One of my favorite collections to share with children is Elaine Magliaro‘s Things To Do (Chronicle Books, 2017). Magliaro imagines all sorts of animals, familiar elements of nature (sun, rain, sky), and everyday objects like erasers and scissors. Writing a “things to do” poem is a great way to get children looking at familiar sights in new ways. This can also stretch their vocabulary, as they strive to find that just right word to describe an image.
I was recently inspired to write a few “things to do” poems myself. This is one of my favorites (although the last line still needs work.)
Draft, © Catherine Flynn, 2022
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Reading to the Core 
Beautiful Catherine, love how easily you slipped all the science into your poem, especially the photons—and that “backbend across the sky” wonderful image, and creative layout/color too, thanks!
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What a great way to dive into a non-human character, too! I love your personified rainbow!
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This just makes me smile! I love the idea of Things to Do If You’re a Rainbow. Elaine’s book is great, too.
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“Spark squeals of delight” makes me laugh – no matter the age, that is SO true.
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Oh, those “healing hearts” make me swoon here. We carry those rainbows with us, don’t we. Love the voice here and the colors and shape too! I adore that book too. Happy Poetry Friday! xo
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I love the colorful backbend across the sky. I love things to do poems.
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Simply beautiful…and gentle and colorful and so wonderfully rainbow-y. Like Susan, this poem with it’s backbend across the sky makes me smile.
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This poem made me smile and isn’t that what poetry is all about? Emotion? Rainbow doing backbends – just a wonderful image! Thank you!
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Oh, love this so much! The backbend, and “hover as an afterimage in healing hearts.” Such a feel good poem. Thank you!
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I love your wonderful verbs, Catherine, & that “backbend” is an awesome choice. Rainbows here with little rain are special gifts to see!
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LOVE the way this looks on the page/screen, and I’m not sure that last line needs a bit of work!
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So happy you shared this one, Catherine! It looks great, sounds great, feels special.
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Catherine, your poem has great images! I love it! These lines especially spoke to me “backbend across the sky”, “Spark squeals of delight”, and “Hover as an afterimage in healing hearts.” Your poem brought me joy: thank you for sharing and your inspiration! THINGS TO DO is one of my favorites, too.
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This is wonderful! I love how you’ve used the words on the page to reflect the content of the poem. Thanks for sharing this – you’ve inspired me to try a “Things to do” poem myself!
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