STEAM POWERED POETRY VIDEO

As the school year comes to a close, the STEAM Powered Poetry site created by Heidi Bee Roemer, is an excellent resource chock-full of poetry videos to keep students engaged in S.T.E.A.M. learning all summer long. 

Heidi who is an amazing poet and friend writes: 

"Across the curriculum, “S.T.E.A.M. Powered Poetry Videos for Pk-8” promotes poetry in the classroom using multiple methods and strategies. In addition to kid-friendly poetry videos, this vlog features crafts, classroom activities, and reference lists for related children’s books that offer additional information on each poem’s subject. We offer an annual poetry-prompted video contest for older students and provide monthly educational videos for younger students with our Wee Steamers program.

I believe that poetry can be easily integrated into the classroom and used to enhance learning at all grade levels. The goal of our blog is to provide teachers with educational resources, motivate students to become excited about poetry and technology, and to promote children’s authors and the books they create." 

I am happy to report the video for my poem "The International Space Station" won second place.  It was an honor to be a small part of this much needed program, and Lauren did a fantastic job bringing my poem to life! 

Teachers and homeschool parents, The STEAM POWERED POETRY video contest is free to enter. It begins each October and runs through April. The contest is a wonderful opportunity to combine research and creativity! Find more poetry videos and information about the contest here.

Note: Blogger has been fussy lately. Please let me know if there is a problem with the links, and I'll do my best to fix them as soon as possible. 

A special thank you to Monica Voelkel for hosting this week's Poetry Friday.

Have a great week!

Linda

 

A Poetry Contest Opportunity and The International Space Station

I’m excited to share this unique opportunity that I hope you will pass on to teachers, librarians, and homeschool parents. 

The Steam Powered Video Contest invites students to choose a poem from the Contest Poetry Packet (40 poems in all!) and transform it into a short, engaging video for younger learners. It’s a fantastic project that blends poetry and creativity while boosting media literacy skills. The best part? It’s totally free, AND there are cash prizes! The contest runs from October 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026.

I am honored that my poem "The International Space Station" is included as one of the 40 poems by a variety of award-winning children’s poets, some of them are Poetry Friday friends!

Again, the contest is free, fun, and brimming with opportunities for imagination and collaboration. Full details: https://steampoweredpoetry.com/contest/.

Heidi Bee Roemer is the founder and host of  Steam Powered Poetry Contest. Heidi has a passion for poetry! She is the author of 11 children's books and nearly 500 of her poems have appeared in children's magazines and anthologies, and educational publications. Her poems inform and delight readers of all ages. Best of all, she has a new book on the way this fall!

In addition to writing her own poetry, Heidi has mentored many other aspiring poets. She is a kind and generous teacher who gives personal attention to her students. Taking her class nearly twenty years ago was one of the best things I did for my writing. All these years later, I'm still learning from her, and I'm so proud to call Heidi my friend.

Registration for the contest opens Oct. 1. I plan to share more information as the time gets closer. I can't wait to see the videos students create!

I'm still having some issues with my blog and getting everything to work. Thank you for your patience as I work through them. : )

 

A special thank you to Jama for hosting this week on her blog Jama's Alphabet Soup. Jama's posts are always delicious so be sure to check it out.

Have a great week!

 

 

©Linda Kulp Trout

During my teaching years, I worked with many teaching assistants. They were important partners in my classroom. They are dedicated and work hard to help students learn. They don't get enough credit for their contributions. I wrote this poem as a tribute to them.

Note: I've been working to update my blog. I'm grateful for the how-to videos on YouTube!  There's still a lot I need to figure out including how to get my links to work. Technology is challenging for me, but I'm getting there. 

A big thank you to Margaret for hosting this week's Poetry Friday on her blog Reflections on the Teche.  

Have a great week!

 

Progressive Poem 2025

This month has flown by, and I've enjoyed following our progressive poem. Today it's my turn to add a line.

