Ask Norman: Why Were You So Shy?
Norman T. Goldfish answers letters from readers. Click on the link to read his reply.
Hey Kids! In Norman’s new adventure: NORMAN ONE AMAZING GOLDFISH, his human enters him in Pet-O-Rama, but when it’s time for him to perform, our finny friend, Norman gets very quiet. Why do you think he acts shy? Can you remember a time when you were shy?
Look….at…all…those…humans…….gluuuu-me-otta-here!
Ready to read Norman’s answer to Keisha? Scroll down . . .
Glug
Glug
Glug . . .
Do you have a question for Norman the Goldfish—about friends, school, pets, family, life in and outside the fishbowl? Send him a letter!
Poetry Challenge #169-Weary Willie Day
It’s not what you think…Weary Willie was a circus clown persona created by Emmett Kelly. He based the character on hobos of the Great Depression. Kelly’s Weary Willie was part of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus and was at one time the country’s most recognizable clown. He’s the clown known for ceremonially spread his handkerchief on the ground beneath the trapeze just before the daring Flying Wallenda’s performed, so if one of them missed a catch, they’d land in his hankie.
Ralph Emerson snapped a photo of Willie, bucket in hand, racing to the fire, which appeared in the July 17, 1944 issue of Life Magazine
Known as he was for clowning around, Emmett Kelly/Weary Willie was also a hero. When the Big Top caught fire on July 6 1944, the bandleader cued up “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” circus code for TROUBLE!
The afternoon of what’s known as the “Hartford Circus Fire,” there were about 7,000 people in attendance.* In spite of his oversized floppy boots and flapping tails, Weary Willie came running.
Exactly how one is supposed to celebrate Weary Willie Day is unclear. Wear some big shoes? Act like a goof? Grab a bunch of friends and pile into a tiny car? Or better, clown around with words:
Poetry Challenge #169
White make-up and ruff collar were the norm until Weary Willie hit the Big Top
Weary Willie Day
In memory of Weary Willie create a Found Poem from this post. A Found Poem uses words or phrases from already existing work to create a poem.
For this prompt, jot words or phrases from the passage above that grab your attention. Then shape those words and phrases into a poem. Whether you rearrange them or use them in the order they appear is up to you. And, as Weary Willie tried to do for audiences, see if you can add some levity to this rather somber account.
Or, if create a poem by clowning around with the words: circus, trapeze, bucket, and “a duck maybe somebody’s mother.”
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing
Don’t Think Too Much About it; just do it!
*“The show was twenty minutes in when the flames started near the entrance to the big top. The Great Wallendas were beginning a high-wire performance. For waterproofing purposes, the tent’s canvas had been coated in paraffin and gasoline. The flames spread across the top quickly . . . panic followed: crowds surging toward small passageways, pieces of flaming canvas falling on people, horrific screams. Some broke ankles jumping from bleachers. There is a story of a woman who spent the rest of her life toting a pocketknife because a man pulled his out and cut a hole in the canvas to help people escape. The comedian Charles Nelson Reilly was thirteen and in attendance, and one story claims he avoided sitting in audiences for the rest of his life. The whole thing is said to have lasted fewer than ten minutes…. once he heard the screams of “Fire!” Kelly is known to have acted quickly.
More about Weary Willie: “Tears of a Clown”
And, always, a song: Tears of a Clown by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge about 1700 days ago! (without a miss!!!) We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you (This one is Cindy’s.) If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl): SUBSCRIBE TO THE FISHBOWL
Poetry Challenge #168-Mutt & Jeff
The comic strip Mutt and Jeff, created by American cartoonist Bud Fisher, began in the early 1900’s and was the first published comic that had more than one panel and told a small story. It is considered the first daily comic strip since it inspired the genre.
And, because December 2nd, is also National Mutt Day, and Mutt and Jeff are mongrels of a sort, inspiration stuck:
Poetry Challenge #168
Mutt & Jeff
Mutt was a character who liked horse racing and get rich quick schemes.
In honor of Mutt, write a poem featuring either a get-rich-quick scheme, a bet, or a comic strip.
