Friday, October 26, 2018

"A Journey to Make a Friend" octopus poem by Linda Baie for #OctopusMonth

Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Kay at A Journey Through the Pages for Roundup.

It's the final Poetry Friday of #OctopusMonth, but please stay tuned next week for poems from Catherine Flynn and Diane Mayr... and a special "Goodbye" from Agnes!



This week it's been an honor to feature:

a look at Oceans: Our Blue Planet (which features a Giant Pacific Octopus)
A 2-for-Tuesday with octo-poems by Linda Mitchell and Pat Cruzan
"The Octopus Way" by Brenda Davis Harsham
Octopus art by Barbara Bell (and a wee 3-hearted poem by me!)

Remember, you can find all of the #Octopus Month links on the Happy Octopus Month padlet.

Today I am delighted to share a friendly octopus who is reaching across the currents to Agnes....

A Journey To Make A Friend
                       for Irene Latham “Octopus Month”

Cracker Barrel octopus
I plan to meet an octopus
who uses ink in clever ways.
This Agnes composes postcards,
perhaps a newfound kind of play?

I am traveling to greet her,
to learn new ways to use my eight.
It’s lonely as an octopus.
I would delight in a new mate.

Though I may never find her near
the west Pacific where I roam,
I have impressed some scientists
for use of tools to make a home.

I gather shells and human glass
to pile a shelter of debris;
Special is a coconut shell,
a favorite just-right place for me.  
Chattanooga Blue Skies octopus

I’m satisfied my size is right -
3-inch frame, 6-inch arms full-grown.
I can embrace the tightest place;
but when I’m out, bi-pedal home.

I live in sandy, muddy shores.
Because I’m likely to be prey,
I take my meals from dusk to dawn,
daylight’s my time for hideaway.

Phenomenal and small and wise,
Agnes (I hope) has read of me.
I am the veined octopus
evolving in the western seas.
-----------

Don't you just love this little guy?! Here is a picture of the veined octopus. Agnes is grateful to Linda for educating her about another octo-species! Friends above and below the waves... yes, life is good. Thank you! xo

4 comments:

  1. Oh, Linda, you matchmaker you! How can Agnes resist this clever veined guy? Thanks for such a fun month of octopus poems, Irene!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a beauty, this veined OCTO! In Linda's poem & in the aquarium photograph.
    "A journey to make a friend" makes me wonder if there will be a poem when the two meet.

    And next week is the time of adieu for the octopus crew? Can't be!
    It's been uncommon fun to be included
    with Agnes on her ocean rides.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love the Cracker Barrel octopus & learning about the veined octopus (thanks, Linda). I've been amazed to see octopuses popping up everywhere this past month. Thanks for the poetic romp, Irene!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for posting, Irene. I was excited to see this veined octopus in another book I was reading, so wanted to be sure that it traveled to meet Agnes! What fun this month has been with all these "octoventures"!

    ReplyDelete

Your thoughts?