I invented animals and birds - I had about two dozen. After working on them for six months, I sat down and just for fun wrote two dozen poems to accompany the drawings. It was for no one to every see, but a friend sent me in to an editor. Jack Prelutsky More Quotes by Jack Prelutsky More Quotes From Jack Prelutsky A poet is not something you become; a poet is something you are. Jack Prelutsky poet Then I decided to draw from and on my own imagination, and everything came out perfect. Jack Prelutsky draws imagination perfect We all need ways to express ourselves, and poetry is one of mine. Jack Prelutsky poetry-is way needs I'm mostly influenced by life, what's around me, and my own childhood. Jack Prelutsky childhood my-own Frankly, writing poetry for children is plain old fun, and I consider myself blessed to have such a delightful career. Jack Prelutsky blessed fun children If you don't believe in dragons, Jack Prelutsky dragons ifs believe There's not too much difference between writing a picture book and writing a collection of a hundred poems or so, except that the bigger books take a lot longer to do. Jack Prelutsky differences writing book Poetry seems to sink into us the way prose doesn't. I can still quote verses I learned when I was very young, but I have trouble remembering one line of a novel I just finished reading. Jack Prelutsky lines reading writing I always knew would be some sort of artist, but didn't know what. Jack Prelutsky artist would-be knows I accept challenges, I have always done that in writing. Jack Prelutsky done challenges writing Children seem naturally drawn to poetry - it's some combination of the rhyme, rhythm, and the words themselves. Jack Prelutsky rhyming combination children When I began writing, I didn't read any other children's poets... I didn't want to be influenced until I'd found my own voice. Now I read them all. Jack Prelutsky voice writing children I'm working now on a collection of Shakespearean sonnets, about 100 of them, that I may publish if anyone's interested. My take on life is a little different from the bard's. Jack Prelutsky different may littles It's Halloween! It's Halloween! Jack Prelutsky halloween queens kings After I'd produced about two dozen pen and ink drawings, one evening I decided that they needed poems to accompany them. I still have no idea where that notion came from, but it took me about two hours to produce verses for these creatures. Jack Prelutsky drawing two ideas I look for poetry in English because it's the only language I read. Jack Prelutsky language looks She comes by night, in fearsome flight, in garments black as pitch, the queen of doom upon her broom, the wild and wicked witch. Jack Prelutsky halloween queens night I write the poems first, with only a few exceptions for odd reasons, where I'm given the illustration first. Jack Prelutsky illustration writing firsts The sound of a word is at least as important as the meaning. Jack Prelutsky important sound writing I would go to sketch groups and draw. I really enjoyed the subject matter, but I wasn't good at it. Jack Prelutsky draws groups matter
