In honor of Valentine's Day, I'm reposting a few of my favorite collections of love poems along with some links to poetry collections.
Valentine Hearts selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins is perfect for young readers because they will relate to poems about everything from heart-shaped sandwiches to hoping for a special valentine and a love note for a special pet. I am honored to have a poem included in this very gorgeous little book.
Singing Valentine
Outside my window
on the icy ground below
a little bird sings:
"Chick-a-dee
dee
dee
Chick-a-dee
dee
dee."
A valentine melody
just for me!
Linda Kulp, all rights reserved
Click here to read two poems from the collection by two very talented poets, Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Marilyn Singer.
Hopscotch Love: A Family Treasury in Love Poems by Nikki Grimes is a true “valentine delight” with poems about many different types of love. The rhymed and unrhymed poems are written in variety of forms including: letter poem, list, and free verse. I love the vivid imagery and deep emotions in this collection. Here is the beginning of one of my favorite poems from the collection.
Sweethearts Dance
He pulls her close
She strokes his face
Their thoughts fly to
Their starting place
Read the rest of the poem here, and you'll see why I'm such a big Nikki Grimes fan.
Check out these links for a few Young Adult collections I love:
I Am Wings and Buried Alive both by Ralph Fletcher
A Lion’s Hunger: Poems of First Love by Ann Turner
Partly Cloudy: Poems of Love and Longing by Gary Soto
Dizzy in Your Eyes: Poems About Love by Pat Mora
I found the next two collections several years ago while browsing the poetry section in my local Borders. It's unfortunate that so many wonderful book stores have closed. I used to have a lot of fun discovering treasures such as these.
Also check out: Love Poems by Charles Ghigna. After you read these beautiful poems, you might want to pen your own poem for someone you love. Charles provides us with inspiration and advice here.
Love Poems by Nikki Giovanni. I come back to these poems again and again!
If you have other favorite collections of love poetry, please share the titles with me so I can add them to my bookshelf.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Be sure to stop by to see Sally for more Poetry Friday to love today!
Congrats on being part of the book. I like the chickadee poem. So much Valentine sweetness here. Thanks for the love.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all these recs -- haven't seen any of them yet and looking forward to reading them (esp. Charles Ghigna's Love Poems).
ReplyDelete"Singing Valentine" is delightful. Congratulations on it being included in "Valentine Hearts."
ReplyDeleteAwwwwwww, singing Valentine is lovely! It too me right back to February of my childhood. That chick-a-dee sound is so distinct. I don't hear it much where I live now. What a great memory. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great collection of love poems!
ReplyDeleteLove that "Valentine Melody", Linda, and the other love poem books. I used to write love poems with my middle schoolers at this time of year, lots of fun. Do you know Eloise Greenfield's Honey, I Love & I Feel A Little Jumpy Around You - Nye & Janeczko? I've used both. Thanks for your ideas, noted!
ReplyDeleteLotta love here! I'm especially taken with that chickadee singing a Valentine wish!
ReplyDeleteLOVE-ly collection, Linda, and your Valentine Chickadees are perfect little singing Valentines. XOs from here!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this collection of ideas. They will be lovely to share in my classroom this week.
ReplyDeleteI like your fun singing valentine Ditty Linda! Thanks too for this lovely collection of heartfelt books. Happy Valentine's Day!
ReplyDeleteSo much love here - and many collections for me to add to my 'to find' list. I love your poem!
ReplyDeleteThese look great-- thanks for sharing! I love your bird poem... beautiful, AND it teaches a bird call! :)
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