I’m teaching my dog to do tricks.
She was born knowing how to fetch sticks.
She learned how to shake
when she jumped in the lake,
so we just have some details to fix.
“Roll over,” I say. She holds still.
Sooner or later, she will
follow my lead
to get up to speed,
but I’m dizzy from rolling downhill.
She knows what I’m saying, it’s clear.
She sits when I tell her, “Come here.”
When I tell her to stay,
she runs right away,
but we’ve only been training a year.
So far this month, I’ve written a new poem each morning and posted it that day. I’m not always completely satisfied with the results. This one needs more attention, but I’m out of time for today, so I’ll have to get back to it later.
I'm giving away a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step every day in April. The book is based on my school visit presentations and includes a simple plan you can follow to create your own poems. I wrote it for students, teachers, and writers of all ages.
Post a comment here to enter. I'll choose one at random tomorrow and drop a copy of Write a Poem Step by Step in the mail—U.S. addresses only, please. I’ll email you for your mailing address if you win. And if you don't win right away, please check back again. I'll have 31 copies to share!