The World Around Us

April, 2004

This month is going to be a bit different in Outer Space Bound. Aliens will be found buzzing around and flashing in and out, antennaed and green, or purple-eared and multiple-limbed; they’re always a must. And since this is also the Fantasy World of elves and magicians, talking animals and inanimate objects that dance and sing, you’ll still find them strutting on their magic carpets of words.

So how will it be different this month? Why, of course, the Easter Bunny and the season of spring will be racing around our alley bringing a bouquet of newness and novelty. So rev up, for the skies of Outer Space Bound are frequented by many strange beings, and unlike normal paths, this one takes you in all directions.

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First on our flowered path, green with tiny fronds of grass, is this wee tale about elves and the origin of bowling.

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Science-fiction and fantasy are all about using your imagination. Nothing makes me more disappointed than when I propose a far-out idea and ask the person what he thinks, and the person says, “I don’t know.”

Please, THINK. Try to put yourself in that situation. How would things change? What would be different? What would you like about the difference? What would you not like about it?

The following poem is about that kind of thinking. What would happen if . . .

What if you had the ability to grow a fur coat? Would that be a good or bad thing? Would you want to wear a fur coat all the time? What would be bad about it? What would be good? What would your friends say? What would your mother and father say?

If I Grew A Fur Coat  (E) A child ponders the advantages and disadvantages of growing his own coat. #799980 by Shaara

In that same vein, supposing that an alien visited us here on Earth and fell out of his ship? Maybe he was peering into your bedroom window, or maybe he saw you on the slide at the park or in your own backyard. Maybe he saw you on your way to school, and you were singing a song. Perhaps he wanted to hear your song, and he simply leaned over too much. Swoop! Crash! Bang! Into a lemon tree he fell.

How many of you have ever become really acquainted with a lemon tree? Did you know that it has thorns just like a rose bush? It would not be a pretty place to land. It would hurt every place those thorns touched! Ouch! Groan, grumble, ooh!

You Think You've Got Problems?  (E) An alien in a prickly spot. #799911 by Shaara

So, have some sympathy for this poor alien’s problem. What would you do? Would you help him down from the tree? How would you do that? His clothes are all tangled in thorns. He can’t move! He's PAINFULLY stuck!

Would you scream and run away and hide because he’s green and looks like a Grinch? Poor alien. Would you honestly leave him up in that tree forever? Would you let him starve? Poor, poor alien.

Please write a story or poem about getting the alien down from the lemon tree. What would you do first? What would you say to the alien? Would you go get a ladder? Would you go get your parents, or would you call the police and firemen?

Then what would happen if you did get him down? What does he eat? What does he do? How does he get back to his ship? (Remember, it sailed off into the sky.)

Isn't that fun to think about? I just love those kinds of stories. Why I could write a story just about the first time he sat down to eat dinner with your family. We were having spaghetti and . . .


Anyone seen the Easter Bunny? I think he's getting ready for Easter. He's probably digging up eggs in his egg patch, or maybe he's plucking them out of the sky or off rainbows or harvesting from the flowers.

What would happen if an alien met up with the Easter Bunny? That’s my proposal for an interesting tale. In my story, the alien ends up with a very real problem -- disbelief. I hope you can help him out. Send your answers to The World Around Us, care of Shaara!

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Now for the story of the Easter Bunny from a different angle. Suppose you met him one day?

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Is there magic in colored eggs? The next story is not really a fantasy or a science fiction story. It's about seeing things differently. What if you thought that the eggs themselves were magical? In the following story a little girl in Mexico has never seen Easter eggs. She thinks that if she looks in all the bird nests, she will find a colored egg.

I have included this story here because I want you to see how we can tweak anything to make it seem new and different. It is only how we look at it that changes what it is. We turn it ALIEN, so to speak. (Are you giggling, yet? I hope so. I am.)

STATIC

The Miracle of Easter Eggs  (E) Juanita discovers the miracle of Easter Eggs... #671838 by Shaara

The next story is written for young readers. It's a how to read story with a twist. I supposed that . . . Whoops, I'm not going to tell you what I supposed. That would spoil it! Just remember, please that I really DO believe in the Easter Bunny . . .

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Ok. Here comes another story with the Easter Bunny. This time he transforms. That means he becomes human-like and someone is shooting at him and at YOU!

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The last story is another "not really fantasy or science fiction story." This one has been included for teens especially. It is about how we can use fantasy to help us through the tough moments in life.

In this story the girl is in a marathon (That's a long distance race.)She is so tired, she wants to collapse, but she doesn't. Instead she uses pieces of poems to help her continue. She uses her IMAGINATION. ("Does that sound like a familiar theme for this month?" asks Shaara with a giggle.)

STATIC

The Tortoise and the Rabbit  (E) In life some people are turtles and others are rabbits, bounding ahead... #670408 by Shaara

Now, just for fun, I wrote a crazy poem. This poem is about hunger and imagining the flavors of the Solar System. What do you think Mars tastes like? Would the moon be made of cheese or chocolate chip ice cream? Would Venus be soup, pudding, or a brand new spice to sprinkle over your scrambled eggs?

No, I know we can’t eat any of the planets, but sit back and chuckle. Don’t take everything so seriously. Just have yourself a good belly laugh once in a while. Then write me what you think the planets and our moon would taste like.

A Crazy, Mixed Up Solar System of Hunger  (E) A hungry child romps humorously through the Solar System. #799985 by Shaara

By the way did you notice the rhyme pattern? It’s kind of strange, almost as strange as the poem. The first line in each stanza rhymes, and in the second line, there are always two rhyming words. You know why I did that? Because I was playing. LOL (Laughing out loud -- that's computer talk, by the way)


I think playing with poetry is almost like working on a fun puzzle, except do you know what the difference is? Why, with a puzzle there’s only one way to put the pieces together, and with a poem, I can stick rhyme anywhere. I can move the stanzas (poem paragraphs) around, and I can have two lines in each stanza or five. And I can . . . all right . . . you get the picture. Anything goes in a poem.

Can you rewrite my puzzle of a poem and move it all around? Have fun, or go write your own. Tell me what Jupiter might taste like or WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE! What a great idea! Sorry, kids, I’m off to go write another poem. I’ve got to figure out what the Solar System smells like!

Bye. See you in May!

Shaara