Last night at the bookstore I shelved a children's book called FALLING DOWN THE PAGE: A BOOK OF LIST POEMS (edited by Georgia Heard). I especially liked this one by the wonderful Kathi Applet called "Test Day."
It's never about the things I know:
Where the old turtle hid her eggs
How many homeruns my brother hit last season
My mom's favorite colors--violet and pink
That chocolate chip cookies need vanilla
The year my grandfather fought in the war
The year he didn't come back
That my great-great-aunt learned to drive she she was 68
What time the moon rose last night
And what time it set this morning
How the thunder scares my ginger-striped cat
Why the neighbor's hound howls at stars
Where the grackle built her nest
What to put in my dad's cup of coffee . . .
It's never about the things I know.
Okay. I wanna hear. What are the things YOU know about?
How to achieve the perfect white-bread crust
ReplyDeleteWhat's great to read in the MG and YA sections
The precise moment to turn the bananas into banana bread
What's lacking in everyone else's books
Why early-to-bed is TRUE
How to sub elementary grades
When to buy the Girl Scout Cookie ice creams
How to draw a human head
ReplyDeleteSwim the backstroke
Decorate a room
Entertain a child
Make a really good cup of hot chocolate
Kiss on the lips
I never really know what I know,
ReplyDeletebut here's a try. I know:
I'm a Beaver Beaver
Where Ceylon is
That Ceylon is now Sri Lanka
where Madagascar is not
the capitol of Kentucky is Frankfort
how to play black magic
I have mental inertia--which turns out not to be a good thing
That Charlotte's Rose is a beautiful book (butt kiss, suck up, go, fight, win!!!!)
Amy hates Celine Dion.
ReplyDeleteThe church building in DR Congo is stupidly huge.
The name of the song Spencer whistles (even though he doesn't know what it is): "Windy"
The words to nearly every song in every movie ever made by the Walt Disney Company.
Please, please keep them coming! I am LOVING this!!
ReplyDeleteI know how to fly.
ReplyDeleteI think that's enough.