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing
Don’t Think Too Much About it; just do it!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge about 1700 days ago! (without a miss!!!) We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you (This one is Cindy’s.) If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl): SUBSCRIBE TO THE FISHBOWL
Poetry Challenge #167-Attitude of Gratitude
I’m a sucker for old musicals. One of my favorites, because it features Bing, Fred & Irving is Holiday Inn* created as an unabashed way to recycle Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, etc. including I’ve Got Plenty to Be Thankful For…I do. If you’re reading this, I’m thinking you do, too.
Firstly, acknowledging the turkey in the room, this year has been an anomaly (we hope), many of us are celebrating Thanksgiving differently. We may throw up our hands and stomp around singing “Traditions!” ala Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof at being forced to change traditions. Or, we will create new traditions—maybe even with a dancing chorus. Whatever… at the heart of it, as in Traci Sorell’s new picture book, Otsaliheliga! We are grateful!
Poetry Prompt #167
Attitude of Gratitude
Make a list of things, people, activities you have to be grateful for in this new pared down reality.
Once your list is complete, reorganize the items on your list to create a pleasing pattern.
Try changing some words to add internal repetition through vowel sounds and see what you think.
If your so included recite your poem before your Thanksgiving feast. Who knows, it may become part of your new traditions!
Set Your Timer for 7 Minutes
Start Writing
Don’t Think Too Much About it; just do it! (because we can)
Our new Thanksgiving Favorite!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge about 1700 days ago! (without a miss!!!) We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl): SUBSCRIBE TO THE FISHBOWL
Ask Norman: Have You Ever Seen a Rainbow?
Norman T. Goldfish answers questions from readers. Scroll down to read his responses.
Hey Kids!
Scroll down to read Norman’s answer to Brielle . . .
Glug
Glug
Glug . . .
Rainbow Fish has a picture book too—it sparkles!
Hey Kids!
Do you have a question for Norman the Goldfish—about friends, school, pets, family, life in and outside the fishbowl? Send him a letter!
Poetry Challenge #166-Princess Day!
Spit-shine your tiara! Bust out the sparkle gown and magic wand! Tra-La Tra-Lay It’s National Princess Day (November 18th). The one day of the year where we can all unapologetically unleash our inner princess!
We certainly are fascinated by the royals: princesses and princes, kings and queens, knights and castles. We love stories about kingdoms and dragons.
Poetry Challenge #166
Princess for Today!
Choose one of the words above or think of your own and write an acrostic poem using that word as your title and subject. (To write an acrostic, write one letter of your chosen word on each line going down the page and use that letter as the first letter for the line.)
Set your time for 7 minutes
Set your intentions to Royal
Start writing! Don’t think too much—just do it!
For Your Viewing Pleasure: Princess Movies!
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than 1680 days ago! (without a miss!!!) We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments.
Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl): SUBSCRIBE TO THE FISHBOWL
Norman T. Goldfish answers: What's Your Favorite Dino?
This is the skeleton put together. See how long it is compared to a human diver? Look at that neck!
Hey Kids!
Do you have a question for Norman the Goldfish—about friends, school, pets, family, life in and outside the fishbowl? Send him a letter!
Poetry Challenge #165-Dino Romp-Pom
It’s said a picture is worth a thousand words, and so by way of sparing you reading 983 more:
Poetry Challenge #165
Dino Romp-Pom
Write a poem inspired by this image (borrowed from @visualverseanthology).
Set your time for 7 minutes
Set your intentions to POEM
Start writing! Don’t think too much—just do it!
And when you’re finished, click over to @visualverseanthology to post—it might be published in the Visual Verse Anthology.
Cindy Faughnan and I began this 7-Minute Poetry Challenge more than 1680 days ago! (without a miss!!!) We now take turns creating our own prompts to share with you. If you join us in the Challenge, let us know by posting the title, a note, or if you want, the whole poem in the comments. And scroll down for my happy news:
Click on Fishbowl link and sign up to receive email notifications from Kelly's blog (aka The Fishbowl): SUBSCRIBE TO THE FISHBOWL