A bb gun.
A model plane.
A basketball.
A ‘lectric train.
A bicycle.
A cowboy hat.
A comic book.
A baseball bat.
A deck of cards.
A science kit.
A racing car.
A catcher’s mitt.
That’s my list
of everything
that Santa Claus
forgot to bring.
Search Results for: december 26
Whenever It’s December
Whenever it’s December
and I think about the year,
both the one that’s almost over
and the one that’s nearly here,
I recall how, in the springtime,
all of nature was transformed,
as the flowers started blooming
and the winter weather warmed.
Then the summer followed springtime;
how the months went by so fast!
I had thought the long and sunny days
would last, and last, and last.
But the summer turned to autumn
and the leaves began to blow.
I could tell that pretty soon
we would be blanketed in snow.
Now it’s once again December
and the days are growing colder.
I’m another twelve months wiser
and another twelve months older.
And I dream about the new year
and the old one I remember.
It’s the way I like to celebrate
whenever it’s December.
Can You Make Up Words?
Hey there young poets and word wizards! Today, I want to talk to you about a super fun part of writing: making up words! Have you ever wondered if it’s okay to create your own words? The answer is a big, booming YES! But there’s a little secret to it. Let’s dive in.
Why Make Up Words?
Imagine a world where there are no boundaries to your imagination, a place where you can create anything you like. This is what happens when you make up words! It’s like painting with colors that no one else has ever seen.
The Rules
Here’s the thing: just like with any kind of magic, there are some guidelines. If you decide to make up words, they should have a purpose. That means we don’t just throw letters together like spaghetti on a wall. Instead, we craft them like a sculptor, making sure every new word has a reason to exist in our story or poem.
Dr. Seuss: The Word Magician
Let’s talk about one of the most famous word inventors—Dr. Seuss. Have you ever heard of a “Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz” or “Truffula trees” or even a “nerd?” Dr. Seuss loved to create words that were fun to say and added sparkle to his stories. But if you notice, every made-up word in his books fits perfectly with the world he’s creating. They have a rhyme, a rhythm, and a reason.
Roald Dahl and His Whimsical Words
Then there’s Roald Dahl—the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory—another wizard of words! Words like “whizzpopping” and “snozzcumber” make his stories come alive in a zany, unique way. What’s super cool about Dahl is that some of his fanciful words weren’t entirely made up! He borrowed playful words like “hornswoggle” and “whangdoodle.” These words sound silly to us, but they were actually old-timey talk in America. So, while they sound new and fantastical in Dahl’s British stories, they were a wink to older, playful language from across the pond!
In fact, there’s even a Roald Dahl Dictionary that lists all of his invented words and even tells you what they mean. So if you need to know the difference between a “trogglehumper” and a “gobstopper,” or what it means to be “biffsquiggled,” (or if you just love reading about made-up words like I do!) this might be just the book for you.
The Power of a Single Word
Speaking of inventing words, have you ever heard of the book “Frindle” by Andrew Clements? In this captivating story, a boy named Nick Allen comes up with a new word for a pen: “frindle.” What starts as a simple act of creativity becomes a sensation when he convinces his friends to use it. The magic of this tale? The word catches on so much that it eventually finds its way into the dictionary! It just goes to show that with imagination, persistence, and a little bit of fun, a single made-up word can leave a lasting mark on the world.
The Magic of ‘Jabberwocky’ and Lewis Carroll’s Wordplay
Lewis Carroll, the mastermind behind Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, even gifted us with the nonsense poem “Jabberwocky.” This poem, found in the sequel Through the Looking-Glass, is filled with playful and puzzling words like “slithy,” “mimsy,” “toves,” and “borogoves.” These invented words might seem confusing at first, but they paint a vivid picture in our minds, even if we don’t know their exact meanings. Carroll’s genius lay in his ability to craft words that sounded just right for the creatures and scenes they described. In fact, some of the words he invented for this poem, including “chortle” and “galumph,” can now be found in any English-language dictionary. Carroll invented them, and they became “real” words, just like Nick Allen’s “frindle.”
The Art of Crafting Words in Poetry
When writing poetry, you can make up words just like Dr. Seuss and Lewis Carroll did, but you have be careful. Poetry is like music, and every word has to hit the right note. Sometimes, poets might feel the urge to invent a word just because they can’t find the perfect rhyme. This is a pitfall we call a “forced rhyme,” and it can make your poem feel, well, forced! It’s like putting a square peg in a round hole; it just doesn’t fit. Dr. Seuss, for instance, didn’t make up words just to rhyme. He did it with intention, crafting each word to fit perfectly into his poetic landscape.
