A Little Song

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Scott Ennis

Writing a little song.

I like the sound of words in little songs
I like the way they beat, just like my heart
I like to write where every word belongs
Just give me pen and paper and I’ll start!

A sonnet is a kind of little song
A lyric poem made of fourteen lines
Ten syllables don’t make each line too long
I like the way each word and beat combines

I want to write my little songs all day
I want to sing my little songs all night
In dreams my little songs will find a way
To give me gentle peace while stars shine bright

I like the sound of words in little songs
I think the sonnet’s where my heart belongs

My Sick Doll

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Scott Ennis

My Sick Doll

My doll felt warm; I thought that she was sick
Said sister: “That’s a silly thing to think!”
I wanted her to rest and feel good, quick!
I nursed my doll while sister had her drink

I love my doll and sister likes her tea
I love my sister too; I think she’s smart
When I get sick, she’s just as good to me
As I am to my doll; I love her heart

I want to be a nurse to my sick doll
I’ll nurse her back to health the kindest way
Perhaps I’ll be a nurse to one and all
I’ll practice on my doll until that day

My doll may not be sick, like sister said
But I can still be kind and feel her head.

Feeding the Ducks with Beau

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Scott Ennis

Feeding the Ducks With Beau

I found some bread to take and feed the ducks
I sat beside their pond and broke the bread
I think they thought the bread crumbs were deluxe
At least I’m sure they liked that they were fed
They didn’t seem to mind my big dog, Beau
Five ducklings and their mother paddled up
To get the breadcrumbs I would tear and throw
Beau comes with me since he was just a pup
We like to feed the ducks; they like us too
They’ve never been afraid of Beau; he’s kind
I think there’s part of Beau that’s duck; I do!
But if he’s only dog, I still don’t mind
When I find bread, Beau knows we’ll feed his friends
Beside the pond, where friendship never ends!

Red Riding Hood

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Scott Ennis

Red Riding Hood

Red Riding Hood had walked the woods before
A basketful of food upon her arm
She took it through her grandma’s cottage door
Where she and grandma dined without alarm!
But one day when her grandma was too sick
To rise up from her bed to lock her door
A wolf came in and played a big bad trick
He gobbled grandma up and wanted more!
He dressed like grandma, climbed into her bed
Red Riding Hood came in, devoid of fear
“What teeth you have,” was what the young girl said
The Wolf replied, “To eat you with, my dear!”
Just then a hunter did what hunters do
He saved Red Riding Hood and grandma too!

Sonnet Contest for Kids

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Scott Ennis

eep! is pleased to announce its first ever sonnet writing contest for kids!

Rules:

1. Kids must be 14 or younger.
2. Sonnets must be 14 lines of iambic pentameter.
3. No specific sonnet style is required.
4. One sonnet per child.
5. Sonnets must be received via email by June 1, 2012.
6. eep! (Ennis Electronic Publishing) will be the sole judges and will determine the winner by June 30, 2012.
7. All entries may be published by eep! on its website: www.kidseep.com
8. First prize winner will be awarded a $25 Amazon Gift Certificate, one TY Beanie Baby doll (Eggbert), and one copy of the illustrated book, “Daisies and Raindrops. Sonnets for Children.”
9. Second prize winner will be awarded a $15 Amazon Gift Certificate and one copy of the illustrated book, “Daisies and Raindrops. Sonnets for Children.”
10. Third prize winner will be awarded a $10 Amazon Gift Certificate and one copy of the illustrated book, “Daisies and Raindrops. Sonnets for Children.”
Please send entries to: contest@kidseep.com with the Subject: Kids Sonnet Contest
11. You can find more information on how to write a sonnet here: http://www.sonnettics.com/here

Merry Christmas eep!

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Scott Ennis

Merry Christmas eep!

Jingle Bells

Dashing home from school
Be-cause I missed the bus!
O’er the snow so cool
Trying not to cuss!
Bells that I can hear
Make my dashing bright
And they tell me that it’s near
To Merry Christmas Night!

(chorus)
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way
Oh what joy it is to hear
Bells jingle every day!
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way
Oh what joy it is to hear
Bells jingle every day!

Earth

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Scott Ennis

Here’s a song I wrote using the music from an old song I learned in South Africa.

Click here to download the mp3: Earth

Care for Earth

Water, Air, and Land

(to the tune of “Boobejaan Klim die Berg”)

V1.

Earth’s the home where we live
It’s such a pretty planet
Earth’s the home where we live
It’s such a pretty planet
Earth’s the home where we live
It has such a lot to give!
Hooray! for the planet we call home!

Oh, please be careful
Oh, please be careful
Earth’s water, air, and land need care

V2. Water

I can swim in a lake
That’s filled with clean, fresh water
I can swim in a lake
That’s filled with clean, fresh water
I can swim in a lake
Keep it clean, for goodness sake!
Hooray! for the planet we call home!

Oh, please be careful
Oh, please be careful
Earth’s water, air, and land need care

V3. Air

Every breath is a gift
Breathe deeply and enjoy it
Every breath is a gift
Breathe deeply and enjoy it
Every breath is a gift
That can make your spirit lift
Hooray! for the planet we call home!

Oh, please be careful
Oh, please be careful
Earth’s water, air, and land need care

V4. Land

Food is good, that’s for sure
We grow it and we eat it
Food is good, that’s for sure
We grow it and we eat it
Food is good, that’s for sure
It grows best on land that’s pure
Hooray! for the planet we call home!

Oh, please be careful
Oh, please be careful
Earth’s water, air, and land need care

Sir Jack, the Knight vs. Bill the Dragon

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Scott Ennis

Jack vs Bill

Sir Jack, the knight, is brave, and smart, and strong
He’s strong enough to fight the dragon, Bill
He knows where dragons do and don’t belong
He fights the dragons when nobody will
Sir Jack is brave, his sword is made of gold
Sir Jack is smart;he studies dragon lore
Sir Jack is brave; he isn’t very old
But Jack will always win the Dragon War!
When Bill, the dragon, started being mean
And burning down the houses with his breath
Sir Jack attacked his flames, and wiped them clean
The water hose he sprayed at Bill was death!
‘Cuz Bill, the dragon, didn’t know he could
But Jack, the knight, extinguished Bill for good!

Parkside Visit

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Scott Ennis

Parkside Poster

Yesterday I had the most amazing experience! I was invited to share poetry with some of the students at Parkside Middle School in Manassas, Virginia.
I prepared a worbook for them which included a discussion of 4 poetic devices: Rhyme, Meter, Similie, and Metaphor. Most of the students were already familiar with these devices, so our discussion was not just one-sided!
These students were great! They showed respect and seemed genuinely interested in the material I presented.
I think I may have learned more from them than they did from me!
I gave them the option of analyzing one of my poems, and they all chose a more difficult option instead of an easy one. They chose to analyze my poem, The Ace of Diamonds.
I just want to say “Thank You” again to these wonderful students for the amazing day they shared with me.

Swinging High

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Scott Ennis

Swinging High

The grass below my swing is emerald green;
The sky above my swing is sapphire blue.
And in the air I’m richer than a queen
With gold and diamonds, pearls and rubies too.
The golden sun that dips beneath my feet,
The diamonds sparkling on a distant lake,
The pearly petals of the daisies sweet,
My cheeks flush red as rubies for their sake.
And though I have the riches of my dreams;
I only have them when I touch the sky.
And though I try my best, it always seems
That on my own I don’t swing very high.
But I have found a friend to help me swing
And when I am a queen, he is my king.