Hats off to all of you who’ve been writing a poem each day in celebration of National Poetry Month. I have been working on a couple of long-term projects that have made it impossible to keep up with all the inspiring projects people have going. I admire your fortitude and creativity.
Today’s poem was initially inspired by Mary Lee Hahn‘s project, Bygones. When I started writing, though, I soon saw how this could work for Marilyn Singer’s April ditty challenge at Michelle Heidenrich Barnes’s blog to write a “poem inspired by the word ‘echo.'”
Laughter from two little boys
echoes across the years:
On your first set of wheels
you pedal down the garden path,
feet pumping
hands gripping
heart soaring
A glint of mischief in your eyes
An impish grin across your face
your heart soaring
hands gripping
feet pumping
as you pedal down the garden path
on your first set of wheels
your laughter echoing across the years.
Please be sure to visit Laura Purdie Salas at Writing the World for Kids for the Poetry Friday Roundup.
Reading to the Core 
Oh, how I love this! Your poem truly echoes, and when I scrolled down to read the last lines, the pictures echo, too! Perfection!!
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Did you plan that second picture? Fabulous. Love that they’re both tricycles!
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I didn’t. In fact, I had never seen that photo of my father until a year or two ago!
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How beautifully you captured that echo across generations! Nicely done, Catherine. My husband (who bikes 35 minutes each way to and from work every day) STILL wears that impish grin when he’s on his bike.
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Very nice! Great job on this.
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I love the idea of using photos – your poem with echo and the photos made me think of poems for two voices. I could almost hear the echo as I read. Beautiful.
Clare
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Love love your poem and photos! Your father’s tricycle is the best, and those smiles really warm the heart.
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This is amazing–the photos, the smiles, the poem with its echoes and near reverso. Fabulous!
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“Your laughter echoing across the years”-that is my favorite part of your poem. I love the way you captured your father and your son in one touching poem.
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I remember my dad riding my girl’s bike to test the balance, his knees sticking out impossibly wide. He was handy and a great dad. Thanks for bringing that back to me.
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The connections you make within your family. The basics and beauty of being a boy reaches into my heart .
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This is heart-warming and simply wonderful. Well done!
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I love how you transported us to a time in the past riding a tricycle or watching a child ride one. There are some things that withstand the test of time.
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Catherine, I love your poem and the bike pics! You’re right, it works for all these challenges. Yay! xo
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Love this poem and the way you formatted it with echoes across time. I was hoping for a 2nd picture and when I scrolled down, there it was!
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Like father, like son – or grandson! Very nice, Catherine.
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What a wonderful echo poem – and I love the two photos!
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