Friday, October 26, 2012

Indian Summer - Celebrating Weather


summerintofallintowinter
October 25, 2012
Photo by Amy LV


 
Click the arrow to hear me read this poem to you.

Students - Yesterday was the most magnificent day here in Western New York. It was an Indian Summer day, a wondrous day reminding us of summer's joys before we turn to the beauty of winter.  Sitting outside in  one of our family's fold-up chairs, my hand and pen turned to weather, and I knew that this poem would try to save a snip of sun and warmth for chilly days.

This is a free verse poem, a poem with no regular rhyme or meter.  Still, though, when I write free verse poems, I take care with each word.  See if you can find any words with the same beginning sounds near each other.  Then see if you can find any repeated words.  Any rhymes?  My favorite part of this poem is the idea of pretending that Fall is a dancing girl...with two competing partners.  That idea makes me smile, and I like watching the play of it in my mind.

The most important to do when writing poems like this one is to read them over and over.  Aloud.  Hearing how each word tumbles gently or bashes into the next helps me know when to make changes.

Many poems celebrate weather.  Weather is a special kind of mirror for each day, determining what we do and sometimes even how we feel.  Pay attention to weather where you live, maybe even writing notebook entries or drawing sketches of weather observations.  Then, mind and heart full of sun and wind and blowing rain and snow...shine some words onto your page.

For the past two weeks, Nina Crittenden has been Sharing Our Notebooks, and today I am happy to announce that Tara at A Teaching Life has won Nina's generous book and notebook giveaway.  Tara, please send me an e-mail with your snail mail address, and I will pass it along to Nina.  Thank you again, Nina!

Linda over at TeacherDance is hosting today's Poetry Friday extravaganza. Visit Linda's extremely warm and generous blog to read all about what's happening on this Poetry Friday.

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16 comments:

  1. I love the dancing and dance partner metaphor. It did feel like fall was dancing with winter for weeks and weeks before one last dance with summer.

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  2. I like the dancing metaphor, but especially enjoyed the spice references...not just the scents, but the hues. Nice!

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  3. Lovely how you have danced through this topsy-turvy month of weather! I have relished every sunny day. Today is cloudy and the leaves are past the peek of color; another kind of beautiful.

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  4. Oh Amy, how I would love to dance in your head even if only for a quick "postcard" visit. There are so many colors and carefully crafted words there. This poem and its imagery made me smile brightly. The photo is like a fire, love it!

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  5. Oh, that last stanza...yes, the time for dandelions and sea shells is definitely over.
    P.S. Thrilled to have won Nina's generous giveaway. Where can I find your email address? Here's mine: elibenoli5@gmail.com

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  6. Beautiful! I love the way you have captured the changing seasons with this dancing poem.

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  7. What a beautiful dance you've created here...and now I want a nutmeg gown. So lovely to think of it! I'm with Betsy - I'd like one of those postcard visits inside your head, too.

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  8. I have been working on metaphors with a student and am thrilled to add this to the repertoire!

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  9. This is enchanting and delightful! Perfect :).

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  10. I concur with everyone above! I also love your photograph. If you took it yesterday it wears the same vibrant colors of our leaves here near you in CNY. We are blessed. I love singing shells beneath the snow. I think this is a wonderful poem to share with the lucky students whose teachers use your lessons. Thank you, Amy. Janet F.

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  11. I really enjoy hearing you read your poems, Amy! A great addition to your blog!

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  12. Love this dance, for real and in your poem. The summer waltz is over now, isn't it? It looks, feels and sounds (wind and rain) like November now.

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  13. Hi Amy,
    Lovely poem to celebrate the fall gems we enjoyed last week. Loved to read the work of 3rd grade poets that you posted on Wednesday. I think my 4th graders will enjoy looking back at this post. We have been pretending to be different living and sometimes non-living things. Students then write from that point of view creating mask poems. So much fun. Hope the changes in the weather aren't too rough in your part of the state!
    ~ Theresa

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  14. Still trying to catch up & say thank you to all the Poetry Friday contributors this past week, Amy. This is beautiful. I love this season & all the different ways people look at it. I love that image of the 'one day postcard dance'. You never fail to inspire me! Thanks.

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