I decided to have the speakers of our poem follow a moonlit path. 

Open an April window
let sunlight paint the air
stippling every dogwood
dappling daffodils with flair

Race to the garden
where woodpeckers drum
as hummingbirds thrum
in the blossoming Sweetgum

Sing as you set up the easels
dabble in the paints
echo the colors of lilac and phlox
commune without constraints

Breathe deeply the gifts of lilacs
rejoice in earth’s sweet offerings
feel renewed-give thanks at day’s end
remember long-ago springs

Bask in a royal spring meadow
romp like a golden-doodle pup!
startle the sleeping grasshoppers
delight in each flowering shrub…

Drinking in orange-blossom twilight
relax to the rhythm of stars dotting sky
as a passing Whip-poor-will gulps bugs

We follow a moonlit path that calls us

I can't wait to see where Heidi takes our poem next!

April 25 Heidi Mordhorst at My Juicy Little Universe
April 26 Michelle Kogan at: https://moreart4all.wordpress.com/
April 27 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
April 28 Pamela Ross at Words in Flight
April 29 Diane Davis at Starting Again in Poetry
April 30 April Halprin Wayland at Teaching Authors

For those of you new to the process: this NPM children’s poetry celebration was originally begun by Irene Latham, and the mantle taken up by Margaret Simon, who wrangled this year’s distracted poets into a cohesive whole. Linda M. started us off with a gloriously open April window…

A Universe of Rainbows

I love rainbows! So I'm thrilled to share a new anthology about all kinds of rainbows. 

A UNIVERSE OF RAINBOWS is a beautiful new book published by Eerdmans with poems selected by Matt Forrest Esenwine and illustrations by Jamey Cristoph.  It is a joy-filled celebration of rainbows, and each poem is accompanied by a scientific sidebar offering a few interesting facts. Congratulations to Matt and all of my poetry friends who wrote amazing poems for this anthology.  It is sure to be a hit with teachers and rainbow lovers of all ages.  

I've shared this poem before, but it seemed fitting to share it again today. A few years ago, my son sent me this photo, and here is the haiku I wrote for it.

A big thank you to Matt for hosting this week on his blog: Radio, Rhythm, and Rhyme.

Have a great weekend.

Happy Poetry Month!

Letter to a Bowling Ball

 

Dear Bowling Ball

Score tied.

Last frame.

I need a strike

to win the game.

Take a breath.

Check my stance.

Line you up.

Just one chance.

I send you flying

like a rocket

straight toward

the center pocket.

I think I might

get a strike

until

you decide

to take a right

                into

                       the 

                           gutter.

I thought I had you

in the zone,

but now I know--

dear bowling ball,

you have a mind 

of your own.

©Linda Kulp Trout

Like my bowling game, this poem is a work-in-progress. 😊

A big thank you to Rose for hosting today on her blog Imagine the Possibilities.

Have a great week!

Letter to a Poet

I almost didn't post anything today. Most of the time, I feel like I don't have anything worth posting. Then last night I read a book of poetry. I started wondering if the poet who wrote such heartfelt poems ever worried about sharing them with the world. I sat holding her book wishing I could talk to her. Before I knew it, a letter poem started forming in my mind. 

I don't often write in rhyme, but it's how the words came to me so I went with it. I may go back someday and work on the poem a bit more, but for now, it's what my heart needed to say.

I write to make a difference. My hope is that someday I write a poem that helps someone the way so many books and poems have helped me. So every once in a while, I gather my courage and share my writing. 

Thank you for reading. 

A special thank you to Janice for hosting this week's Poetry Friday on her blog Salt City Verse.  Be sure to check out her lovely poem "If a Snowstorm Comes to Town" here. It's just one of the fabulous poems in the brand new anthology, IF I COULD CHOOSE A BEST DAY. 

f I Had a Different Name

©Linda Kulp Trout 2023

This week IF I COULD CHOOSE A BEST DAY edited by Charles Waters and Irene Latham arrived on my doorstep. It is a beautiful anthology with poems of possibility. Every poem is fantastic! I especially enjoyed reading the poems written by our Poetry Friday friends. 

