Irene is gathering Poetry Friday posts today. She is the originator/ organizer of the Progressive Poem. I’ve participated for four years. Each year, the poem progresses through different blogs as line by line, we build a poem for children. This year, Matt Forrest Esenwine started us off with found song lyrics. The trend continued, and we have this high energy, happy poem about summer.
I am a fan of musicals. This appreciation runs in my blood. I passed it on to my middle daughter. We’ve enjoyed Wicked, Moulin Rouge, and Waitress together and hope to see Dear Evan Hanson this year. My husband is not such a fan, but earlier this year he appeased me and went to the movie Mary Poppins Returns. He liked La La Land, so why not? We were both totally entertained. I downloaded the soundtrack the next day.
When I’m out walking my dog in the early mornings, some days I just listen to the birds, but a few days ago in anticipation of this required line, I listened to Mary Poppins Returns. Oh, the joy that music brings to my heart. A quick search for lyrics online found a just right line for today.
Endless summer; I can see for miles…
Fun, fun, fun – and the whole world smiles.
No time for school- just time to play,
we swim the laughin’ sea each and every day.You had only to rise, lean from your window,
the curtain opens on a portrait of today.
Kodachrome greens, dazzling blue,
it’s the chance of a lifetime,make it last forever–ready? Set? Let’s Go!
Come, we’ll take a walk, the sun is shining down
Not a cloud in the sky, got the sun in my eyes
Tomorrow’s here. It’s called today.
Found Lines:
L1 The Who, ‘I Can See for Miles’ / The Beach Boys, ‘Endless Summer’
L2 The Beach Boys, ‘Fun, Fun, Fun’ / Dean Martin, ‘When You’re Smiling’
L3 The Jamies, ‘Summertime, Summertime’
L4 The Doors ‘Summer’s Almost Gone’/ Led Zeppelin ‘Good Times, Bad Times’
L5 Ray Bradbury, Dandelion Wine “You had only to rise, lean from your window,”
L6 Joni Mitchell, “Chelsea Morning”
L7 Paul Simon, “Kodachrome,” “Dazzling Blue”
L8 Dan Fogelberg, “Run for the Roses”
L9 Spice Girls, “Wannabe”/ Will Smith, “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”
L10 The Beatles, “Good Day Sunshine”
L11 The Carpenters, “Top of the World”
L12 Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Underneath the Lovely London Sky” from Mary Poppins Returns
That is a truly great line, Margaret, and now I guess I’ll have to watch MPR, which for some weird reason just did not capture my attention when it came out.
Let us now seize today and go somewhere on our walk!
P.S. My All of the Above today is built on a line from your April 10 post ; )
Margaret, I, too, LOVE musicals! Paul and I have seen many many over the years… and yes Mary Poppins Returns makes me smile and smile… and this line is brilliant, isn’ t it? Thank you for bringing a bit of you into the poem. Oh, and LA LA LAND? I adore that movie and return often to it both for visuals and music. xo
I love it! Thank you!
Fabulous line from fabulous line and found by fabulous Margaret! (I hope to use a Lin line too…) Our Hope surprised me by taking me to THE BAND’S VISIT on Broadway this past fall, and if you ever get a chance to see it…do not miss! xxxx
I love how each day someone finds a perfect line to keep the poem flowing, and you picked a good one! It leaves the next stanza wide open! (I haven’t seen MPR yet, but we will hopefully be doing so soon!)
Isn’t that a FUN line!
I’m checking in on the progress every couple of days. It’s growing SO nicely in found song treasures!
Perfect! That line just pulls us up short and snaps us into activity. And it has ‘kid’ written all over it. What will our character make of today… tomorrow! (?)
I do love musicals, too, Margaret and would love to see Evan Hansen! This is a wonderful line. I haven’t seen the new Mary Poppins, love the promise of “today” it gives.
I have loved the energy in this poem from the start. I love how your line puts us on the precipice waiting for something new and exciting to happen.
Oh, that is the perfect line! Perfect for this poem and for the beginning of spring break and…well, for any day! Well done! I applaud all of you for accepting this challenge and have been eagerly following along–as has my class. PS–I’m a huge fan of musicals and so are my husband and all of our children. My youngest is a songbird and we’re off to watch her perform opera this evening –which will make my heart sing!
A child who sings opera?! Swoon!
Margaret, I like the backstory of how you found your line. I have not heard this song but am a huge fan of Mary Poppin. I am listening to the song now as I write. Thank you for adding this very interesting line that will turn our attention to the narrator’s today. What will happen? I wish I could predict since my line is coming up soon.
Oh, we LOVED the new Mary Poppins movie! And you found the perfect line for the poem…. thanks, Margaret. Enjoy your TODAY.
Oh, I love the sentiment of this line (and now I want to see Mary Poppins Returns!)
I haven’t seen Mary Poppins Returns, but I love musicals, too. This line is a great choice, Margaret!
I have a craving for musicals….hmmmm Music Man, Sound of Music or My Fair Lady? What a wonderful poem. I really think this is my favorite.
This is aMAZing! I love what you guys are doing this year. So fun and beautiful and energetic. Brava!
Fun addition Margaret! Love where these musical lines are carrying this poem–Any musicians out there that could set it to music…
I adore all musicals. My husband isn’t usually a fan, but we both LOVED MPR! Perfect line. I’m ready to go Sunday. Can’t wait to see what Doraine hands me tomorrow!!!!!
Great next line. A call to appreciate all of the possibility of today!
Oh, I love your line and that it came from a musical. Yet to see this movie, but I hope to fit it in! I had Let’s Go Fly a Kite as a possibility for my day!!! Your line….makes me think of that age-old advice about having this moment as our guarantee, and nothing else and also Mary Oliver’s famous line:”Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Makes us think and enjoy the possibility. I think life has to have happy even when we work hard and face troubles. (And that poem of Mary Oliver’s as you probably know is called “The Summer Day”.) Wondering where our poem will go, always so interesting.
I loved the music from Mary Poppins Returns. Oh my the progressive poem is a delightful challenge this year. I’m glad to watch it grow.
Love that you brought musicals into the mix!
I love that this year’s progressive poem has become a musical found poem! Well done on choosing a doozy of a line, Margaret. 🙂
I love the line you chose! I want to print it out and hang it on my wall.
I haven’t seen the new Mary Poppins, but your line has certainly piqued my interest. Love your choice!
I didn’t get out to see it yet, but this heart is thumping like a big brass band for your La La Land line, Margaret!
Happy April Poetry Month & 2019 Progressive Poem.