30 Poets/Day 6 - Jaime Adoff and Jorge Argueta

Rock and roll and poetry unite, courtesy of Jaime Adoff... and no matter which language you read it in, I bet you Jorge Argueta's poem will make you see a mango tree.

Rock n Roll Dad
by
Jaime Adoff

Rock n Roll Dad cooks
in the kitchen
radio blasts
always on ten!!
    It's so LOUD, I have to shout,
    "WHEN ARE WE GOING TO EAT!?"
Dad yells,
    "SOOOOOON!"
Dancing past me with his spoon.
Pots shake,
pans vibrate.
Mom screams:
    "It's an earthquake!"
    "What?" Dad yells back.
    I roll my eyes.
    Mom shakes her head.
Rock n Roll Dad is a little deaf.
    "A lot." Mom says.
    "Too many years playing drums." Rock n Roll Dad shouts, twirling his sticks and stirring the sauce.
    "Can I go to the club with you tonight?" I ask Dad.
    "You're not old enough yet." He answers back.
    "I want to go. I'm eight years old. I’m old enough to Rock n Roll."

    . . . One day I'm gonna play the drums too.
My hands will fly so fast
my sticks will break the speed of sound.
I'll be the best drummer in town.
     I play the plates with my carrot stick-sticks.
Splashing salsa cymbals with my rock n roll chips . . .

©2009 Jaime Adoff. All rights reserved.
Excerpt taken from "Rock n Roll Dad" to be published by Disney-Hyperion
(To see the original posting, please click here)

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CANCION DE MANGO/MANGO SONG
by
Jorge Argueta

CANCION DE MANGO Detrás la casita Pintada de muchos colores Y techo de lámina Hay un árbol Muy Muy grande de mango Los mangos Los verdes Son ácidos Y los amarillos Saben a miel Por las mañanas Las ramas del árbol Se llenan de pájaros Y se arma Ayyyy señor Que gran fieston El árbol muy Muy grande de mango Detrás la casita pintada De muchos colores Y techo de lámina Balila Esta bailando El árbol muy Muy grande de mango Detrás la casita pintada De muchos colores Y techo de lámina Canta Esta cantando El árbol muy Muy grande de mango Detrás la casita pintada De muchos colores Y techo de lámina Ya no es árbol Ahora es canció

MANGO SONG There is a tall Tall Mango tree Behind the tin roof Colorful houses The mangos The green ones Are sour And the yellow So sweet In the mornings Bird all colors Fill the tree And there is What a party In the branches of the tree The tall Tall tallllllll Mango tree Behind the tin roof Colorful house Dances Is dancing The tall Tall tallllllll Mango tree Behind the tin roof Colorful house Sings Is singing The tall Tall talllllll Mango tree Behind the tin roof Colorful house Is not a tree any more Now is a song

© 2010 Jorge Argueta. All rights reserved.
(Click here to see the original post and comments)

Yesterday we celebrated with poems by Ann Whitford Paul and Carole Boston Weatherford. Tomorrow... Marilyn Singer and Susan Marie Swanson.

Click here for more information on this year's 30 Poets/30 Days, including ways to follow along.