poem of the week

We are battling colds around here leftover from the weekend.  When the children are feeling under the weather it is a good reminder to slow down with a stack of books, some knitting (Moonpie casted on for the first time last night!), and castles made of blocks.

Our poet focus this year is Robert Louis Stevenson.  I like to choose a poem a week for us to read daily during our morning circle time.  This poem seemed fitting for the week:

Block City 

 from A Child's Garden of Verses

What are you able to build with your blocks?

Castles and palaces, temples and docks.

Rain may keep raining, and others go roam,

But I can be happy and building at home.

Let the sofa be mountains, the carpet be sea,

There I'll establish a city for me:

A kirk and a mill and a palace beside,

And a harbour as well where my vessels may ride.

Great is the palace with pillar and wall,

A sort of a tower on the top of it all,

And steps coming down in an orderly way

To where my toy vessels lie safe in the bay.

This one is sailing and that one is moored:

Hark to the song of the sailors of board!

And see on the steps of my palace, the kings

Coming and going with presents and things!

Now I have done with it, down let it go!

All in a moment the town is laid low.

Block upon block lying scattered and free,

What is there left of my town by the sea?

Yet as I saw it, I see it again,

The kirk and the palace, the ships and the men,

And as long as I live and where'er I may be,

I'll always remember my town by the sea.

If you are looking for a lovely addition to your library, might I suggest A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson, with illustrations by the dear Tasha Tudor.

Looking for a great set of blocks?  We prefer the standard unit blocks from Melissa and Doug.  I was fortunate enough to find a set on clearance at a store!  (the blocks in the picture above are M & D castle blocks.)