As I was reading, I remembered that I had written an "If" poem for WRITE WITH ME and decided to share a revised version of it today. I've always been fascinated with names and how they are an important part of our identity.

I've known students and adults who were unhappy with their first name and chose to go by a middle name, nickname, or legally changed their name. Most parents put a lot of thought into the names they choose for their children. I wish I'd asked my mother how she chose my name. Linda was a popular name choice back then in part because it was the title of a popular song. Still, I wish I knew more about why she chose it. 

How about you?  Do you know the story behind your name? Do you like you name? Do you think you'd the same if you had a different name? 

A big thank you to Margaret for hosting this week's Poetry Friday on her blog Reflections on the Teche.

More Mistakes

Making mistakes and learning from them is an important part of life. Last week, I shared the beautiful new picture book anthology The Mistakes That Made Us: Confessions from Twenty Poets.  This week I want to share another anthology on the topic of mistakes.  Imperfect Poems About Mistakes: An Anthology for Middle Schoolers edited by Tabatha Yeatts.  I think they make excellent companion books and should be in every classroom library. 

Today's poem, which appeared in the IMPERFECT, was inspired by something I observed all too often when I was teaching middle school. Students liked working with their friends and sometimes were not happy when I chose a partner for them. Some students, like the speaker in the poem, made their feelings known. I'm hopeful some of them later regretted how they made the other person feel and learned from their mistake.

©Linda Kulp Trout

Note: I love reading your comments and appreciate them very much. 

                     Your comment will not appear right away due to the comment moderation feature. 

Thank you to Denise for hosting today on her blog Dare to Care.

I hope you have a great week!

 

The Mistakes That Made Us

It is so important for young people to see that they are not alone in making mistakes. A couple of years ago, I wrote a poem about one of my childhood mistakes. It's included in my book Write With Me along with a short passage about how we can eventually look back on our mistakes and see them in a new light. Because I'm always revising my poems, this version is slightly different from the one in my book. 

The Swimming Pool

My friend invited me to cool off

in her brand-new swimming pool.

I was eight.

I was scared. 

I didn't know how to swim.

I knew I should say no.

But it was August-hot,

so I said yes.

Shoulder-deep in water

we tossed a beach ball,

laughing, splashing,

letting go of my fear

until--

I slipped and went under

swallowing a mouthful

of throat burning,

stomach churning

chlorinated water.

I stood up,

threw up

right there in the middle

of that brand-new pool.

My friend scrambled

out of the water

face full of fire

screaming,

You ruined summer!

She stomped away

leaving me standing

alone.

Wrapped in my towel

and shame,

I plodded home

knowing

I'd never be invited again. 

© Linda Kulp Trout

Have you seen this wonderful new anthology about mistakes? The poems in THE MISTAKES THAT MADE US: Confessions from Twenty Poets selected by the talented team of  Irene Latham and Charles Waters make great conversation starters. Readers will be able to identify with the situations and emotions the poets describe. The poems make excellent mentor texts. Every classroom library needs a copy!

A big thank you to my friend, the incredibly talented Laura Purdie Salas for hosting today. 

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you have a wonderful week full of love and magic!

I haven't posted in a long while, but every Friday I enjoy all of the offerings. I've been wanting to jump back in, but my mind has been filled with distractions. Each week, I intend to join in then talk myself out of it because I don't think I have anything worth sharing. Weeks and months fly by. The longer I'm away from something, the harder it is for me to start up again. But, lately I've been feeling like I need to do something to bring more light and kindness into the world. The Poetry Friday community does exactly that.  It is a group of wonderful people who are always kind and supportive. A place where everyone is welcome. So here I am posting two poems on Thursday evening before I change my mind. 

