icy fingers

Image by shersteve via Flickr
ice bars
Originally uploaded by shersteve

Icy fingers dripped slowly
Down cold barring us from
Winter’s bright white grip


What is a sherku?

framed sunrise

Image by shersteve via Flickr
framed sunrise
Originally uploaded by shersteve

framed by the back window
looking out through the yard
sun poked the horizon


What is a sherku?

shadow play

When the small clouds blow quickly
through the sky, shadows play
the breeze for all its worth

Originally posted at Steve's 2 Cents


What is a sherku?

frosty morning

Cold enough that the frost
protected by the shade
sugar coated the green grass

Originally posted at Franklin Matters


What is a sherku?

the best cowboys

It’s no wonder they call it
Lost if all the best cowboys
Have daddy issues

What is a sherku?

A reflection upon finding that one of the episodes was titled "All the best cowboys have daddy issues"

Gettysburg 2008

On the 145th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's speech, I want to re-post what I wrote earlier this year when I visited Gettysburg:

seven score and five years
later these hallowed grounds
still yield awesome stories

Different

It will be different
Waking up on Monday
Not having to catch a train

What is a sherku?

Still

He said it wasn’t a
Matter of performance
Purely a cost cutting move

What is a sherku?

Time to run

Meeting canceled, this frees time
To go for a run
In the rain before dinner

What is a sherku?

Sentence

Layoff’s not a sentence like
Thirty seven days to live
What’s beyond that door?

What is a sherku?

Focus

Headlines scream layoffs
Can’t be worrying until
They tell me; work needs doing

What is a sherku?

Franklin Line #717 Outbound

They choose to stand leaning
With the train on the curves
Rather than sit middle seat

What is a sherku?

albatross

My work laptop died today
Feel so lost without my
Albatross, my data

What is a sherku?

Caravaggio green

Turn the page, Caravaggio
Green. What is this color?
Who was this artist?

What is a sherku?

Phoenix

Beep, beep error indicates
A BIOS issue; not good
Couldn’t rise bird like

What is a sherku?

Laptop

So much hope this morning
Didn’t keep my work laptop
From an untimely passing

What is a sherku?

Obama morning: Readville

We turn at Great Blue Hill
No stopping this train, city
Bound this hopeful morning

What is a sherku?

One of a series written on the morning after Barack Obama's historic presidential election.

Obama morning: Dedham Corp Ctr

By the pole where she stands
Eating her bagel, she can’t
See the hopeful sunrise

What is a sherku?

One of a series written the morning after Barack Obama's historic presidential election.

Obama morning: Norwood Central

My train seat doesn’t
Line up to show me a good
View of the hopeful sunrise

What is a sherku?

One of a series written on the morning after Barack Obama's historic presidential election.

Obama morning: Walpole

Reading about mackerel
The train pulls out of Walpole
Hopeful sun rising

What is a sherku?

One of a series written the morning after Barack Obama's historic presidential election.

Other Writing

meeting canceled; no need for
live reporting; can
catch up on other writing

What is a sherku?


Inspired by some free time created when a meeting canceled

introducing teens to poetry

To help spread the word:

Dear Friend: According to the results of a recent survey, over 75% of the people who use Poets.org share one characteristic: that they first developed an interest in poetry before their eighteenth birthday. With young people spending an average of 16.7 hours a week online, it is clear that in the long term, our best opportunity to reach new readers and writers of poetry is in their early years. That's the reason I'm writing to you today: to ask you to join me in a new Academy of American Poets campaign to dramatically expand our programs aimed at young users of Poets.org by taking fuller advantage of the technologies that the web makes available to us. Highlights of our initiative will include: • A new teen-specific area on Poets.org with resources specially designed for younger readers • Online chats between young readers and established poets • Free new videos featuring favorite poets reading and discussing their work • New and improved features at the mobile version of our website, Poets.org/m • Frequently updated content and resources in social networking platforms like Facebook and Myspace These are just a few of the aspects of our project—all aimed directly at young people who need to hear our message now more than at any other time. But in order to succeed, we need your help. These efforts will require funds for web programming and development, as well as bandwith and new software. During this back-to-school season, we raised $18,440 toward this project. We are now reaching out to Poets.org users like you to raise an additional $10,000 to reach our goal and move the project forward. With your help today, we can help start more people on the road toward appreciating poetry and, indeed, the lyricism of language and the magic and mystery of all the writing arts. If you could contribute $10, $25, or even $100 dollars to this project, it would help us tremendously. Plus, for a donation of $25 or more, we will send you a copy of How to Eat a Poem—an anthology of poems for middle-grade readers—for your favorite young lover of poetry. Donate today. Contributions in any amount will be greatly appreciated and will help us dramatically expand our online resources for teen readers. Sincerely, Tree Swenson Executive Director, Academy of American Poets P.S. Again, let me know if you would like to receive How to Eat a Poem as a token of our thanks. And please pass this email on to anyone who cares as passionately as you do about creating the next generation of poetry lovers.

