#WaterPoemProject: Day 29, Lee Gjertsen Malone

It’s Day 29 of our #WaterPoemProject — 30 days of water-themed poetry prompts from your favorite children’s authors. We are down to the last two days of our project.If you’re looking for National Poetry Month writing prompts, we’ve got you covered. Start with Day 1 and you’ll have poetry prompts from now through the end of April.New to this project? Please read the Introduction and FAQ. Or you can watch this video of me describing how to participate. It’s on the YouTube channel Authors Everywhere.Joining us from April-snowy Boston, middle grade author Lee Gjertsen Malone has a great water-themed writing prompt for us today.Lee's prompt is: Dirty Water

My adopted home of Boston is associated with the song "Dirty Water" by the Standells, released in 1966.The song is about the Charles River, which at the time was very polluted. But it’s not anymore — it’s a river that people swim and boat in, without worry.When I think about the Charles River I think about a body of water that has worked hard to be clean. But dirt and cleanliness is all tied up with water, and here in Boston, it’s about this river. And this song is about loving a place that isn’t perfect, and maybe isn’t always clean, but it’s home."Because I love that dirty water… oh Boston you’re my home."

Write about about how dirt and cleanliness are all tied up with water.

***We're down to the last two writing prompts, poets! There are so many things you can do with Lee's prompt today: write an opposites poem, explore pollution, create an ode to a river where you live. You've got until the end of the day tomorrow, Monday, April 20, 2020, to draft a new poem.

If you’re doing the #WaterPoemProject with a group, be sure to share or post your rough draft, read other people’s poems, and cheer for their efforts. Or leave your poem here, in the comments.Lee Gjertsen Malone is the author of two novels for children published by Simon & Schuster, THE LAST BOY AT ST. EDITH’S,  a Nutmeg Award Finalist, a Sakura Medal finalist, and a Massachusetts Center for the Book Must Read, and CAMP SHADY CROOK, a Junior Library Guild selection. She lives in Cambridge Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and a rotating cast of animals. Find her online at http://leegjertsenmalone.com/.***#WaterPoemProject Series Posts:Project IntroductionFAQPrompt 1: Irene Latham, The Language of WaterPrompt 2: Elizabeth Steinglass, What Would a Raindrop Say?Prompt 3: Linda Mitchell, Found HaikuPrompt 4: Shari Green, Fogbow FibonacciPrompt 5: Margaret Simon, The Taste of WaterPrompt 6: Heather Meloche, The Shape of a WavePrompt 7: Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, A Water MemoryPrompt 8: Laura Shovan, Rainy Day OppositesPrompt 9: Kathryn Apel, Silly SolagePrompt 10: Buffy Silverman, A Watery HomePrompt 11: Kara Laughlin, Frozen FogPrompt 12: Debbie Levy, Jump into a LimerickPrompt 13: Joy McCullough, What Are Water Bears?Prompt 14: Linda Baie, Frozen Water SkinnyPrompt 15: Chris Baron, The Hidden World of WaterPrompt 16: Michelle Heidenrich Barnes, Water WordplayPrompt 17: Susan Tan, The Sound of WaterPrompt 18: Mike Grosso, Waterplay!Prompt 19: R. L. Toalson, Wishing WellPrompt 20: Margarita Engle, Ode to the ShorePrompt 21: Faye McCray, Poem in a BubblePrompt 22: Meg Eden, Surprising ConnectionsPrompt 23: Beth Ain, Water with SaltPrompt 24: Kevin Hodgson, A Poem about PeepersPrompt 25: Laura Purdie Salas, Be a Snow-Maker!Prompt 26: Amanda Rawson Hill, Where Does Water Come From?Prompt 27: Nikki Grimes, Word? Play!Prompt 28: Heidi Mordhorst, Try a Definito!Prompt 29: Lee Gjertsen Malone, Dirty WaterPlease support the #WaterPoemProject authors by buying their books from your favorite independent bookstore.