This is one I’m working on revising. It just goes to show how random I am. I tried to put two voices in one poem. As it turned out the poem is extremely vague and well, extremely random:

http://www.roykindelberger.com/poemsideas-for-children.html

Snoopy Come Home


I never had a dog, but I lost my dog.

He was nowhere to be found.

I walked through the house in a fog,

not a sight, not a sound.

 

But I really wanted one.

Mommy won’t give me a puppy.

The weight of my want is a ton.

I even asked Daddy for a Guppy.


My eyes and heart sank,

solemn sadness, drifted through me.

I sprinted, opened the door with a yank

searched the yard, greenbelt, a tall tree.

 

Oh Please, oh please, oh please,

I’ll take a gerbil, guinea pig, or a slug.

I prey, don’t let him be in a tree.

Or leave me with a bug in a jug.


I hoped he’d come home, called his name,

hidden in a bush, an old wooden dog

on wheels, weird, but not the same.

Yet he had a name, on his collar, next to a log.

 

So what do I do, he’s not real?

Or is he? He seeks a home.

And wants me, is it unreal?

Puppy no longer has to roam.


His name Snoopy, reminding me of a garden gnome,

so I shifted, shrugged and called, “Snoopy, come home.”


My new dog is wooden, on wheels, archaic, old.

Snoopy is my dog, all mine and gold.

I posted my autographed notebook from Jack Prelutsky and some revising and editing I showed my students:

http://www.roykindelberger.com/poemsideas-for-children.html


Here is some editing and revising I did with a poem. The first draft is my notebook. The second draft has a picture of the dove on the window sill. The third draft is the poem without a picture.

The paperweight is actually a chick but as a child I thought of it as a dove. I also remember being at my grandparent’s house and listening to the cooing of the morning doves outside the bedroom window.

I’ll post the finished product at a later time...

On Saturday the 23rd, I went to a Young Author event, presented by The Lake Washington Reading Council. Three students from the school I teach at were chosen to attend and read their stories. Afterward they listened to a presentation by Poet Laureate Jack Prelutsky. Afterward he and other local authors signed books. Jack Prelutsky even signed my notebook. He encourages all young authors to keep a notebook to write down any writing ideas. My students keep a note book too. Here is a link to Jack Prelutsky’s website: http://www.jackprelutsky.com/ 

It was a fun event and I'm extremely proud of all the Young Authors. Afterward I took my two daughters to an Easter egg hunt.

It’s funny, one would think after such an inspiring conference I’d be glued to my seat pounding away at the keyboard. I’ve played around with some poems but haven’t posted any. Instead of forcing the issue, I’ve just been reading. I guess a tad case of writer’s block…that’ll pass.

Another highlight of the conference was the Lifetime Achievement Award given to Peggy King Anderson: http://www.peggyking.com

She’s been a wonderful inspiration.  She’s been a tremendous help with a couple of my manuscripts. I appreciate all her support.

Here is a link from the conference blog: http://chinookupdate.blogspot.com/2011/04/lifetime-achievement-award-peggy-king.html

Whew, what a weekend. The SCBWI-Western Washington conference was awesome. I started going to this conference in 2003. I’ve met some great people and have learned a lot.

My manuscript consultation went well. I’ve got a few more edits and then I’ll start submitting. I discovered a few new markets for my middle-grade novel and a pretty cool nonfiction market. I also know there’s room for a lot of improvement. I look forward to the challenge.

Here’s a link with a recap of the exciting weekend:

http://chinookupdate.blogspot.com  

This was my favorite session:

http://chinookupdate.blogspot.com/2011/04/liz-waniewski-character-driven-stories.html

I’m at the SCBWI-Western Washington conference this weekend. I’m overwhelmed with stuff to share…That’s Not All Folks…

Today is Poem In Your Pocket Day. I wrote a poem and posted it here and also put it in my pocket: http://www.roykindelberger.com/ideas-for-kids.html

I shared it with my kindergarten students. It was sort of an odd I idea I came up with, almost like two poems in one. I tried to combine a child’s action along with the child’s thoughts.

Anyways my students brought poems to school as well. They either wrote them or brought one written by another poet. They shared the poems with the class. We had a lot of fun sharing the poems. The children felt extremely proud.

Tonight I’m going to another poetry reading at Parkplace Books. I’m bringing several poems and will have to see what mood I’m in when I share. I’m going to put them in my pocket and get ready for Poem In Your Pocket Day tomorrow, April 14th:  http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/406

I’m extremely excited.

Yes, I’m a Star Wars nerd. This particular poem was inspired by Obi-Wan Kenobi. When he was watching out for Luke on the desert planet Tatooine he came across a desert flower. He reflected upon a former enemy as such and planted seeds in memory of her, to see what they would grow.

http://www.roykindelberger.com/my-poems.html