real characters

You could pal with Huck and Tom
Skipping stones across the
Water and laugh out loud

This was inspired by Patti Digh and her new book Life is a Verb where she used a quote from Mark Twain.

What is a sherku?

mark steve

Let us endeavor so to
Live that when we come to
Die, the whole sky will cry

This was inspired by Patti Digh and her new book Life is a Verb where some of these words appeared in a quote from Mark Twain.

What is a sherku?

Mark Twain

He told stories of people
That plumbed the depths
Of American life

This was inspired by Patti Digh and her new book Life is a Verb where where she quoted from Mark Twain.

What is a sherku?

Privilege

When we lose the right to be
Different we lose the
Privilege to be free

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from a quote attributed to Charles Evens Hughes in Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

2 questions

Image by Maximo Lopez (netsella) via Flickr

What do I want the people
To think and say when I
Have left this world behind?

...

What do you want the people
To think and say when you
Have left this world behind?

What is a sherku?

your friend

No person is your friend
Who demands your silence
Or denies your right to grow

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are contained in a quote from Alice Walker and found in Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

remembering mother

I find it hard to believe
That I am older than
My mother lived to be

What is a sherku?



In Memoriam: Rita Sherlock, June 1929 - November 1983
We will celebrate the 25th anniversary of her passing in November.

touchstone meals

Who are the people making
These touchstone meals
That drove Proust to memory

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

turn signals

What I do affects you
What you do affects me
We are interconnected

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

Topolobampo

Go slowly, eat a good meal
Served well, at a place
Like Topolobampo

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

PS - Yes, Topolobampo is a real restaurant. The name just forces your mouth into wonderful sounding gymnastics! Next time I get to Chicago, I need to find this place.

this old train

From hours of rolling
Travel station to station
Form fitted naugahyde

What is a sherku?

Close the boardroom door

The endless list of things
To do; don’t let it get
In the way of living life

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

getting started

Tess just needed some help
Getting to sleep, a story
A song, a restful word

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

love

Love means for you to love
that which is unlovable
or it's not love at all

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

some blues

I merely gathered the
Energy it takes to pout
And wrote me some good blues

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

lost learning

Sometimes getting lost creates
The learning but you have to
Get off the ship first

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

snake skin

Sometimes letting go is
Just shedding like a snake
Sheds its skin in times of growth

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

shadows

Most of the shadows in this life
Are caused by us standing
In our own sunshine

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

seatmates

On this flight we call life
Choose your seatmates wisely
Sit with folks you would embrace

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

tiny ninjas

See the tiny ninjas!
Sometimes life comes down to
An effort to just show up

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

productive day

Productive day? Yes, good
Work at work and more sherkus
For Life is a Verb done

What is a sherku?

desire lines

Landscape architects have a
Name for dirt paths that
Take us where we want to go

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

leave a trail

Do not go where the path may
lead go instead where there is
no path; leave a trail

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

signal poles - 2

Signal poles spaced one hundred
Feet apart, no wire to
Carry, tracks run seamless

What is a sherku?

signal poles - 1

Signal poles spaced one hundred
Feet apart, no wire to
Carry, cross to old ways

What is a sherku?

migrant birds

Migrant birds hear a
Voice within; if only we
Would listen to it also

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

After W.C.W.

This is just to say
Grapes would be a good snack
If not left in my car today

For William Carlos Williams and his classic simple poem

special occasion

What is a special occasion
But one reason to get
Yourself all dressed up

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

the highest task - 2

This, the highest task for
Two people, protect the
Solitude of the other

This was inspired by Patti Digh and her new book Life is a Verb where these words appeared in a quote from Rainer Maria Rilke.