The past couple of weeks we've had what forecasters call "a parade of storms" with snow and ice. The snow outside my window covering the ground and trees is so beautiful. I haven't seen many birds lately, but several winters ago I saw a little bird in my yard. Although I'm not sure if what kind of bird it was, my imagination led me to write this poem. 

This next poem comes from my book Write With Me, a poetry journal for middle grade and young adults. Each poem in the collection is accompanied by a short vignette about the topic and an invitation for young people to write about their own experiences. This poem is about my first crush in seventh grade. 

My crush on the boy in the poem lasted the entire school year. My friend encouraged me to tell him, but I was much too shy. He never said anything, but I wonder if he knew. He'd always smile when we passed in the hallway, and of course my heart would melt. I was sure he was my one and only true love until that day in eighth grade when I moved on to a new crush. 

A big thank you to Linda for hosting today's Poetry Friday on her blog TeacherDance. 

I hope your Valentine's Day is filled with love and happiness! 

Awakening the Heart

I can't believe it's been over four months since my last post. I've been busy with family, revising my novel-in-verse, and working on a new project.The months have flown by. I'm finally popping in today to share a beautiful new book by Georgia Heard. 

I have loved her first edition of AWAKENING THE HEART since its publication nearly twenty-five years ago. It gave me the resources and encouragement I needed to teach and share poetry with my elementary and middle school students. When I retired from teaching, it is one of the few resource books I kept. Whenever I feel stuck, I flip through my copy's well-worn pages and always find inspiration! 

I never imagined that someday, I would have a poem in such a wonderful book! I am honored that my poem "Alone Doesn't Have to Be Lonely" (which I shared here) is included in the second edition of AWAKENING THE HEART. 

Summer is a time when teachers refresh and prepare for the upcoming school year. This updated and expanded version is the perfect end-of-year gift for teachers. It is filled with time-saving, practical teaching ideas and examples by children and adult poets. It will be a cherished resource for years to come.

In addition to being included in Georgia's new book, this poem extra special to me because it was inspired by a rock art picture my sister made for me. It's a picture I look at every day, and it always makes me smile.

I appreciate the time it takes to write a comment. I love reading your thoughts about my posts. If your comment doesn't appear right away, it is due to comment moderation. Thank you so much for taking time from your busy day to read my blog. 

A big thank you to my talented friend Buffy for hosting today's Poetry Friday.

Have a great weekend!

Celebrating a New Year and My Birthday

Having a birthday right after the holidays (January 2) meant money was especially tight, 

   but my mother always made sure I had a present. I loved music so a record player was the 

     best gift ever!

Along with the record player, I got a 45 record titled "All I Have to Do is Dream" by the    Everly Brothers. I had never heard the song, but with only one record, I played it over and  over. Although it is a love song, I didn't think of it that way. Maybe it was because the        word dream (one of my very favorite words) is repeated over 30 times. For eleven-year-old me, it was about dreams and making them come true. Even now, the song brings back memories of dancing across the living room floor singing, "Dream, dream, dream..." I was (and still am) a dreamer who loves to imagine "someday."

Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, 2024. May all your dreams come true!

 A big thank you to the very talented Michelle for hosting today.

I love reading your comments and try to respond to every one. Due to some recent SPAM comments, I have enabled moderation so there will be a delay in your comment being posted. 

Holiday Movies

Last night, I had fun playing with holiday movie titles and turning them into this little poem. 

A big thank you to Jone for hosting this week's Poetry Friday.

Wishing you love and laughter this holiday season and a healthy, happy 2024!

Linda

This is another poem from my book WRITE WITH ME.  For each section in the book, I wrote a little story about the inspiration for the poem. There are also prompts and a space for writers to add their thoughts, poems, and stories.  My hope is that sharing some of my personal poems and stories will encourage others to write about their own emotions and experiences.

A big thank you to Carol for hosting today's Poetry Friday on her blog The Apples in My Orchard.

