In Just-
spring when the world is mud-
luscious the little
lame balloonman
whistles far and wee
and eddieand bill come
running from marbles and
piracies and it’s
spring
when the world is puddle-wonderful
-- e e cummings
When I was ten or eleven, I had a teacher who required us to memorize and recite poetry. It seemed like a strange, old fashioned exercise, but as an adult, I'm glad to have memorized these poems (and continue to be amazed that I can still remember them). So today, humming through my head are the first lines of the poem by ee cummings, "and it's spring when the world is puddle-wonderful..." (you can read the full poem HERE).
And what could possibly be more "mud-luscious" and "puddle-wonderful" than frogs? Bean bag frogs from THIS pattern over at Purl Soho! I made these guys a few years ago; when they are not flopping around the house, they spend their time reclining languidly on book shelves (and posing as hats).
How are you welcoming spring this year?
I make my students memorize as well. In fact, they memorize the entire 139th Psalm. I love how surprised they are that they can do it. As a treat, they can jump rope when they've memorized various jump rope rhymes. Love the memory, poem and froggies.
ReplyDeleteJump rope rhymes are the perfect entree to poetry memorization!
ReplyDelete