What is a sherku?

the highest task

For two people to bond
They need to protect the
Solitude of the other

This was inspired by Patti Digh and her new book Life is a Verb where these words appeared in a quote from Rainer Maria Rilke.

What is a sherku?

your voice

In these typed text the symbols
Could be any ones but it
Is your voice we hear

This was inspired by Patti Digh and her new book Life is a Verb.

What is a sherku?


for PD

beyond comfort

Pushing yourself past that
Envelop of comfort is
Where the big stuff happens

This is a "found" poem, that is the words from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.


What is a sherku?

portfolio

You should be very proud
Of every thing you put
In your portfolio

This is a "found" poem, that is the words from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.


What is a sherku?

those jeans

Full circle around the globe
That denim, those rivets
That distinctive red tag

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

something in the sunrise

Something in the sunrise
On the horizon says
Wall Street is not a concern

What is a sherku?

yardstick

What is the magic yardstick
Against which we measure
Our true worth in this world?

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

waiting to hear

So many feel like they’re
Waiting to hear “Your good,
I give you permission”

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

just in case

I have “Awesome God”, “Here I am
To worship”, bring
Everything just in case

a "found poem"

Overhearing this phone conversation on the train, I found the juxtaposition of what was in hand with bringing everything else, just in case, worthy of smiling about

toast rules

They’re all made up. Some so
Ingrained that we can no
Longer see they are toast rules

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

creativity

Creativity is breaking
Out of old patterns to
See things in new ways

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

reality

Is my reality
Any more real than yours?
How long is Britain’s coast line?

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

go to where they are

When they don’t get it, try
Going to where they are, see
Things from their perspective

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

Happy Birthday to JJL

There is a group of learners
Joyful, jubilant, yearners
Seeking for the way
To make their work pay
Or convert their readers to returners


Originally posted at the Joyful Jubilant Learning blog

love what you do

We should love what we do
And I mean be truly
Deeply passionate for it

This is a "found" poem, that is the words from Patti Digh's book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.


What is a sherku?

legwarmers

Time to bring out those Jane Fonda
Legwarmers you keep in
The basement dresser

This was inspired by Patti Digh and her new book Life is a Verb.

What is a sherku?

granting dignity

He gave cash to those in need
By pretending to find it
Granting dignity

This was inspired by Patti Digh and her new book Life is a Verb.

What is a sherku?

What about Wall Street?

It’s autumn, trees blaze with
Color then drop their leaves
In spring buds will sprout again

What is a sherku?

rethinking right

The attachment to being
Right is as much a sin
As lusting for something

This was inspired by Patti Digh and her new book Life is a Verb.

What is a sherku?

golden grain

Seeing a still picture
Of wheat is not like a
Field of wheat in the breeze

This was inspired by Patti Digh and her new book Life is a Verb.

What is a sherku?

slip stream

Back from swimming in words
On the train to Boston
Finding the current for work

What is a sherku?

say hi!

People who don’t have any
One to turn to could be
Right next to you, say hi

This was inspired by Patti Digh and her new book Life is a Verb.

What is a sherku?

train buddy says

Like a Gloucester fisherman
Yellow slicker beaded wet
It’s a bad hair day

What is a sherku?

indulgence

The brownie tasted good
With her coffee Friday
Morning at Dodge festival

What is a sherku?

delight

The mm’s and ah’s of the teens
Responding to Hirsch
Reading Friday night at Dodge

What is a sherku?

mud balls

Hikaru dorodango
Created from pure, simple
Common dirt and sand

This was inspired by Patti Digh and her new book Life is a Verb.

What is a sherku?

Billy Collins - Dodge Poetry Festival 2006

I have made my biannual pilgrimage to the Dodge Poetry Festival for the past 8 years to swim in a world of words and ideas. As much as I try to recapture that experience and report back to share it, I have been lacking. I can now turn to a new source. Dodge has been recording each Festival and has now begun to open that archive to us via YouTube.

Hallelujah!





Enjoy!

redefine normal

Dolls for girls, swords for boys
They, them, the others
Who gets to say what normal is?

This was inspired by Patti Digh and her new book Life is a Verb.

What is a sherku?

daughter's car

Turn on your daughter's car
Absorb the music beat
Rock with the loud new rhythms

This was inspired by Patti Digh and her new book Life is a Verb.

What is a sherku?

