Valentine’s Day Contest

Posted on February 11, 2012 by viviankirkfield

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Several weeks ago, children’s author, Susannah Leonard Hill, announced a contest: write a children’s story, in poetry or prose, about unlikely Valentines.

To tell you the truth, ever since the second week in January when I decided to participate in Julie Hedlund’s 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge, I am never without a piece of paper and a pen because I never know when a picture book idea will suddenly descend upon me. Often, in the wee hours of the morning, a picturesque phrase pops into my head…and if I don’t write it down immediately, it disappears. Of course, reading what is on the paper in the light of the morning is sometimes impossible…my handwriting is not the best and writing in the dark definitely does not improve it.

So here is my entry into Susannah’s Valentine’s Day Contest…as I read each verse, I can visualize the illustrations that might accompany this story. I hope you all enjoy it and I welcome your feedback and constructive criticism…but please, be gentle…today is my birthday!

A Story of Unlikely Valentines

Whom Do I Love? by Vivian Kirkfield

Whom do I love?

Quizzed the cloud-covered moon.

I love the dish that ran off with the spoon.

Whom do I love?

Posed the run-away dish.

I love the silvery stream-swimming fish.

Whom do I love?

Slurped the shimmering trout.

I love the rock-hopping toad that jumped out.

Whom do I love?

Croaked the hip-hopping toad.

I love the waddling duck on the road.

Whom do I love?

Quacked the web-footed duck.

I love the pig on the rusty farm truck.

Whom do I love?

Oinked the curly-tailed pig.

I love the floppy-eared dog that can dig.

Whom do I love?

Barked the diggity-dog.

I love the bee in the hollowed-out log.

Whom do I love?

Buzzed the bumblely-bee.

I love the mouse that lives under the tree.

Whom do I love?

Squeaked the scurrying mouse.

I love the curly-haired boy in that house.

Whom do I love?

Asked the sweet little lad.

I love my momma and I love my dad.

I’m excited to read the other entries that link up to Susannah’s Valentine’s Day Contest…we learn so much when we share our thoughts and encourage and support one another.

74 thoughts on “Valentine’s Day Contest”

mybabyjohn on February 11, 2012 at 2:27 pm said:

That is so sweet.

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- viviankirkfield on February 12, 2012 at 1:14 am said:
  
  Thank you so much for coming by…glad you liked the poem. 🙂
  
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Susanna Leonard Hill on February 11, 2012 at 2:39 pm said:

This is a wonderful entry, Vivian! Delightful! Thank you so much for joining in the fun, and HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!! 🙂

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- viviankirkfield on February 12, 2012 at 1:13 am said:
  
  All praise and thanks to you, Susannah, for the Unlikely Valentines Contest idea!!!
  So glad you liked my entry…it was so much fun…coming up with each recipient of affection…and thinking of creative words that sounded melodious.
  It’s been an awesome birthday so far…did you see the comment from Linda Gramatky Smith on my PPBF entry? I was so thrilled to have her stop by and visit. And then Michelle, The 3am Teacher, did a post about it and she wants to do some illustrations for each verse…it is definitely a wonderful journey I am taking. 🙂
  
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Michelle Tsivgadellis on February 11, 2012 at 3:20 pm said:

I love this!!!!! You are very talented! I would love to use this and add illustrations…..

Please let me know if it would be alright. I would not use it commercially, of course & I can send you the illustrations. I was inspired by your poem & I am thinking of something very soft (like colored pencil or abstract-like characters…almost a dream-like state I guess).

Thank you for sharing!
Michelle

The 3AM Teacher

Would it be okay if I shared your poem on my blog and linked back to yours?

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- viviankirkfield on February 12, 2012 at 1:07 am said:
  
  Michelle…I am thrilled you were so inspired by my little Unlikely Valentine poem! You did a beautiful post about it on your blog…thank you so much. 🙂
  If you would like to put some illustrations to the words…I’d be excited to see them…thank you for your encouraging words. The contest was my first venture into something like this…although I wrote picture book stories many years ago…but never followed through with getting them published…only my parenting book that has the summaries of classic picture books and craft and cooking activities. But now I am ready to walk this road of picture book writing more seriously…maybe, together, we will emerge with something that will be on bookstore shelves one day. 🙂
  
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- viviankirkfield on February 12, 2012 at 2:30 am said:
  
  Thanks for the link, Nancy. 🙂
  
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nrhatch on February 11, 2012 at 3:32 pm said:

This is darling, Vivian!

