Ideas Tingle and Bite is a non-rhyming poem of 50 lines sold to Highlights Magazine for Children.
The inspiration for the poem came from Newberry Award-winning author Jerry Spinelli, who spoke at a Highlights Foundation Workshop at Chautauqua barbecue about how great ideas come at you like mosquitos -- and you'd better pay attention to them and not swat the idea away before you can write it down. My other favorite anecdote from a lunchtime conversation with Mr. Spinelli was when I asked about the Happy wagon of pebbles in his Stargirl novels. He said he didn't make that up -- his poet wife, Eileen, had a happy wagon. Put a marble or pebble in the wagon when you are happy, take one out when you are sad. A vivid visual indicator of one's mood. Brilliant.
I will add a link here when the poem is scheduled to be printed in the magazine.
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