Once he knew

Leeuwenhoek couldn’t not know
Once he knew; He couldn’t
not see once he saw

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are written by Patti Digh in her book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

Note: I am assuming the pronunciation of Leeuwenhoek is with 4 syllables. If it is less than 4, or more than 4, then this doesn't really qualify as a sherku with 19 syllables.

What is a sherku?

grace #3

amazing stories in their
words leave me struggling
to define grace in my words

What is a sherku?

grace #2

Grace, amazing story of
Took us to another place
To be in their shoes

What is a sherku?

warmth of her body

I saw you were dying
I knew the warmth of her body
Would restore your life

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are written by Patti Digh in her book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

generosity

Generosity comes from
Opening up to those
We see as unlike us

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are written by Patti Digh in her book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

let me down easy

Anna just used words, their words
Took us to another place
To be in their shoes

In honor of Anna Deavere Smith's performance at A.R.T. in "Let me down easy"

What is a sherku?

he does IT

Dotting I’s, crossing T’s
He does great detailed I T
Project management

This was inspired by Patti Digh and her new book Life is a Verb.

What is a sherku?

for JM

plenty of advice

Wow! A derailed train!
Thirty safety vests clustered
Telling Joe what to do

What is a sherku?

red convertible

I rented a red sedan
Not a Cadillac, not
Convertible, but red!

This was inspired by Patti Digh and her new book Life is a Verb.

What is a sherku?

derailed

How do trains derail?
Wheels go slip slide away
Or switch thrown incorrectly?

What is a sherku?

train reading

Bright September sun
Hinders my train reading,
Should have sat across the aisle

What is a sherku?

pink glasses

With pink glasses she looked
Beautiful like a light was
Shining from inside her

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are written by Patti Digh in her book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

small grape

Carry your small grape
Keep it safe. Remind yourself
to find wonder in the world

This is a "found" poem, that is the words are written by Patti Digh in her book Life is a Verb. I gave them the format for sherku.

What is a sherku?

The "Life is a Verb" collection

Click here to find the sherku inspired by Patti Digh's Life is a Verb.


Note: The listing is short this week. It will grow as I continue to work this 37 Days challenge of my own to find a sherku in each of Patti's essays in her book Life is a Verb.

If you would like to participate and provide your own versions or rewrite what I have crafted, feel free to do so. You can add it in a comment, or send it to me via email. Or post it on your own page and tag it with "LIAV".


What is a sherku?

stop judging

If I stop judging other
people, I free myself from
being judged and dance

A "found" poem, that is the words were written by Patti Digh in her book Life is a Verb. I formatted them to make the sherku.

What is a sherku?

we give up

we give up our power
to the very people
who took it away from us

This is a "found" poem, that is the words were written by Patti Digh in her book Life is a Verb. I formatted them for the sherku.

What is a sherku?

being lost

Being lost only has meaning
When contrasted with
Knowing where you are now

a "found" poem, that is the words are mostly David Hollies as quoted in Patti Digh's Life is a Verb

What is a sherku?

good answer

Will they get lost without
The book? No, they will recall
Your full life is a verb!

For Patti Digh and her new book, Life is a Verb

What is a sherku?

journey

your journey will come to an end
because there's nowhere
to go beyond silence

a "found" poem, that is the words were found in Ode's Jul/Aug issue in an article by Tijn Touber.

What is a sherku?

problems

problems are nothing but
thought structures that you can
step out of at any time

a "found" poem, that is the words are mostly Eckard Tolle's who was quoted in Ode's Jul/Aug issue in an article by Tijn Touber. I added one syllable (that) to make it a sherku.

What is a sherku?

37 days

day one of thirty seven

times thirty seven days;

three years or a life time

What is a sherku?

For Patti Digh on her book Life is a Verb

It helps to check the math, I had originally hand calculated 37 x 37 to get the result of 37 x 77. Fortunately, I woke up and caught my error.

wind power

heat stirs the currents

currents turn the blades

generating electric power

What is a sherku?

written when thinking about the new wind turbines coming to Franklin

sherku: School days

blue cloud dotted sky

greets students and teacers

school opens today in Franklin

What is a sherku?

sherku: Gettysburg 2008

seven score and five years
later these hallowed grounds
still yield awesome stories

Mobile post sent by shersteve using Utterz. Replies.

zydeco

zydeco gets my foot a tappin'
get my hands a clappin'
French blood pumpin'

What is a sherku?

written at the Lowell Folk Festival to the sounds of Jeffrey Broussard and the Creole Cowboys

flat land

gentle breeze rippling through
fertile fields of grain
this land is too flat for me

for Lisa

What is a sherku?

clouds grazing

Puffy cotton clouds grazing
Against a powder blue sky
Why, oh, why, can’t I

What is a sherku?