And guess what? I’ve done it, and you can do it too. In my poem “Today I Decided to Make up a Word” I invented dozens of new words. I didn’t create them because I was stuck; I did it purposefully to add magic to the poem. When making up words in poems, always ask: is this word here for a genuine reason or just as a quick fix? If it’s there for a reason, rhyme on with pride! If it’s just because you can’t think of a real word, maybe try a little harder.
New Words Around Us
And guess what? Many words we use every day are pretty new to our language! Every year, people come up with cool new words for things or ideas that didn’t have names before. Just like how you might invent games or secret codes with your friends, grown-ups have been creating words like “selfie,” “emoji,” and “meme” in recent years. It’s like a never-ending word party, and everyone’s invited!
One of my personal favorites is the word “blog.” “Blog” came from the words “web log.” The word “weblog” was coined by Jorn Barger on December 17, 1997 to mean an internet diary or journal. Later, in 1999, Peter Merholz jokingly broke the word “weblog” into the phrase “we blog” on his own site, Peterme.com. From there, “blog” emerged as a term for both the action (“to blog” meaning “to update one’s weblog”) and for the online journals themselves.
You Can Do It Too!
So, here’s your challenge. The next time you’re writing, try making up a word. But remember:
1. Purpose: Think about why this word exists in your story. Does it describe something new? Does it set a mood?
2. Sound: Say it out loud. Does it sound fun? Does it fit the feeling of your poem or story?
3. Meaning: Even if it’s a made-up word, readers should get a hint about what it means from the way you use it.
To all the budding poets and writers out there, remember that words are your tools and toys. Play with them, reshape them, and invent some of your own! After all, today’s made-up word might just become tomorrow’s newest addition to the dictionary.
- Leap into Laughter with “A Festival for Frogs” - March 26, 2024
- New Book! A Festival for Frogs - March 5, 2024
- How to Write an Alphabet Poem - March 4, 2024
On New Year’s Day
On New Year’s Day a year ago,
I kicked a rock and broke my toe.
Then February came around;
I slipped on ice and smacked the ground.
In March I tripped and skinned my knee.
In April, met an angry bee.
In May a baseball hit my hip.
In June I bit my lower lip.
I banged my elbow in July.
When August came, I poked my eye.
September, I fell out of bed.
October’s when I hurt my head.
November, had a nasty fall.
December, crashed into a wall.
So, you can truly not believe
how glad I am it’s New Year’s Eve.
Though, this year, I was so annoyed,
at least I know what to avoid
beginning January first.
Goodbye, last year. You were the worst.
Free Interactive Livestreams
For several years now I have been doing live, interactive webinars in conjunction with Streamable Learning, the leading provider of interactive livestreams in the K-12 market in the US and Canada. Through quality educational content and an easy-to-use platform, Streamable Learning aims to in introduce interactive livestreams as a valuable supplemental tool for classrooms and families seeking to inspire and educate their K-12 students.
During the 2019-20 school year, I will be providing 35 online webinars, including interactive poetry-writing lessons, holiday poetry sessions, and programs on famous children’s poets from Dr. Seuss to Shel Silverstein. Schools are invited to join any of these sessions as my guest, completely free of charge.
Streamable Learning and Zoom
If you haven’t yet used Zoom, I think you’re going to love it. Zoom is a free videoconferencing program similar to Skype, but with clearer, more reliable audio and video.
Streamable Learning offers a convenient, cost-effective, and comprehensive calendar of interactive livestreams delivered by subject matter experts and designed to supplement your existing and future lesson plans. To discover hundreds of engaging, educational programs, have a look a their Livestream Calendar.
I have been offering interactive poetry livestreams through Streamable Learning for several years now, and I hope you’ll be able to join me this year. There is no cost for this; you can register for free and participate in as many of these upcoming sessions as you like.
To register, simply click on the links in the schedule below for the sessions you would like to join.
