Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! Be sure to visit Jone Rush MacCulloch for our last Roundup of National Poetry Month. (It flew by, didn't it??)
Today's ArtSpeak: Animals poem features a grasshopper! I wrote quite a few drafts for this one, with different angles and ideas... and along the way, I did a little research. One thing I learned is that grasshoppers have existed longer than the dinosaurs! Here are the particulars:
" Modern-day grasshoppers descend from ancient ancestors that lived long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth. The fossil record shows that primitive grasshoppers first appeared during the Carboniferous period, more than 300 million years ago. Most ancient grasshoppers are preserved as fossils, although grasshopper nymphs (the second stage in the grasshopper lifestyle after the initial egg phase) are occasionally found in amber."
You can read the whole article at Thought Co.
And here's my poem! (Sadly, their dino-history didn't make it into this version of the poem.) Thanks so much for reading.
Why Grasshopper Wants to Meet the Moon
Sunhopper knows
afternoon
will be over soon—
one must leap,
reach
h a n g on—
for sky is where
dreams bloom.
- Irene Latham
Like you, I love the occasional rabbit hole I find to discover more about an animal. Who knew the grasshopper was such an old soul? My second grader has become fascinated with horseshoe crabs after reading Amy's latest book. Poetry can lead us into many different directions.
ReplyDeleteAh, Sunhopper! Someone sees him for who he aspires to be! Delightful poem and beautiful artwork - Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know either, but I have lately seen that their numbers are declining, another worry. Love the way you designed the card with the poem, Irene, & the thought he must reach for the sky for food - love it. I'll remember when the grasshoppers here show up!
ReplyDeleteThank you for introducing me to a new piece of art. I love the word "sunhopper." It's so different and descriptive.
ReplyDeleteI love the background information. I suppose that why's I love the pairing of poetry and nonfiction in the text or backmatter. There's so much to learn!
How about that?! "Sunhopper" is a stunning word and I think a title of a future book.
ReplyDeleteI also love sunhopper and all of the "oom" rhymes. I love doing bits of research for poems. When I find something interesting in a magazine--usually just a small bit--I rip it out and save it for poem inspiration later.
ReplyDelete"Sunhopper" - perfect word for a grasshopper. Working on my Flowers A-Z project this month, I had to do a bit of research on some. So fascinating and fun to learn!
ReplyDeleteOh, what grasshoppers have seen! Who knew?
ReplyDeleteAnd these lines, Irene:
"for sky is where
dreams bloom."
Swoon!
Those middle lines are so true...especially now.
ReplyDelete