May: Updike's Take

In keeping with tradition at Maine-ly Home, here's John Updike's take on May. Have you gotten your copy of A Child's Calendar? It really is such a wonderful book with a monthly poem by Updike and beautiful illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman.

MAY

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.

April: John Updike's take

In keeping with tradition at Maine-ly Home, here's John Updike's take on April. Have you gotten your copy of A Child's Calendar? It really is such a wonderful book with a monthly poem by Updike and beautiful illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman.

April
It's Spring! Farewell
To chills and colds!
The blushing, girlish
World unfolds

Each flower, leaf,
And blade of turf--
Small love-notes sent
From air to earth.

The sky's a hear
Of prancing sheep,
The birds and fields
Abandon sleep,

And jonquils, tulips,
Daffodils
Bloom bright upon
The wide-eyed hills.

All things renew.
All things begin.
At church, they bring
The lilies in.

February: Updike's Take

In keeping with tradition at Maine-ly Home, here's John Updike's take on February. Have you gotten your copy of A Child's Calendar? It really is such a wonderful book with a monthly poem by Updike and beautiful illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman.

The sun rides higher
Every trip.
The sidewalk shows.
Icicles drip.

A snowstorm comes,
And cars are stuck,
Though road salt flies
From the old town truck.

The chickadees
Grow plump on seed
That Mother pours
Where they can feed,

And snipping, snipping
Scissors run
To cut out hearts
For everyone.

January - Updike's Take

In keeping with tradition here at Maine-ly Home, here's John Updike's take on January. If you haven't gotten your hands on A Child's Calendar, make it a resolution. It's a great book of monthly poems by John Updike with lovely illustrations depicting Vermont family life. I was introduced to the book via my daughter's Montessori school where the kids memorized the poems each month (talk about precious!).

January

The days are short,
The sun a spark
Hung thing between
The dark and dark

Fat snowy footsteps
Track the floor,
And parkas pile up
Near the door.

The river is
A frozen place
Held still beneath
The trees' black lace

The sky is low.
The wind is gray.
The radiator
Purrs all day.

December- John Updike's Take

In keeping with tradition here at Maine-ly Home, here is John Updike's poem "December". If you haven't already purchased a copy of this book, I highly recommend A Child's Calendar. The book is filled with lovely illustrations and a John Updike Poem for every month of the year.


December

First snow! The flakes,
So few, so light,
Remake the world
In solid white.

All bundled up,
We feel as if
We were fat penguins,
Warm and stiff.

The toy-packed shops
Half split their sides,
And Mother brings home
Things she hides.

Old carols peal.
The dusk is dense.
There is a mood
Of sweet suspense.

The shepherds wait,
The kings, the tree--
All wait for something
Yet to be,

Some miracle.
And then it's here,
Wrapped up in hope--
Another year!

November - Updike's Take

In keeping with tradition at Maine-ly Home, here's John Updike's monthly poem from A Child's Calendar.

November
The striped and shapely
Maple grieves
The loss of her
Departed leaves

The ground is hard
As hard as stone.
The year is old.
The birds are flown.

And yet the world,
Nevertheless,
Displays a certain loveliness--

The beauty of
The bone. Tall God
Must see our souls
This way, and nod.

Give thanks: we do,
Each in his place
Around the table
During grace.

September: John Updike's Take

As is my tradition here at Maine-ly Home (I love how I just create traditions and act like they are official.), I begin each new month with one of John Updike's "month" poems. If you haven't gotten a copy, yet, I highly recommend A Child's Calendar - a beautifully illustrated book (by New Hampshire artist Trina Schart Hyman) which includes a monthly poem by Updike.

September

The breezes taste
Of apple peel.
The air is full
Of smells to feel--

Ripe fruit, old footballs,
Drying grass,
New books and blackboard
Chalk in class.

The bee, his hive
Well-honeyed, hums
While Mother cuts
Chrysanthemums.

Like plates washed clean
With suds, the days
Are polished with
A morning haze.

August, By John Updike

In keeping with tradition here at Mainelyhome, here's John Updike's take on August. If you haven't gotten a copy, yet, I highly recommend A Child's Calendar - a beautifully illustrated book (by New Hampshire artist Trina Schart Hyman) which includes a monthly poem by Updike.

The sprinkler twirls.
The summer wanes.
The pavement wears
Popsicle stains.

The playground grass
Is worn to dust.
The weary swings
Creak, creak with rust.

The trees are bored
With being green.
Some people leave
The local scene

And go seaside
Bungalows
And take off nearly
All their clothes.

July: By John Updike

In keeping with tradition, here's what John Updike had to say about the month of July....And, in case you've missed my previous pitches, I highly recommend this book -- A Child's Calendar -- accompanied by beautiful illustrations that depict Vermont life.

July

Ban-bang! Ka-boom!

We celebrate

Our national

Independence date,

The Fourth, with

Firecrackers and

The marching of

The Legion Band.

America:

It makes us think

Of hot dogs, fries, and Coke to drink.

The shade is hot.

The little ants

Are buys, but

Poor Fido pants

And Tabby dozes

In a pool

Of fur she sheds

To keep her cool.

The Month of June

In keeping with tradition, here's John Updike's take on June. 

June

The sun is rich
And gladly pays
In golden hours,
Silver days,

And long green weeks
That never end.
School's out. The time
Is ours to spend.


There's Little League,
Hopscotch, the creek, 
And, after supper,
Hide-and-seek.


The live-long light
Is like a dream,
And freckles come
Like flies to cream. 

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.