarks. I think you'll agree that my friend, poet, early education teacher and newest STEAM team member, Sheila Kerwin, has a very engaging teaching style. Sheila and I are having a ton of fun preparing and sharing these mini-lessons for little munchkins!

Lovely dandelion haiku, Carmela, and congratulations to you and ALL the stellar poets whose poems appear in IMPERFECT II! I can't wait to read it from cover to cover.

Carmela Martino said...

Hi Matt. Love your full STEAM ahead! :)
Molly, I love your idea of time-lapse photography to educate your students about dandelions.

Carmela Martino said...

Thanks, Janice and Sally. Glad you enjoyed my poem.

Unknown said...

Carmela, "Backyard Dandelions" is such a lovely poem! It brought back childhood memories of gathering them in bunches and putting our best efforts into creating dandelion necklaces.

Thanks very much also for the kind words about STEAM Powered Poetry, and sharing the information about WEE Steamers. I am humbled and excited to be part of this incredible team, working with Heidi, Kimberly, and Louann. It's the most fun project in town!

Carmela Martino said...

Linda B., I knew bees loved dandelions, but just recently discovered how much the finches like them.
Laura, safe travels!

Carmela Martino said...

Michelle, I just recently learned how much finches love dandelions, by watching them in my own yard! :-)
And yes, Imperfect II is a treasure. Your poem in it is marvelous!

Carmela Martino said...

Marcie, glad you found happy memories through my poem. Unfortunately, my only childhood dandelion memories involved pulling them!

Carmela Martino said...

Thanks, Mary Lee. I love the perspectives of your poems in Imperfect II, also.

Carmela Martino said...

Jama and Amy: I'm glad the poem made you smile. Knowing that makes ME smile!

Carmela Martino said...

Glad the poem brought back memories for you, Karen.
Jessica, I tried to post a comment about your poem, but was unable to do so.

Carmela Martino said...

Thanks, Marilyn!
Anastasia, I tried to comment on our blog post, but got a message that Google reCAPTCHA verification failed. No idea how to fix that.

Carmela Martino said...

April, thanks for teaching me something I didn't know about dandelions--that tortoises love them. Wish I could send you all the dandelions in my yard for your torts!

Carmela Martino said...

Linda M and Rose, so glad to stir good memories for you both!

Carmela Martino said...

Laura Shovan, so glad you were able to get past your technical difficulties!

Carmela Martino said...

Heidi and Sheila, thanks for stopping by. I'm happy to help spread the word about Wee Steamers!