It’s Friday! And you know what that means: Poetry! Want to know more about Poetry Friday? Click this link right here. Be sure to check out Reflections on the Teche to see this week’s round up of wonderful poetry related posts, blogs and goodness.
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Hello and Happy Friday! Last week I reviewed and held a giveaway for Chris Harris’ I’m Just No Good at Rhyming: and Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups.
written by Chris Harris
illustrated by Lane Smith
And now for the winner (as picked by the random.org number generator)! Drum-roll please!!!
https://giphy.com/embed/pcJPMe0jlvNmRyqpzC
Dani Burtsfield
Congratulations! Please email me at slothreads1985 (at) gmail (dot) com to claim this awesome book.
Today My family and I are driving up to Tennessee to visit more family. So I thought it would be appropriate to share The Volunteer State’s official state poem. I have included a snippit from the background of the poem, also found at the link below.
“Naval Admiral William Lawrence composed “Oh Tennessee, My Tennessee” while enduring a 60 day period of solitary confinement in a North Vietnamese prisoner of war camp. Lawrence spent a total of six years as a POW during the Vietnam War. This poem describes the love and longing he felt for his beautiful home state:”
Oh Tennessee, My Tennessee
by William Lawrence
Oh Tennessee, My Tennessee
What Love and Pride I Feel for Thee.
You Proud Ole State, the Volunteer,
Your Proud Traditions I Hold Dear.
I Revere Your Heroes
Who Bravely Fought our Country’s Foes.
Renowned Statesmen, so Wise and Strong,
Who Served our Country Well and Long.
I Thrill at Thought of Mountains Grand;
Rolling Green Hills and Fertile Farm Land;
Earth Rich with Stone, Mineral and Ore;
Forests Dense and Wild Flowers Galore;
Sloth Reads 
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The drumroll pic is hilarious! Happy travels this weekend, Rebecca. I just wrote on Laura Salas' post (about refugees) how important our first homes seem to be, and now this poignant poem ends as the state song: “No Place Exceeds my Boyhood Home.” It's lovely!
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Lucky Dani — That's a GREAT book!!Happy travels!
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Thanks for sharing and congrats to Dani. Enjoy your travels. By the way, I didn't realize that states had official state poems. I'm off to search for Maine's!
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SAfe travels this weekend. Thanks for sharing the Tennessee poem. I haven't lived there, but have enjoyed my travels through it.
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My brother served in Vietnam and made it home safely. He was never a prisoner, but this lovely poem reminded me of him. Thanks for sharing it.
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Perhaps this poem and his memories helped him endure his confinement. Hope you had a good weekend with your family!
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