Do you like your books full of magic and mystery? Poetry that can make you giggle or send shivers down your spine? "A Catalog of Curious Creatures" is for you. Available through the links below: In the USA: a.co/d/02sjHX8a In the UK: amzn.eu/d/0hAK5ySr #poetry #poetrycommunity #kidlit #bookrecs

Happy Sunday, friends! There's a new blog post up. This week, we're looking at poems about public transportation. Grab your bus pass (if you've got one) and mind the gap on the subway. #poetry #poetrycommunity #kidlit #writingforchildren shaunmjex.wordpress.com/2026/05/17/p...

Just came across this poem and performance by @arianathepoet.bsky.social and I LOVE it youtu.be/-pN5HtfzqTc?...

There's something special about communal meals. Even just sharing food with one or two people. We should all share tables and share food more.

Here's a brief verse I wrote this morning. What are you working on this weekend? #poetry #poetrycommunity #poem

Joshua Siegal is a wonderfully talented poet. If you haven't visited his page and seen the poems and resources he has available, you're missing out.

Listen to the raccoon. The raccoon is wise.

Obviously, Langston Hughes was brilliant and one of the great poets. That's just a given. But if you've never seen the marriage of his work with illustrations from the great Brian Pinkney in "The Dream Keeper and other poems," just know that it's absolutely inspired.

I'm very excited to have a poem in the new issue of @epistemiclit.bsky.social You can read my piece here: epistemiclit.com/issue-eight/... And find the rest of the current issue here: epistemiclit.com/current-issue/ #poetry #poetrycommunity

Embrace the unusual. Discover the secrets of the hidden beasts in A Catalog of Curious Creatures. In the USA: a.co/d/01d4TVrK In the UK: amzn.eu/d/01KRu1C0 #poetry #poetrycommunity #kidlit #writingforchildren

A poem from Jack Prelutsky (along with tour of the nature's open book Exhibition at the Ronald j Norick downtown library in Oklahoma City)

Along with some animal poems (because I always love writing about animals), I've been tinkering with what I'm referring to as "neighborhood poems," stuff about community and creativity. Not sure what will come of them, but they've been fun to write.

Hip Hop Speaks to Children, edited by Nikki Giovanni, is a favorite poetry collections but I hadn't read her other work for younger readers until recently. I recently read Ego-Tripping & Other Poems for Young People, which was excellent. Now I'm reading Spin a Soft Black Song. It's also beautiful.

I've managed a poem about a rhinoceros today, as well as one about an okapi. And both poems make me smile. Hard to think of what else I could ask for.

Beware when dining at the Crocogator Cafe. If you complain, they'll bite your head off #poemsforkids #crocogator #funnypoems

A couple of my current reads. One poetry, one nonfiction. Both have been excellent so far.

We saw our first Mississippi Kites of the year while out on our walk this evening. This pair was swooping around and kind enough to pause just long enough to grab a couple of photos.

Choose Your Own Adventure Poems: "Because I could not stop for death-- He kindly stopped for me--" If you decide to hitch a ride with the Grim Reaper, please turn to page 17 If you politely decline Death's offer, saying "I think I'll just walk if it's all the same to you. Thanks!" turn to page 42

There are so many different ways to say "Hello!" Here are just a few in poem form. I'd love to hear any others that you know! #poetry #poetrycommunity #kidlit #writingforchildren

There are so many different ways to say "Hello!" Here are just a few in poem form. I'd love to hear any others that you know! #poetry #poetrycommunity #kidlit #writingforchildren

A beautiful and affecting story, and it only takes a few minutes to read.

Listen to music in languages you don't understand. Try a food that makes you a little nervous. Learn where the locals go. Step outside your comfort zone.

I'm about a quarter of the way through B Sharise Moore's ( @bsharise.bsky.social ) novel Dr. Marvellus Djinn's Odd Scholars. It's been an awesome reading experience so far. It's a wildly imaginative work of Afrofuturism and alternative history with characters you can't help but cheer on their way

Embrace the unusual. Set out into the unknown with a copy of A Catalog of Curious Creatures. Book available now through the links below: In the USA: a.co/d/02sjHX8a In the UK: amzn.eu/d/0hAK5ySr #book #bookstagram #bookrecs #poetry #poetrycommunity #kidlit #indieauthors

Embrace the unusual. Set out into the unknown with a copy of A Catalog of Curious Creatures. Book available now through the links below: In the USA: a.co/d/02sjHX8a In the UK: amzn.eu/d/0hAK5ySr #book #bookstagram #bookrecs #poetry #poetrycommunity #kidlit #indieauthors

New York streets belong to New Yorkers, and Soccer Streets are for the kids. We’re turning the block outside your school into a car-free playground and World Cup celebration. Now until June 26, you’ll find Soccer Streets in front of 50 public schools across all five boroughs. Let’s play!

