It’s Poem in Your Pocket Day – The ACE Poetry Contest Mascots are Giving Poem Treats

By ACE Poetry Contest Mascots – Riley, Alpha Public Schools; Hei Hei, San Francisco International High School; Samosa, Oakland International High School; and Thor, Oxford Day Academy

It’s one of my favorite days of the year – Poem in Your Pocket Day. And the ACE Poetry Contest Mascots have some poems in their “pockets” to share. Poems are the treats of all treats and, just like we do, they come in all shapes and sizes.

Hei Hei is up first.

Hei Hei, ACE Poetry Contest Mascot, SFIHS

You know I love Haiku. It’s an ancient form of Japanese poetry, but lots of people write it today. Let’s stay ancient. Here’s one by Kyori, who inspires me about spring.

Watching the spring moon
Rise, I no longer bother
About the mountains

Kyori

Samosa, ACE Poetry Contest Mascot, OIHS

We live in the Bay Area. This is one of my favorites because it blends cats and fog. A great combination.

Fog

The fog comes
On little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

Carl Sandburg

Thor, ACE Poetry Contest Mascot, ODA

You know I love an epic poem, but they don’t have to be long. They can just tell an epic story with an epic thought. Paris just had an epic catastrophe with the burning of Notre Dame, but the building survived. So did many of the gargoyles and the spirit of a country.

A Gargoyle on Notre Dame

With angel’s wings and brutish-human form,
Weathered with centuries of sun and storm,
He crouches yonder on the gallery wall,
Monstrous, superb, indifferent, cynical:
And all the pulse of Paris cannot stir
Her one immutable philosopher.

Edward Kemper Broadus

Riley, ACE Poetry Contest Mascot, Alpha Public Schools

Lucy and me, Riley, sharing poems.

Arf! My turn again. You know I have a special friend, Lucy, who is just beginning in this world. There’s a great poem by Sarah Kay who tells it like it is today. She offers Lucy and all students who are learning about poetry and life a perspective about looking for the sweet stuff (or treats) in the world despite the heartbreak that can accompany it.

It’s a long poem (sorry Thor, I broke a rule) so I’ll only give you the last three stanzas. I also attached the video of Sarah reciting her poem. It’s from a mom’s POV, but it could be mine too.

Have a great Poem in Your Pocket Day!

B

But I want her to know that this world is made out of sugar.
It can crumble so easily.
But don’t be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it.

Baby, I’ll tell her, remember your mama is a worrier and your papa is a warrior.
And you’re the girl with small hands and big eyes who never stops asking for more.
Remember that good things come in threes and so do bad things and
always apologize when you’ve done something wrong
but don’t you ever apologize for the way your eyes refuse to stop shining,
your voice is small but don’t ever stop singing.

And when they finally hand you a heartache,
when they slip war and hatred under your door and offer you handouts on street corners
of cynicism and defeat, you tell them that they really ought to meet your mother.

Sarah Kay