The Month of May

When my older daughter was in Montessori preschool, each month the kids would learn a John Updike poem about the new month.
 I am hear to tell you that a small gaggle of three and four year olds reciting John Updike is absolutely priceless. "By John Updike", they'd say in unison (and great pride) at the end.

Hearing these poems each month brought us great joy--not only seeing our daughter recite poetry--but, also hearing the lively, celebratory and season-appropriate prose by Mr. Updike. The poems are included in a lovely book called A Child's Calendar (available in both paperback and hardcover). Each poem is accompanied by a lovely illustration (by Trina Schart Hyman) that depicts the corresponding activities of a Vermont family.

I highly recommend the addition of A Child's Calendar to your library -- and, better yet, why not start having your family recite (or at least read) a poem each month.

In the spirit of the first day of May, I'd like to share Mr. Updike's poem "May".

May
By John Updike


Now children may
Go out of doors,
Without their coats,
To candy stores.


The apple branches
And the pear
May float their blossoms
Through the air,
And Daddy may 
Get out his hoe
To plant tomatoes
In a row,


And, afterwards,
May lazily
Look at some baseball
On TV.