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- viviankirkfield on February 12, 2012 at 12:09 am said:
  
  Hi Nancy,
  Glad you liked it…it’s as if I am on a whole new path for my life…very exciting!
  
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Renee LaTulippe on February 11, 2012 at 4:43 pm said:

Adorable, Vivian, well done! Love the lilting language and repeated images – very cool concept. A gentle poem. I’ll be posting mine on Monday – hope you stop by to see it! 🙂

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- viviankirkfield on February 12, 2012 at 12:09 am said:
  
  Thank you so very much. That is high praise indeed, from someone like you, Renee. 🙂 I look forward to reading your entry on Monday! I loved participating in the Unlikely Valentine Contest…it was great fun!
  
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  - Renee LaTulippe on February 12, 2012 at 7:18 pm said:
    
    Me too! I never do contests, but this one really caught my eye, and I had so much fun with it. Just put it up, though it may be a little “out there,” haha! I would love to see more of your children’s poetry.
    
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    - viviankirkfield on February 13, 2012 at 1:26 am said:
      
      Renee…
      I really can’t express how humbled I am…with the so very positive response to my little entry. 🙂
      And thrilled..and excited…and happy. 🙂
      I’m so passionate about picture books…how much children enjoy hearing them…the many ways they can help kids with issues and problems…the opportunities they afford parents to engage a child and open a discussion about sensitive topics…their visual beauty…their simple messages. I’ve mentioned it before in the comments…I dabbled in writing picture books over 35 years ago…and actually sent one (with illustrations my very artistic daughter-in-law did) to Random House where a niece had worked in one of the editing departments and “knew” someone. But she left the company…and ther person she knew also moved onward. I sent it anyway…and got a lovely personal letter back…the gist of which was, thanks but no thanks. 🙂 Then I got busy with my parenting book and getting that published and out there and promoting and marketing it…kind of a big job for a one-woman show. 🙂 That’s why I’m so tickled to be connecting with this wonderful community of writers/authors/lovers of picture books and children. So, to have so many of you say it is “well-done” is very validating. 🙂
      Thanks Renee…I can’t wait to read more of the entries…so far it’s been so much fun!
      
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jackie on February 11, 2012 at 5:16 pm said:

So cute! I really like your poem.

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- viviankirkfield on February 12, 2012 at 12:07 am said:
  
  Hi Jackie,
  Thanks for stopping by and for your kind comment…glad you liked my Unlikely Valentine poem. 🙂
  
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Rena J Traxel on February 11, 2012 at 5:55 pm said:

I love it! So cute. Good luck with the contest. I’m also never without a pad and pen!

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- viviankirkfield on February 12, 2012 at 12:05 am said:
  
  Thanks so much, Rena. I’ve never done a contest like this before…and it was lots of fun!
  By the way, went to your blog and LOVE the headshots. 🙂
  
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Cathy Ballou Mealey on February 11, 2012 at 6:29 pm said:

Love make the world go ’round for all these delightful characters!

Happy birthday to you! My daughter just turned 9 yesterday, so there’s cake aplenty in our house today!

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- viviankirkfield on February 12, 2012 at 12:02 am said:
  
  Oh Cathy….
  I just read your entry into the Unlikely Valentines Contest…WOW!
  Great story that kept me engaged till the final word. Awesome descriptive words and loved the ending!
  Glad you liked my Valentine characters…it was fun thinking of whom each would love in return. 🙂
  And Happy Birthday to your daughter…enjoy the cake!!!!
  
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Penny Klostermann on February 11, 2012 at 7:37 pm said:

I love it, Vivian. Very sweet and well-rhymed! The repetition is so appealing. I just posted mine. Isn’t this fun???

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- viviankirkfield on February 11, 2012 at 11:56 pm said:
  
  Hi Penny,
  Thanks for your kind words…I LOVED your Frankenstein verse…well-done and funny and sad…all rolled into one. 🙂
  Yes, this is LOTS of fun…very energizing and uplifting to contribute and see everyone else’s wonderful work. With all the crazy horrible things that go on in this world, it’s great to have a community of people who forge ahead with positivity!
  
