Tomorrow is National Poem in Your Pocket Day. Lets celebrate it in our stamping way!
Pattern for a Quick and Easy Pocket Card
The picture below shows how to make it. Use any size paper. I used 5 1/2" x 8 1/4", folded it in half on the long side. Then just fold up the corners on the front of the card to make the pocket. The Simply Scored Scoring Tool and the Diagonal Plate work great for this.
Now….what goes in the pocket? The idea behind Poem in Your Pocket Day is to carry a poem in your pocket and share it with people you meet throughout the day. Many schools participate in this, but how fun would it be to surprise the young people in your life with a "Poem in Your Pocket" from you, whether its in person or in the mail? Of course, the adults you meet tomorrow would enjoy it too. What a fun surprise!
So how do you choose a poem? Choose a childhood favorite, a poem that inspires you today, a poem that relates to something you love including friends, food……. Choose a funny poem, an uplifting poem……
You could even write your own! If that strikes fear in the depths of your being, I'm not trying to bring up old memories of getting graded in school! But think about taking any poem and changing it to fit you – it could be "the cross in my pocket", "the photo in my handbag"…enjoy getting creative!
My Favorite Hand Made Poetry Card
One year for Mothers Day, my then teenaged daughter Leah gave me a hand made card with the following poem hand copied inside: (She copied the poem exactly but crossed out each "boy" or "boys" and wrote "girl" or "girls" above it.)
The Reading Mother by Strickland Gillilan
I had a mother who read to me
Sagas of pirates who scoured the sea
(some lines left off here)
I had a Mother who read me the things
That wholesome life to the boy heart brings–
Stories that stir with an upward touch,
Oh, that each mother of boys were such!
You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be–
I had a Mother who read to me.
What made that card so special was that it fit our relationship. I loved that she though of me when she read that poem and that she took the time to copy it out long hand and put it in a special card for me.
So what will you put in your pocket card and who will you send it to? I've challenged you to do something you can share with several people tomorrow, but remember that you can always use this idea to communicate with one person in a special way too. Give a poem about gardening to that gardening friend, or a poem about food to that friend who loves to cook. When you read or hear something that makes you think of a special friend, share that with them. You will make their day and yours as well!
Tomorrow I will share my "Poem in My Pocket" with you…….and, yes, I (like you most likely) haven't come up with my idea yet!
Please go to my facebook page today and we will continue the conversation. I would love to hear your favorite poem, or memories about poetry, or ideas about you will be doing. Just click here and….while you are there….be sure to like my page. Thank you for reading my rambling message today!
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