Pumpkins and poetry

Everyone needs a creative outlet. Holding back or hiding it or not taking time just makes us sad or angry or frustrated. Kids need that in schools. Curse No Child Left Behind for taking so much time away from the creative arts in schools and forcing kids to taken endless tests and forcing teachers to teach to those tests!

Anyway, my friend Laura has two main creative outlets--limericks and pumpkin carving. Here she shakes her stuff on the Rapunzel theme:

Rapunzel Retold
(in Limericks)

There once was a couple who traded
Their daughter for veggies they'd raided.
These were no magic beans,
Just plain salad greens,
But the hag would not be dissuaded.

Locked up 'til her skin had grown pallid,
This gal, aptly named for a salad,
Clung to one single hope
(Though her hair was like rope)
That someone would hear her sweet ballad.

Then a prince arrived at the tower.
"I'll save you my delicate flower."
So he climbed up her braid
But was somewhat dismayed
She'd gone seven years with no shower.

Comments

[Gretchen]

Holy cats, Laura! You never cease to amaze me.

[*Emily*]

I just had to say how pretty and creative that pumpkin is! How did she do it?

Thanks for posting this!

*Emily*

[Chelsea]

WOW. both are totally brilliant. I commend your awesome creativeness, Laura.
*bows to computer*

[Hoho]

Wow!!! That's so awesome!!!

[Ruby Diamond]

Awesome! The lettering on the pumpkin is amazing! Also I love the limericks. :)

[hwalk]

Laura, you made me laugh!

Amazing.

[Summermoon]

They both rock!

[Dr. Sallie N. Cheinsteen]

You know, it was on the news that a guy can sell one of his pumpkins for about a thousand dollars.
-You should try it!-
And then give me half of the reward, since I DID give you the idea.
Pretty much, THAT IS TOTALLY WICKED!! you rock. :)

[Amy]

Holy WOW! That was amazing.

[Melissa]

That is the most amazing pairing I have seen all week. Or at least all day.

Awesome.

[calandria]

Wow. All I can say is, Wow.

[Q]

That was awesome. Maybe there should be classes in limerick-writing and pumpkin-carving.

[Miss Erin]

*huge grin*
I love Laura!

[Rebecca Joy]

Ah love 'em! Never ceases to amaze...

[Holly Cupala]

Woweee! That's amazing! I thought we were doing fantastically when 3 year old asked for an "OLIVIA" pumpkin (as in, the pig). Only she wanted just the letters: O L I V I A. Letters are pretty cool when you're three!

[Maribeth]

Sweet! Awesome! Amazing! and all those cool words that describe this.

[Enna Isilee]

*many claps* Brava! Brava!

[Danielle]

Ahhh, the pumpkin is awesome. And the limerick(s) are as always hilarious. Nice job LR :)

[Frogster]

Amazing! She should do limericks for all of your other books.

[Ellenboro]

Fatastic! Wonderful! How do you do this!?
I wish I could carve pumpkins and write poetry that actually RHYMES! (Or good poetry at all really.)
I agree with Frogster. She should write limericks for all your other books.

[Ellenboro]

Oh, and I totally agree with the whole test-taking thing. I've taken three tests already this semester. One of which took three days to complete. And next semester I have to take two more. (That I know of, at least. There could be more than two.)

[Priya]

Wow! The pumpkin carving is fantastic!! And it's amazing how even Rapunzel's braids are exquisitely carved! Plus, the limerick is funny- I laughed when I read it.

[Julie]

This pumpkin is incredible!

I just read Rapunzel's Revenge yesterday, and I loved it! I am recommending it to my mom for her school library, and I'm very much looking forward to Calamity Jack! Great job, Shannon, Dean and Nathan!