Friday, September 21, 2018

Dear Reader, - Poems of Address


Open Notebook
Photo by Amy LV




Students - Today's poem is known as a poem of address or an apostrophe poem.  In such a poem, the writer writes to a person, thing or idea not actually in the room.  It is interesting to write this kind of poem because it allows us to talk to objects like the cookie we wish to compliment or the spelling word that keeps tripping us up.  We can even write poems to the idea of Peace or Worry or if we wish, to a person who died long ago.

I have been a writing teacher for many years and since I am a writer too, I think a lot about the kind of response that helps me, the kind of listening and advice I wish for and hope to offer the writers I meet.  So this poem is to all of the readers-of-writing, mine and others'.

Erin is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup at The Water's Edge with a Where I'm From poem. Each week we gather together, sharing poems, books, and poetry ideas all at one blog.  All are always welcome to visit, comment, and post.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

7 comments:

  1. Dear Amy, I need to try more poems of address. I this would be such a good poem to share with students. Loved the photo of your notebook.

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  2. It seems like no matter how much experience you get with writing there's still that sense of uncertainty and vulnerability. Thanks for sharing your poem today. Looks like another form I may want to try.

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  3. Oh yes! Sharing takes courage, and this is a perfect poem to use in the classroom for how to listen and be respectful of each others' work. Unfortunately, disrespectful listeners are often not even aware of how harmful their behavior can be.

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  4. Serendipitous that I came to your blog Amy after reading Sally Murphy's blog. She shared a video of Maya Angelou who was talking about humanity, how we need to stretch and be inclusive even of the most despicable of people, and as a "human being, nothing human can be alien to me." It's so easy to fall into criticism yet so helpful if we can take a breath and listen to another and fully take them in. Thanks for your call to listen to new voices venturing out.

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  5. Good suggestions for students a well some of us grown-ups!

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  6. Dear Amy,
    Thank you for your letter.
    It says what I feel.
    But with much more detail than I knew I felt.
    Your reader,
    A Writer

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  7. Oh, I love the gentleness in this poem. May all writers be so lucky as to have such readers.

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