I've been reading through Margarita Engle's "Dreams From Many Rivers: A Hispanic History of the United States Told in Poems" and it's a remarkable collection. Beautiful and unflinching. It also reminded me that I need a copy of José Martí's "Versos Sencillos."

Earlier today, we spotted a swallow's nest in the hallway outside of our apartment. This evening, we went back, and someone had clearly knocked it down deliberately. This displeases me.

Choose Your Own Adventure Poems: If you think that you shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree, turn to page 12 If you think that you might, in fact, someday see a poem as lovely as, or even lovelier than, a tree, turn to page 35

I'm happy to say I successfully rescued my friend from the Haunted Mall in @jendiagammon.bsky.social 's Choose Your Own Adventure novel Dungeon Crawl at the Haunted Mall. I only suffered one ignominious end along the way, and defeated a bunch of poltergeists with my incredible dance aerobic moves.

The #wordoftheweek from @thetoypress.bsky.social is "Dwindle." I rather think this poem should be read aloud for full effect. #poetry #poetrycommunity #kidlit #writingforchildren

Forcing my musical tastes on others over at Cowboy Jamboree (should others actually decide of their own independent free will to click and read).

Happy Monday (that's a thing, right?) As we kick off the work week, let's visit the market where there are some freshly grown poems available! #poetry #poetrycommunity #kidlit #writingforchildren shaunmjex.wordpress.com/2026/05/11/f...

With Mother's Day tomorrow, this week's poetry blog post will publish on Monday instead of Sunday. Whether this holiday is a day of celebration, grief, ambivalence, or even hurt for you, I hope you find something beautiful and meaningful to enjoy.

My wife spotted this really gorgeous linen press out by our dumpster. Rather than let it go sit in a landfill and rot, it's now on our back porch, holding our gardening stuff, and acting as a table for some of our plants.

I love markets so much. We saw two today, stopping first by the OKC Farmer's Market, and then wandering through a market at the annual Flower and Garden Festival.

Moments before this picture was taken, the juvenile turtle was hitching a ride on the other's back. I snapped the pic a second to late to catch it. There was a whole bale of turtles swimming about in the pond yesterday.

Outside of classics like Roman de Renart by Pierre de St. Cloud or Reinecke Fuchs by Goethe, can any of my poetry people think of poems, especially more recent poems, featuring Reynard the Fox?

I love getting book mail! There's literally no thread that connects these three books. Or is there? I'm open to suggestions. Anyway, super excited to read all three.

I spotted this lovely blue jay while out walking during my lunch hour today. They were kind enough to give me a view of their face and back feathers.

Working on some poems for younger readers. Say kindergarten/first grade age. It's a totally different approach, and a fun challenge.

The hummingbirds are returning to Oklahoma. I spotted a ruby throated hummingbird at our feeder yesterday

In case y'all missed it earlier this week, CJ is honored to release a new novel from the dearly departed Sheldon Lee Compton Tuesday, May 12th. THE OLD INVISIBLE is one to read: www.cowboyjamboreemagazine.com/the-old-invi...

I spotted this mural in downtown Edmond while we were visiting the Arts Festival last weekend. I love the public art in town.

Exploring a musical genre that is new to me! It's Fiji, which is a genre of Yoruba music that developed in Nigeria in the 60s

The same people actively gutting the Voting Rights Act will pay homage to heroes like Dr. King, Rosa Parks, and the legacy and courage of a young Ruby Bridges. They honor them with their lips while their hands work to dismantle the world they worked to build.

A little #poetry for your Thursday

Do you like your books full of magic and mystery? Poetry that can make you giggle or send shivers down your spine? "A Catalog of Curious Creatures" is for you. Available through the links below: In the USA: a.co/d/02sjHX8a In the UK: amzn.eu/d/0hAK5ySr #poetry #poetrycommunity #kidlit #bookrecs

I want to read ALL THE BOOKS. 📚 #FountainPen: Monteverde Giant Sequoia #FountainPenInk: Robert Oster Caffé Crema

Excited to be contributing to the conversation and among the writers included in the upcoming issue of Epistemic Literary. I look forward to sharing it soon!