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patientdreamer on February 11, 2012 at 7:43 pm said:

Oh that is so beautiful, I loved it. Wow it’s gonna be hard voting….

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- viviankirkfield on February 11, 2012 at 11:52 pm said:
  
  Diane,
  Glad you liked it. 🙂 Are you going to post an entry? This is the first contest of this type I have ever done. What fun!
  By the way, I loved your review of Happy Feet!
  
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delores on February 11, 2012 at 11:43 pm said:

This is so sweet. Lovely job.

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- viviankirkfield on February 11, 2012 at 11:49 pm said:
  
  Hi Delores,
  Thanks for coming by and reading my entry. I appreciate your kind words. I already stopped at your blog…your story was charming and brought back memories of when my kids were little and always made their own cards for every occasion…and I still do. 🙂
  
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Julie on February 12, 2012 at 2:48 am said:

Oh, this is absolutely precious Vivian. Great job!

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- viviankirkfield on February 12, 2012 at 4:39 am said:
  
  Thank you, thank you, Julie!
  Glad you enjoyed reading it. It was a totally wonderful experience…I think your 12 x 12 and Susannah’s Unlikely Valentine Contest have unleashed a monster. 🙂 I always want to be writing. 🙂 So it is really lovely to hear that others like to read what I’ve written. 🙂
  
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Leigh Covington (@LeighCovington) on February 12, 2012 at 3:11 am said:

This is so cute! Exactly the kind of thing I love to read. It’s wonderful, fun and completely “unlikely” valentines! Beautiful work!

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- viviankirkfield on February 12, 2012 at 4:36 am said:
  
  Hi Leigh,
  So nice to connect with you…thank you for stopping by!
  I so appreciate your generous praise…I had so much fun writing it…and can’t wait to write more! Guess I’m hooked. 🙂
  
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Catherine Johnson on February 12, 2012 at 1:28 pm said:

That is absolutely adorable Vivian!

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- viviankirkfield on February 12, 2012 at 7:07 pm said:
  
  Oh, I’m glad you enjoyed it, Catherine! The contest has been so much fun!
  
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Rebecca Colby on February 12, 2012 at 7:01 pm said:

I like the way this is a chain, with each one loving and appreciating an unlikely someone else. Great poem, Vivian!

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- viviankirkfield on February 12, 2012 at 7:06 pm said:
  
  Thank you so much, Rebecca. I’m glad you liked it…writing it was quite a lot of fun for me as well. 🙂
  Glad you stopped by…I have to run out right now…but will check out the new entries at Susannah’s Unlikely Valentine Contest when I get back. Did you submit one?
  
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Tracy Bermeo on February 12, 2012 at 8:23 pm said:

Vivian, I love it. I can picture all these little creatures moving, hopping, swimming and yes, loving mom and dad. Great entry.

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- viviankirkfield on February 13, 2012 at 1:29 am said:
  
  Hi Tracy,
  I’m so glad you liked it! I’m kind of happy with it also. 🙂 I really enjoyed writing it and thinking of the different animals and what they would be doing and whom they would be loving. What a fun contest!
  
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Rebecca Fyfe on February 12, 2012 at 8:55 pm said:

I love it, and I really enjoyed the ending. So sweet! And I can easily visualise the pictures to go with it.

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- viviankirkfield on February 13, 2012 at 1:43 am said:
  
  Hi Rebecca,
  Thank you so much for coming by and reading my little Unlikely Valentine entry. It was a lot of fun for me to write it…so I’m happy everyone is enjoying it so much…maybe one day it will be on children’s bookshelves. 🙂
  
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Heather on February 12, 2012 at 9:19 pm said:

Lovely. It’s a wonderful read aloud.

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- viviankirkfield on February 13, 2012 at 1:44 am said:
  
  Heather…
  I so appreciate your kind words…I do school programs every week…maybe I will bring this along to one of them and read it to the kindergarteners and see how they react…true market research. 🙂
  
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Patricia Tilton on February 13, 2012 at 12:54 am said:

Great entry. This could be make a lovely story! Very creative Vivian!

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- viviankirkfield on February 13, 2012 at 1:45 am said:
  
  Thank you so much Pat!
  I love it…and everyone else seems to have enjoyed reading it…maybe it has to be a “real” book one day. 🙂
  
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