Friday, October 28, 2022

Begin with "If"

A Sky Peek
Photo by Amy LV




Students - This week I spent a lot of time outside because it was very beautiful...and because I was planting hundreds of flower bulbs: in our yard, at a friend's apartment, at my mom's house, and at my father's grave. Digging around under trees, I found myself looking up through them, and so I took that photograph above.

Today's poem starts with the word "If." And while I wrote about something I actually did myself (look up through a tree), I could have written an "If" poem about an imaginary experience, or I could have written about something that might have happened differently such as, "If I never met Winnie..." You might try making a list in your notebook, each line beginning with the word "if." 

If...
If...
If...

See where your list brings you. You may be surprised. I surprised myself today by beginning with this one, small word. 

Also, notice the line breaks in today's poem. Some are longer, and some are shorter. By making shorter lines, I hope that a reader will slow down just a wee bit on the shorter lines, pausing for just a moment. Listen to my recording to see what I mean.

Saturday Update: Such fun! Teacher Mandy Robek and her second grade writers wrote a wonderful community "If" poem and each made illustrations to go with it. You can read it and see their pictures here at Mandy's blog, Enjoy and Embrace Learning.

Jone is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup with a joyful celebration of book launches. Please know that all are welcome each Friday as folks share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship.

I hope that you will discover one new possibility this week...and that perhaps you, too, will be enchanted by a bewitching color.

xo,
Amy

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8 comments:

  1. ::happy sigh::
    This was utterly enchanting, thank you.

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  2. Lovely poem, and my grand daughter took a photo that would be perfect with it. Thanks for this entire lesson. You are a treasure!

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  3. I love this poem, and the idea of an IF list in your writing journal to spark ideas. Thank you!

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  4. Oh I love this poem and saying it outloud and reading it are as beautiful as the blue. So glad you are sharing and traveling and bringing your amazing skills and enthusiasm for writing well to teachers and their lucky children and other poets who continually love learning from you.
    Janet F.

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  5. I don't lie down but I love looking up through a tree, Amy. This is a beautiful idea for students to find an "If".

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  6. Amy, my 5-year-old granddaughter did just what you did today. She and her friends were in town walking during a KidFest when they noticed tall buildings under a beautiful blue sky. They marveled over the height as they stretched their necks. I wish I had time to sit down and write down what they were thinking. Your poem is so beautifully composed.

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  7. I absolutely love looking up at trees and photographing them. And If is always a fabulous way to begin a poem.

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  8. You touched so many of us! I agree with "enchanting" and "love looking up at trees" and "beautifully composed." Thank you!

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