Tally's Special

Special circumstances
One last choice; listen to that
Tiny heartbeat or not

What is a sherku?

A short form book review of Specials by Scott Westerfeld

Tally's Choice

Gorgeous, popular
Perfectly wrong; she has
To decide what’s important

What is a sherku?

A short form book review of Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

Tally discovers

Turn sixteen, get to be
Super model gorgeous
What could be wrong with that?

What is a sherku?

A short form book review of Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

dogwood bloom

delicate yellow counter points
dogwood blooming bent with
the weight of water

What is a sherku?

Inspired by Amy Palko's posting here and the picture that resulted here

seagull

seagull perched white on blue
clear sky boat sounds warning
no clouds no poems yet

What is a sherku?

SOBCon08

The man once went to SOBCon
(He musta got lost in Tucson)
But once he got there
He found people who cared
Refreshed, he went home to blog on

While on the boat tour along the Chicago waterfront on a spectacular evening

broadcasting light

Old rusted rails, stone piles
Creosoted wood stacks

CD broadcasts light

What is a sherku?

hung to dry

Laundry strung to dry post

To post above the railing

Lawn chair ready to watch

What is a sherku?

row houses

Row houses similar shapes

Different color shades

Different walks of life

What is a sherku?

Franklin Line: Dorchester Branch

Takes time to work on a bridge

That still needs to be used

Trains run single file

What is a sherku?

warning beacon

Industrial smoke stack

Warning beacon, fly away planes

No good air to breath

What is a sherku?

subcommittee

Beware of subcommittee

Analysis that may

Produce a nice surprise

What is a sherku?

railroad ties

New ties stacked green banded

Five by five to a bundle

Lay down a smooth ride

What is a sherku?

the answer

You need to define the

Problem you are trying

To solve to find the answer

What is a sherku?

graffiti covered wall

Graffiti covered wall, art
Or vandalism? Good
Question. It does come back

What is a sherku?

water calm

Water calm, no more powering
The boarded up mill all
Work transferred away

What is a sherku?

happy couple 2

Camera in hand, her arm
Extended above the seat
Their love captured now

What is a sherku?

happy couple 1

Couple cuddled, then alert
Told their ticket was only
Half price; they relaxed

What is a sherku?

Franklin Line: South Station

The eagle surveys Dewey Square
Shows its backside track side
On top South Station

What is a sherku?

Franklin Line: Hyde Park

A place for a good kids game
Skipping, jumping, playing
Seeking fun at Hyde Park

What is a sherku?

blind sided

Still recovering from
The discovery that
I got blind sided this week

What is a sherku?

Franklin Line: Backyard view

Sheds, stacks, discards, everyone
Has them along the edge
Or behind their wood fence

What is a sherku?

clean windows

There is nothing like clean glass
Windex and towels make the pass
Take care you don’t get hurt
As you wipe the webs and dirt
The only acceptable sheen is high class

Franklin Line: Forge Park

Coals give heat, bellows fan
Flames, tongs reach through to the end
Of the line at Forge Park

What is a sherku?

the elders

The elders take their time
Getting someplace enjoying
The moments on the way

What is a sherku?

The young

The young spend a lot of
Energy getting someplace
And then they are restless

What is a sherku?

spring cleaning

When it comes to spring cleaning
She can be quite preening
But he reaches outside
She handles the inside
And the windows yield to double sheening

Franklin Line: Back Bay

Once marshland, filled and
Filled with lowered hills
Seagulls cry out in Back Bay

What is a sherku?

did I mention

One aspect of limericks, they tend toward obscene
Here at JJL we will not do that scene
But still have a ball
Showing respect for all
By keeping our lyrics clean

Originally posted in the comments on the Joyful Jubilant Learning blog

There are two ladies from Australia

There are two ladies from Australia
who have some good ideas to persuade ya
to save your Christmas sanity
and avoid holiday calamity
go visit their site without delay ya!