NOTE: Comment moderation is installed on this blog so your comment will not appear until approved. I love your comments and read ever one of them! Thank you so much for taking time to share your thoughts. 

Some Days

I'm grateful for this community where we meet every Friday to support and encourage each other.  

A big thank you to Bridget at wee words for wee ones for hosting this week's Poetry Friday gathering.

A Place Where I Can Be Me

It is always scary for me to share my poems and stories, especially when they are so personal.  Your  supportive comments last week helped ease my fear. Your kindness and encouragement means a lot to me. Thank you so much!

Today I'm sharing a poem from my new book WRITE WITH ME. You can read more about my book here.

I really do think of my journal as a place. It is a home for my words, my ideas, and my thoughts.  A place where I can be my own true self without worrying about being good enough. Inside the pages of my journal feels safe and comfortable.They tell the story of my life, and contain a part of me I don't always show the world. As I read through old journals, I gain perspective and begin to understand more about myself. 

I have a ton of journals and probably should recycle them, but they are so hard to part with. 

If you write in journals, I'd love to know what you do with them when they are full. Do you keep them? Recycle them? 

A special thank you to Matt for hosting this week on his blog Radio, Rhythm, & Rhyme. 

Have a great week!

Thank You Poetry Friday and Write with Me

 Dear friends, 

I have a new book, and I have you (and many others) to thank for it.  I could not have written it without the years of encouragement and support you have given.  WRITE WITH ME is part poetry, part memoir, and part journal.  

I got the idea for WRITE WITH ME after reading GOOD LUCK GOLD & MORE by the amazing Janet Wong. I love her book so much!  In it, Janet writes about growing up, family, culture, and identity. These are topics I care deeply about. (If you haven't read GOOD LUCK GOLD & MORE you are missing something special!) I was so inspired by Janet's poems and stories about her life, I wanted to write my own. GOOD LUCK GOLD & MORE became my mentor text. 

At first, I planned to write a book for my grandchildren. It was just going to be a few poems and stories about my life with space for my grandchildren to write about theirs. Then, I remembered the way my former students often struggled to find topics to write about. I started adding poems (some new, some previously published) exploring emotions, regrets, identity...  WRITE WITH ME grew into an interactive journal I hope will inspire writers of all ages the way GOOD LUCK GOLD & MORE inspired me. 

A lot of people helped me make this book a reality as you can see by my long list of acknowledgements. I am honored to be part of the Poetry Friday community where we share our love for poetry.  I'm very grateful to all of you for your kind comments and encouragement since this blog began in 2008. Each week, I look forward to reading your blog posts and have learned so much from you. 

Be sure to stop by Jama's Alphabet Soup for today's roundup. Jama's posts are always a treat!

Thank you so much!

Linda

WHAT IS HOPE?

Happy September!

Autumn is coming. It's my favorite time of year. I love the cooler temperatures, gorgeous colors, and autumn-scented air. Next week, we're expecting another heatwave, but that's okay because I have hope that it won't last long. Having hope changes the way we see the world. 

I have been taking a break from blogging, but I'm here today to share a beautiful new anthology created by the amazing team of Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong. Their new book is all about hope. 

  WHAT IS HOPE? is collection of 40 ekphrastic poems that are sure to inspire readers and fill them with hope. This book is a Children's Book Council "Hot Off the Press Selection" for August 2023.  WHAT IS HOPE? is a valuable resource for teachers, parents, and librarians. 100% of the profits will be donated to the IBBY Children's Fund. 

.

 Readers will find poems by some of our Poetry Friday friends as well as other popular names in the children's poetry community. I am thrilled and honored to have one of my poems among them. 

 

The positive message in every poem makes WHAT IS HOPE? an excellent choice for readers young and old. We all need a daily dose of hope!

Thank you to Ramona for hosting this week on her blog, Pleasures from the Page.

Have a great weekend!

At the Market: A Poem Video

Thank you to Jone Rush MacCulloch and Jasmine for creating this beautiful video for my poem.