Today is Earth Day. And we're still celebrating National Poetry Month. So naturally it's a good day to write a poem about....the Earth!
Earth is a BIG subject, so let's write about one small part of nature.
I love to write odes. An ode is a poem that celebrates a person, animal, object...or anything.
To write an Earth Day Ode, first think about your subject. A porcupine, pine cone, or polar star? A cactus, canyon, or caterpillar?
Choose your favorite animal, your favorite place in nature, or go outside and find a leaf, rock, or stick you'd like to put into an ode.
Odes don't have to rhyme. Often they're addressed directly ("you") to the subject. They can follow any form.
Here's my Earth Day Ode to ice.
Ice
You cover our poles
South and north
Keeping Earth cooled down.
Frozen bubbles of water.
Silver, white, gray, black.
Your frost and rime and crystals are
Brittle and beautiful as diamonds.
We don't thank you enough
So I'm thanking you now.
Your fields stretch out
Like a frozen blanket
Protecting us.