2019-20 Livestream Schedule
September 16, 2019
- 11:10 AM EST – How to Write Cinquains – grades 3-5
- 1:10 PM EST – How to Write Cinquains – grades 3-5
October 21, 2019
- 11:10 AM EST – How to Write Clerihews – grades 3-5
- 1:10 PM EST – How to Write Clerihews – grades 3-5
October 25, 2019
- 11:10 AM EST – Spooky Halloween Poems – grades K-5
- 1:10 PM EST – Spooky Halloween Poems – grades K-5
November 14, 2019
- 11:10 AM EST – How to Write Acrostics – grades 3-5
- 1:10 PM EST – How to Write Acrostics – grades 3-5
November 15, 2019
- 11:10 AM EST – Famous Poets (Lewis Carroll) – grades 4-6
- 1:10 PM EST – Famous Poets (Lewis Carroll) – grades 4-6
December 16, 2019
- 11:10 AM EST – How to Write Diamantes – grades 2-5
- 1:10 PM EST – How to Write Diamantes – grades 2-5
December 19, 2019
- 11:10 AM EST – Famous and Fun Holiday Poems – grades 1-4
- 1:10 PM EST – Famous and Fun Holiday Poems – grades 1-4
January 13, 2020
- 11:10 AM EST – How to Write Winter Poems – grades 3-6
- 1:10 PM EST – How to Write Winter Poems – grades 3-6
January 17, 2020
- 11:10 AM EST – Famous Poets (Shel Silverstein) – grades 2-6
- 1:10 PM EST – Famous Poets (Shel Silverstein) – grades 2-6
February 10, 2020
February 13, 2020
- 11:10 AM EST – Writing Valentine’s Day Poems – grades 3-5
- 1:10 PM EST – Writing Valentine’s Day Poems – grades 3-5
February 28, 2020
- 11:10 AM EST – Famous Poets (Dr. Seuss) – grades 1-4
- 1:10 PM EST – Famous Poets (Dr. Seuss) – grades 1-4
- 2:10 PM EST – Famous Poets (Dr. Seuss) – grades 1-4
March 6, 2020
- 11:10 AM EST – How to Write Funny Nursery Rhymes – grades 2-5
- 1:10 PM EST – How to Write Funny Nursery Rhymes – grades 2-5
April 7, 2020
- 11:10 AM EST – How to Write Repetition Poems – grades 2-6
- 1:10 PM EST – How to Write Repetition Poems – grades 2-6
April 9, 2020
- 11:10 AM EST – Famous Poets (Jack Prelusky) – grades 3-6
- 1:10 PM EST – Famous Poets (Jack Prelusky) – grades 3-6
May 11, 2020
- 11:10 AM EST – How to Write Spring Poems – grades 3-6
- 1:10 PM EST – How to Write Spring Poems – grades 3-6
May 15, 2020
If you would prefer to arrange a private interactive videoconference for your class or school only, simply click here to schedule an online author visit. I look forward to seeing your students online!
Over the River and Through the Wood: An Anthology of Nineteenth-Century American Children’s Poetry
The following is a guest post written by Karen L. Kilcup, Professor of English, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and Angela Sorby, Associate Professor of English, Marquette University. I’m very excited about this new anthology published by Johns Hopkins University Press, so I thought I’d let them tell you about it in their own words.
Who could resist a poem that opens like this:
Have Angleworms attractive homes?
Do Bumble-bees have brains?
Do Caterpillars carry combs?
Do Ducks dismantle drains?
Charles E. Carryl’s “Memorandrums” typifies the animated, modern spirit of our new anthology, Over the River and Through the Wood. We began our project not only because we admire the writing—its ease, its playfulness, its innovation—but also because we realized how many nineteenth-century children’s poems are still vital to Americans—parents and grandparents as well as their children. From the title poem to “Mary’s Lamb” to “’Twas the night before Christmas” (“Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas”), many of the verses in Over the River remain part of our collective consciousness, even if we can’t immediately identify the sources. I remember my own grandmother singing “Over the river and through the wood,” though she changed the second line: “To grandmother’s house we go.” Since she prepared the Thanksgiving turkey and mountains of vegetables and pies, I imagine that she felt just fine about this substitution. Our collection includes some other wonderful holiday poems, including one delicious ode to turkey dinner (Cooke’s “Turkey: A Thanksgiving Ode”) and a comic ballad from the bird’s perspective, “The Turkey’s Opinion.” Of course there’s far more to the anthology than holiday poems, but many of the most beloved, familiar pieces live in that section. Many of our poems offer major contributions to America’s literary tradition, including works by authors whom we don’t ordinarily associate with children, such as Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Sarah Piatt.
One children’s poem, “Mary’s Lamb” was actually the first sound recording ever made by Thomas Edison; you can listen to a scratchy, slightly later version by Edison here. Sarah Josepha Hale’s famous poem draws from a real story about a girl bringing her pet to the Redstone School, now in Sudbury, Massachusetts. You can visit the school from mid-May through mid-October.