Across the Miles: Poems of Fantasy, Faith, and Fun
by Annie Douglass Lima
Watch a violinist spin stars and snowflakes into existence and wake dragons. Step into a bookstore full of dusty treasures, and wander through a graveyard for poems that died before their birth. Join a solitary star treading the measures of its stately dance above a rainbow-like a stream of dripping jewels. Then mourn with the alien who crash-landed on Earth and can’t get home – but be careful to avoid the deadly shadow creatures slinking through the darkness. You’ll find all this and more in Across the Miles.
Grab your copy of this volume of poetry now and embark on an unforgettable journey across the miles!
The poems in Across the Miles touch on themes such as travel, friendship, nature, God, music, fantasy, music, animal encounters, and school. Some whimsical, some serious, they include specific, lesser-known varieties of poetry such as pantoum, rondeau, triolet, roundel, and villanelle.
Read on to sample two of the poems in Across the Miles!
Monopoly (a Pantoum) from Across the Miles
A pantoum consists of four-line stanzas in which the second and fourth lines of one stanza become the first and third lines of the next stanza. It works well to describe noisy places or repetitive thoughts or conversations.
“Monopoly’s such a fun game.”
“So now how much more do I owe you?”
“Did you pay as much as you claim?”
“The rules are right here, let me show you.”
“So now how much more do I owe you?”
“You’re not getting Boardwalk from me!”
“The rules are right here, let me show you.”
“It’s ‘Get out of Jail for Free’.”
“You’re not getting Boardwalk from me!”
“Will all you guys please be more quiet?”
“It’s ‘Get out of Jail for Free’.”
“You landed on mine, don’t deny it.”
“Will all you guys please be more quiet?”
“I can’t hear a word that you say.”
“You landed on mine, don’t deny it.”
“Just pass me the dice, then I’ll play.”
“I can’t hear a word that you say.”
“Are Reading and Short Line for sale?”
“Just pass me the dice, then I’ll play.”
“So how do I get out of jail?”
“Are Reading and Short Line for sale?”
“She owes you nine hundred for rent.”
“So how do I get out of jail?”
“You know how much money I’ve spent?”
“She owes you nine hundred for rent.”
“Aha, he’s advancing my way now!”
“You know how much money I’ve spent?”
“You landed on Baltic, so pay now.”
“Aha, he’s advancing my way now.”
“Did she roll a three or a four?”
“You landed on Baltic, so pay now.”
“I don’t want to play anymore.”
“Did she roll a three or a four?”
“You owe me two hundred and twenty.”
“I don’t want to play anymore.”
“Don’t buy more hotels – you’ve got plenty!”
“You owe me two hundred and twenty.”
“Did you pay as much as you claim?”
“Don’t buy more hotels – you’ve got plenty!”
“Monopoly’s such a fun game.”
Flu (Across the Miles)
For best effect, read this poem aloud with a stuffy nose and hoarse voice.
I’ve decided I hate the flu – I really do!
The soreness and aching,
the temp’rature taking
which tries to make me a believer that I’ve only got a fever
of 99.2
but I’m pretty sure that thermometer’s a liar
’cause it feels way higher
and I think I may slowly be going insane
’cause my cough’s such a pain
with its racking and its hacking
while all of the drugs that I take are in vain
and my head and my chest
are both tight and congest-
ed, and I’m faced with issues
like running out of tissues
(’cause my drippy nose never stops)
and having to bring cough drops
everywhere I go
and my eyes getting runny
– and NO! It’s not funny!
’cause I don’t like being in pain and congested and woozy
And inconvenienced and fevered and fluzy.
Want to enjoy nearly a hundred more poems like this? Click here to download your copy of Across the Miles for just $2.99 (that’s only about three cents per poem!). Or gift a paperback copy to a poetry-loving friend or family member for Christmas!
About the Poet:
Annie Douglass Lima considers herself fortunate to have traveled in twenty different countries and lived in four of them. A fifth-grade teacher in her “other” life, she loves reading to her students and sparking their imaginations. Her books include science fiction, fantasy, YA action and adventure novels, a puppet script, poetry, Bible verse coloring and activity books, and a fantasy-themed cookbook. When she isn’t teaching or writing, Annie can often be found sipping spiced chai or pomegranate green tea in exotic locations, some of which exist in this world.
Connect with the Poet Online:
Email: AnnieDouglassLima@gmail.com
Blog
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
Bloglovin
Bookbub
Click here to join her author email list and receive a free copy of one of her fantasy ebooks!
Annie is a personal friend and an amazing educator. Read more about Annie here:
New Release: Heartsong by Annie Douglass Lima
Flinch-Free Fiction: Annie Douglass Lima
Fantasy Release: In the Double Agent’s Service
Is Oatmeal a Superfood? We Think So!
King of Malorn – New Release
Books by Annie Douglass Lima:
- NEW fantasy novel: In the Double Agent’s Service
- Once Upon a Bowl of Oatmeal, a fantasy-themed cookbook
- Heartsong, a poignant science fiction adventure
- Hide it In Your Heart, an adult coloring/activity book
- the Krillonian Chronicles: alternate reality/action and adventure novels dealing with slavery and martial arts
- the Annals of Alasia: a young adult action and adventure/fantasy series (click here to receive a FREE copy of Annals of Alasia: the Collected Interviews!)
- Squawky Learns About Love: a short Christian puppet script
- Student Poetry Anthologies edited by Annie Douglass Lima
Thank you for featuring Across the Miles on your blog. I hope your readers enjoy my poetry! Unfortunately, I realized that the buy link in the post doesn’t seem to work. If you would be willing to change it, this one is correct: https://www.amazon.com/Annie-Douglass-Lima/e/B0051XD0SU/
I apologize for the error in the link! Thank you for bringing it to my attention and for the joy your writing brings to the world.