Poetry Anyone?

And now it is Day 5 of the March SOL.
Because on Sunday the names of the Poetry Authletes were at last made public, I can finally tell you that I am in at least the first round of the competition.
I am a bit nervous about it, because, not only will I be posting and helping here, I will be visiting my grandson some this month AND composing a poem under duress - maybe more than one if I'm lucky enough to move on to the next round.  I guess I will relive, at least for a few days, what it is like again to have a day job, have a toddler and try to write!  It's hard enough when I'm all by myself and just LOOKING at work I should be doing.

Whether I lose or win a little bit, it is always an honor to be in there writing with the wonderful poets included in this list.  I know there are some of you Slicers who are in the March Madness 2014 poetry tournament this year, too.  Are we slicing off more than we can chew?

Can I Do It All?

Take a slice and chew it up
Take a sip from out da cup
Take a word out for a spin
Make some rhymes to maybe win
Watch the toddler as he plays
Let work go for other days
I have words I need to write
He has teeth to brush at night
Then there's breakfast, lunch and dinner
Before I sit to write a winner
Or maybe I will have to settle
And pour some tea from out da kettle
Playing games and reading books
Hanging clothes on little hooks
Waiting for the bedtime hour
Waiting for the writing power
Hoping it comes forth with ease
Before he wakes for breakfast, please.

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So here's the info about it and links to get there. (Less a slice in this section and more an info-mercial.)

Hosted by Ed DeCaria at Think Kid, Think, it is a fast paced, word assignment driven, kid friendly and geared toward, poetry writing frenzy.  If you have never been there or done that, it is a thing to be there for!  (Calendar of events here.)

Classes are welcome to sign up to read the poems being created and submit a classroom vote on favorites.  If you haven't signed up a classroom, you should do that!  It doesn't take tons of time out of the day and it gives your kids exposure not only to poetry, but to some pretty interesting vocabulary! (Sign up page here.)

Individuals may vote also from their home computers.  But once you have voted on the day's offering of poems, that computer is finished until the next round!  No doubling up on votes!  That means each spouse would have to vote on their own individual computers.
The poets have a word assigned to them and they have 36 hours to craft a poem using that word.  The poems are then put up for all to read and vote on for a day.  Votes are tallied and a winner of each match is declared.  Winners are paired, and the next words are assigned for a new face-off.

So check out the page, sign up your classroom, and be ready to read some good poetry (there's never any bad poetry, is there?) later this month!

You may even find one of the poems leads you to a slice!