For Chris Owen and Karen Wallace, good buddies at JJL

Originally posted on the Joyful Jubilant Learning blog

There once was a lady from Hawaii

There once was a lady from Hawaii
Who inspired a Ho’ohana community
To review good books
Share their learning with hooks
And spread the word from sea to sea

Yes, some literary license was exercised here as rhymes with Hawaii are limited.

For Rosa Say

Originally posted on the Joyful Jubilant Learning blog

There was a lad from Pawtucket

There was a lad from Pawtucket 

who now had to rhyme with suck it 

but he did not dare 

as he did not swear 

so he found a way to duck it

Originally posted on the Joyful Jubilant Learning blog

Franklin Line: Ruggles Station

The old Braves outfield at the
South End Grounds is a
Parking garage at Ruggles

What is a sherku?

Franklin Line: Islington

Westwood’s only stop on the
Franklin Line; is it or
Isn’t it Islington?

What is a sherku?

Franklin Line: Dedham Corporate Center

No family store, no
Five and dime, not here
At Dedham Corporate Center

What is a sherku?

Franklin Line; Norwood Central

Stopped in horizontal
Sunlight random search dog
Walks at Norwood Central

What is a sherku?

Multiple places, why?

6Apart, Facebook announce
New Blog It tool to post
Multiple places. Why?

What is a sherku?

Franklin Line: Variations on a theme (sherku x 3)

One talks loud on her phone
Another dives into her book
I want understanding

------

One talks loud on her phone
Another noses into her book
I watch the trees pass

------

One talking on her phone
Another noses into her book
I try to make sense


------

What is a sherku?

Franklin Line: Walpole

Center pole, may pole
Streamers, flowers, ribbons
Second track ends here in Walpole

What is a sherku?

Franklin Line: Norfolk

Pitch fork to bale the hay
Butter knife with dainty scones
Franklin’s neighbor Norfolk

What is a sherku?

Franklin Line: Windsor Gardens

Chivalry, dukes, lords and
Ladies, not so grand this next
Stop is Windsor Gardens

What is a sherku?

wet jeans

What is worse than wet jeans?
Having your team lose the
Soccer game that got you wet

What is a sherku?

originally posted at Steve's 2 Cents

missed train

Conference call long, platform full
10 foot short, 10 seconds late
There goes my ride

What is a sherku?

justice for all

Wholesome body, sensual
Journey lovingly united
Justice for all

Inspired by Sharon Olds' "Topography"

What is a sherku?

strike sparks

Each poem whole tendrils
Of memory, this book careful
Selection to strike sparks

A short form book review of Sharon Olds' Strike Sparks: Selected Poems, 1980-2002

I had the pleasure of seeing/hearing Sharon at the Dodge Poetry Festival 2004

What is a sherku?

Franklin Layoffs?

Now that we are there
How do we stay? Layoff
45 teachers? Rue the day!

What is a sherku?

For more about Franklin's budget situation, please visit Franklin Matters

Jimmy's driving

Where will the train stop?
The barrel, tree, or big crack
Need to know to greet the door

What is a sherku?

Franklin's Top 10

Three Top 10 lists found us
If only they would send money
So we can afford it

What is a sherku?

Actually it is two Top 10 and one Top 100 so I'll use this one as a "literary license"

• Top 10 - Family Circle
• Top 10 - CNN/Money
• Top 100 - US News & World Report

Poem in Your Pocket Day - April 17th

Celebrate the first national Poem In Your Pocket Day!

The idea is simple: select a poem you love during National Poetry Month then carry it with you to share with co-workers, family, and friends on April 17.

Poems from pockets will be unfolded throughout the day with events in parks, libraries, schools, workplaces, and bookstores. Create your own Poem In Your Pocket Day event using ideas below or let us know how you will celebrate Poem In Your Pocket Day by emailing npm@poets.org.

In this age of mechanical and digital reproduction, it's easy to carry a poem, share a poem, or start your own PIYP day event. Here are some ideas of how you might get involved:

Start a "poems for pockets" give-a-way in your school or workplace Urge local businesses to offer discounts for those carrying poems Post pocket-sized verses in public places Handwrite some lines on the back of your business cards Start a street team to pass out poems in your community Distribute bookmarks with your favorite immortal lines Add a poem to your email footer Post a poem on your blog or social networking page Project a poem on a wall, inside or out Text a poem to friends