Valentine’s Day, Cephalopod-Style
February 11th, 2009 by jules
Well, my blogging plans for today were thwarted by some flu-like something or other that has rather inconveniently visited my home this week. But, lucky for us here at 7-Imp, the ever-so blog-friendly J. Patrick Lewis will occasionally stop by to share some new poetry, as he does at many other blogs. And how nice is it to get a random poem from one of children’s literature’s most talented and prolific poets and authors? Very. And the opportunity to share it? Even better.
So, yes, J. Patrick Lewis has made it easy for me today. I get to let him do the talkin’. In this case, it’s a Valentine’s Day poem, which will appear in COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER: A POEM FOR EVERY DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, to be released by Little, Brown in June of this year. Did we have a Valentine’s Day poem? he asked me and Eisha. No, we didn’t, but now we do. And an adventurous, sea-faring one at that. And one involving amorous octopi sweethearts, three words which I never thought I’d put together. I even had to look up “bosun,” but now I’m in-the-know.
Thanks, Pat! Hope everyone enjoys this. If it doesn’t make you smile, then shiver me timbers! You need to stop and take a break.
*giggle*
That’s so cute.
And it reminds me that we’re all meant to be writing love poetry for Tricia’s poetry stretch. Waah! I think Patrick beat me to it for The Best One.
Loved this — especially that next-to-last line!
(Had a weird sort of dyslexia right at the top, for a moment. I thought the dateline read, “Captain’s Dog/The Frisky Log.” I thought I’d nodded off and woken up in a Twin Peaks episode.)
Jules,
It’s always great to read a humorous poem by Pat Lewis, a master of light verse. Valentine’s Day at Sea brings to mind Lear’s The Owl and the Pussy Cat.
I hope you’ll be feeling better soon. I still haven’t kicked my bug yet.
Goodness gracious, but I love Pat and his poems. Great post you put together there for it, and I love that image of the octopi arm in arm (etc.)
Pat’s funny poetry makes everyone smile. How can you not love that! Young kids already know poetry is fun (before they forget at about age 9, sadly). Pat’s poems are so clever they remind even adults.
Feel better soon!
I love the music in this!
This poem was simple (yet complex), sweet, and very visual. I love it!