A Poem in Your Pocket Day

Today is National Poem in Your Pocket Day.  I heard about it on NPR yesterday.  That's the link you see in the first sentence.  And, I agree with some of the comments... I'd be disappointed to not get my cookie, too.  Hopefully, they gave them both.  (What is she talking about???  Guess you have to read the article. tee hee)

Gretchen was very excited about the whole thing.  Carl, well, he wanted to get home for a snack.

So, this morning, they headed off to school with poems in their pockets.  Gretchen wanted the lyrics to "Goin' To The Zoo" because today they have a field trip to the zoo.  We printed out the Peter, Paul and Mary version (which did not match with what she learned in school.  This lead to a quick lesson about the wonder of folk music and songs being passed from person to person, often with changes occurring.)   Carl wanted a photo copy of a page from a book of childhood poetry that we have.  I don't think it is the copy from Mom's house - I seem to remember an alligator on the cover of our copy.  I think this one came from a used book sale.  Anyway, it has a 1954 copyright in it.  the pages are cracking from age and use.  And, it happens to contain one of my most favorite poems as well as Lew's favorite childhood poem.  So, whose did he choose?   Mommy's!  He is carrying Animal Crackers by Christopher Morley.  Remember this tea party?  Awww!

What did I choose?  I was going to go with my favorite Ogden Nash poem

The Lord in His wisdom made the fly

and then forgot to tell us why.

but, I decided to go with one of my mother's favorites, an AA Milne poem, Halfway Down.  I also printed the Animal Crackers one out to carry.  Lew didn't go to work with one, but we'll give him his favorite, Eletelephony by Laura E. Richards when we see him after work.  

If you are reading this in time, print or write out your favorite poem and tuck it in your pocket.  Or, pick one for a friend and deliver it to their pocket!

Goin' to the Zoo - Tom Paxton

Daddy's takin' us to the zoo tomorrow, 
Zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow
Daddy's takin' us to the zoo tomorrow 
And we can stay all day! 

Chorus:
We're goin' to the zoo, zoo, zoo
How about you, you, you?
You can come too, too, too
We're goin' to the zoo, zoo, zoo. 

See the elephant with the long trunk swingin'
Great big ears and a long trunk swingin'
Snuffin' up peanuts with a long trunk swingin'
And we can stay all day! 

(Chorus) 

See all the monkeys they're scritch-scritch scratchin'
Jumpin' around and scritch-scritch scratchin'
Hangin' by the long-tail (huff huff huff)
And we can stay all day! 

(Chorus) 

There's a big black bear he's a huff-puff-a-puffin'
His coat's too heavy he's a huff-puff-a-puffin'
Don't get too near the huff-puff-a-puffin'
Or you won't stay all day! 

(Chorus) 

Well the seals in the pool all honk-honk-honkin'
Catchin' the fish and honk-honk-honkin'
Little tiny seals all honk-honk-honkin'
And we can stay all day! 

(Chorus) 

Well we stayed all day and I'm gettin' sleepy
Sittin' in the car gettin' sleep sleep sleepy
Home already gettin' sleep sleep sleepy
'Cause we have stayed all day. 

We been to the zoo zoo zoo
So have you you you
You came too too too
We been to the zoo zoo zoo 

MOMMY'S TAKIN' US TO THE ZOO TOMORROW!
Zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow!
Mommy's takin' us to the zoo tomorrow
And we can stay all day! 

Animal Crackers 
By: Christopher Morley

Animal crackers and cocoa to drink, 
That is the finest of suppers, I think; 
When I'm grown up and can have what I please 
I think I shall always insist upon these.

What do you choose when you're offered a treat? 
When Mother says, "What would you like best to eat?" 
Is it waffles and syrup, or cinnamon toast? 
It's cocoa and animals that I love the most!

The kitchen's the coziest place that I know: 
The kettle is singing, the stove is aglow, 
And there in the twilight, how jolly to see 
The cocoa and animals waiting for me. 

Daddy and Mother dine later in state, 
With Mary to cook for them, Susan to wait; 
But they don't have nearly as much fun as I 
Who eat in the kitchen with Nurse standing by; 
And Daddy once said he would like to be me 
Having cocoa and animals once more for tea! 

Halfway Down by A.A. Milne

Halfway down the stairs
is a stair
where i sit.
there isn't any
other stair
quite like
it.
i'm not at the bottom,
i'm not at the top;
so this is the stair
where
I always
stop.

Halfway up the stairs
Isn't up
And it isn't down.
It isn't in the nursery,
It isn't in town.
And all sorts of funny thoughts
Run round my head.
It isn't really
Anywhere!
It's somewhere else
Instead!

Eletelephony ~Laura Richards Once there was an elephant, Who tried to use the telephant- No! No! I mean an elephone Who tried to use the telephone- (Dear me! I am not certain quite That even now I've got it right.) Howe'er it was, he got his trunk Entangled in the telephunk; The more he tried to get it free, The louder buzzed the telephee- (I fear I'd better drop the song Of elephop and telephong!)