Pumpkin
by Valerie Worth (1933-1994)
After its lid
Is cut, the slick
Seeds and stuck
Wet strings.
Scooped out,
Walls scraped
Dry and white,
Face carved, candle
Fixed and lit,
Light creeps
Into the thick
Rind: giving
That dead orange
Vegetable skull
Warm skin, making
A live head
To hold its
Sharp gold grin.
From Halloween: Stories and Poems, edited by Caroline Feller Bauer and illustrated by Peter Sis (1989), one of my recent treasures from the library’s autumn book sale.
For more poetry fun, and tricks and treats galore, head over to Sylvia Vardell’s Poetry for Children for the Halloween 2008 edition of the Poetry Friday Roundup.
* * *
The kids and I are heading for town late this afternoon for trick or treating, and I’m delighted that we’ll still have the last bit of Daylight Savings Time left to wander about the streets in some daylight. It’s also supposed not supposed to be freezing or snowing, which is unusual for these parts. So we’re all prepared for a very enjoyable evening, even before the chocolate.
Our home school facilitator meeting went well, again, and the kids were over the moon with the first meeting of junior curling. They were the last ones off the ice. Not having been raised in Canada, I find watching curling not quite as exciting as watching paint dry, but Tom loves the sport especially for the strategy. It’s something the kids can do with Tom, whether they are playing together or watching it on TV, and it’s a lifelong sport the kids will be able to participate in when they’re old and gray and creaky. It’s also inexpensive compared to hockey, and a part of their heritage. And I’ll be able to catch up on my reading at the rink…
Next week should be fairly quiet around here, which is good because I’m alternately excited and exhausted by the entire election process. At this point next Wednesday can’t get here soon enough, probably regardless of the outcome. I just want the circus to leave town. And then we start getting ready for our NYC trip, so my blog writing and reading will continue to be light to nonexistent…
Filed under: Autumn, Current Events, Family, Holidays, Onward & Upward, Poetry, Poetry Friday |
Farm School, Farm House 
Huzzah! You got those three reports done and signed off!
It’s always a good thing when all your children enjoy the same extracurricular activity, especially when it leaves more reading time.
I keep looking at the calendar waiting for the election to be over. Glad I’m not subjected to the final hyper onslaught of media coverage, though it almost seems too quiet. November 4 here is Melbourne Cup Day so that will be somewhat of a distraction, but I’ll still have another whole day to wait for the results.
Happy Halloween!
P.S. Love the New Yorker’s cover!
Becky,
Thanks for sharing the cover of The New Yorker–too funny! Those are John & Sarah there, scaring the spooks, yes? Ms. Palin has popped up in this area quite a bit today, too. I can’t think of a scarier costume!
~Christina in MA
Have a great day. The weather has warmed here, too. Most of that snow is gone.
Apparently more people curl in Canada than in the rest of the world combined. I sometimes think I should learn. Mat says he’ll learn when he’s too old for football (i.e. soccer). He figures it is the Canadian equivalent of lawn bowls.
I’m a HUGE fan of Valerie Worth’s too and am tickled to see you share a poem by her here. Love it! Thanks for participating in Poetry Friday at PoetryforChildren this Halloween! Great to connect with you again. Stop by any time…
Sylvia
Love the poem! Glad you have the reviews off and a bit of time to just “be”.
I can completely relate about the elections…I can’t wait until they are over and I can stop watching arguments being picked whereever I turn!
I love Valerie Worth. Love the way she describe such simple things. Great cover the the New Yorker.
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