It's Halloween Fun At Poetry Friday

Today is the day for all to play!

Ghastly, ghostly, beastly day,

Dreary, dark, I'm known to say

Let the children come out to play.

Dressed in tattered, ragged garb,

Regal, glittering, spookily scarred

Off to search for trick or treat

But don't forget to meet and greet!

©Carol Varsalona. All rights reserved.

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You can listen to the poem here using 

Vocaroo | Online voice recorder.

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Now, for a touch of Shakespeare

Song of the Witches: "Double, double toil and trouble"

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn and caldron bubble.

Fillet of a fenny snake,

In the caldron boil and bake;

Eye of newt and toe of frog,

Wool of bat and tongue of dog,

Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,

Lizard's leg and howlet's wing,

For a charm of powerful trouble,

Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn and caldron bubble.

Cool it with a baboon's blood,

Then the charm is firm and good.

Notes: Macbeth: IV.i 10-19; 35-38

Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (1983)

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Lastly, please travel to Linda Baie's site for your Poetry Friday delight where "fearful rhyming reigns today," as Linda says.

Importance of Community

All week I have been connecting with colleagues and family, whether it be face-to-face or virtually, so it seemed odd that I missed Holly Mueller’s tweet about Spiritual Journey Thursday. Backtracking my steps, I found the tweet announcing this week's topic to be community. Excitedly, I sat down at the computer composing this post. I felt confident that this week's activity validated my desire to connect with others as a commitment to life, learning, and community. 

In the midst of the normal day-to-day living, we sometimes forget that  community brings us to a conscious level of appreciating life; lifts us up; applauds our successes; redirects our missteps. Where would we be without community? Proverbs 15:22 says, "Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed." This validates the importance of community as a close support group to living a meaningful life.  

So this fall, to be a fully engaged member of my communities, I will:

Notice, wonder, and connect from a stance of positivity

Appreciate what nature and life have to offer

Listen to His Voice as He guides my steps

YouTube notes the song, "I Will Listen" sung by Twila Paris, as "a popular Christian gospel song good for community singing, singing together at gatherings, fellowship, worship, or parties."

You can follow Holly Mueller and the writers of Spiritual Journey Thursday here. 

I value the Spiritual Journey Thursday community who supports, lifts, and brings joy. 

Read how the word community resonates with each member.

I would like to showcase a quote from Holly's blog introducing the topic of community for this line holds truth: "Becaue it is in HIS nature to abide in community, it is also in ours. Isn't that amazing?!"

Creepy Nighttime Fright - 4th Annual Halloweensie Contest

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays for children. It brings out the best of the creative spirit, evokes a sense of merriment, and allows for sheer enjoyment with others. For years I transformed my children's play house (a miniature version of our house) into a mini-Halloween house for local fun. Then, when I transferred to an elementary building I created a Harvest House atmosphere in my reading room for a week-long, school wide read aloud event. The room was decorated for the season, complete with a spooky walk down to my room, and an amazing collection of seasonal picture books. 

Naturally, when I saw that Susanna Leonard Hill was hosting her 4th Annual Halloweensie Contest I had to enter. The contest information seen below was posted on Susanna's blog, Something for Everyone in the World of Children's Books, for October 27, 2014.

Below is my 100 word Halloween story for children in poetic form. 

Creepy Nighttime Fright

Who creaks along my pumpkin walk

Speaking daring childish talk, 

Creeping closer with bravery

Toward my black, ghost-eye tree?

Who dares to search trails tonight

with sweaty palms held so tight

in hopes of finding ghoulish delight,

witches brew, broomstick fright?

“Not me!” shouts Molly, Sue, Pete.

But Oscar brave craves a treat

so banded together they gingerly creep

among goblins, pumpkins, cat that leaps.

When out of darkness, pops a fright.

Mr. Magee in an eerie light

Standing by the monster tree

with baskets of treats for all to see.

Who-o-o dares to come to me?

Carol Varsalona © All Rights Reserved

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Although there are no illustrations allowed for the contest I thought it would be fun for my readers to see how I would integrate technology into a presentation. I turned to emaze as the tool to make my story more appealing for children who would like to read along. You can view the online version here.

Happy Reading!

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Since it is Slice of Tuesday I am hoping that the Slice of Life readership will appreciate my slice today as they prepare for Halloween and might like to submit an entry for the Halloweensie Contest. If you go here you will find many other writers who share their slice of life each Tuesday.  

I would appreciate feedback from the teachers and the children who read 

"Creepy Nighttime Fright."