Albright Knox Gallery Map and Button
Photo by Amy LV
Students - Yesterday I had the good fortune to visit the Albright Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, NY, a gorgeous museum that has been closed since 2019 for additions and new art and which has been opened this week with free admission. My friend had tickets and invited me to join her and another friend. Once again, I fell in love with art and with artists long gone, with they way humans connect across space and time with materials and words and dreams.
Today's poem is a free verse poem imagining something in the future, something I truly wish and plan to do. I imagine a future day for myself in this poem, based on a day I already adored...yesterday.
You might wish to try this sometime - write a poem about a day or an experience you plan to have. If you're not sure where to begin, simply start with the word Soon or the word Someday or the words One day. When we write our dreams and plans, we are more likely to make them come true.
Today it is a complete delight to welcome Jordan, a thoughtful fifth grade poet from Cayuga Heights Elementary in Depew, NY to The Poem Farm today. Last month, when I visited her school, Jordan and her teacher, Mrs. Alison Lorenc, stayed after the assembly, and Jordan was kind enough to share a peek into her notebook. Now, you are all lucky enough to read some of her poems yourself. Warm welcome to Jordan, and so much gratitude to Teacher Alison Lorenc and Librarian Tonya Bulas for all of the inspiration students receive every day in your care.
Jordan Thomson
Photo by Wendy Thomson
About Me: I am Jordan Thomson, and I am 10 years old. I am a 5th grader at Cayuga Heights Elementary. An interesting fact about me is I was born a preemie baby. I spent 17 days in the NICU at the hospital after I was born. My hobbies are dancing, gymnastics, chorus, video games, riding my bike/scooter, swimming, writing, reading, drawing, and painting. My favorite subject in school is ELA, but I like all of the other subjects too!
I have two dogs, a golden retriever and a pug. My dad is a police officer, and my mom used to be a physical therapist assistant. I also have a younger brother too. I love animals, and my favorites are elephants, tarantulas, and dragons. I am also a vegetarian. I hope to be an author one day.
I enjoy writing poems, graphic novels, and news articles. I often write my poems about things that occur in nature. I sometimes get my ideas by looking outside. I find it easy to write when the subject interests me.
Jordan's Notebooks
Photos by Wendy Thomson
Dandelions by Jordan
Photo by Wendy Thomson
Dandelions
by Jordan
Tiny green springs
jumping through the ground
reaching for the sky.
Small as a blade of grass,
unopened petals ready to fly.
In some time petals fly open,
just like a bird
spreading its wings.
Some pick them
out of the garden.
Others make a wish.
Many think they're gone
when they get blown away.
But just like a bird
opens its wings,
a dandelion will sprout
again.
Photo by Wendy Thomson
You Don't Understand
by Jordan
People never liked us.
But this
shouldn' be true.
We're just misunderstood.
We're beautiful creatures
in some people's eyes.
We don't deserve
to die.
Some of our species
love to
eat wood.
But they too
are misunderstood.
We're just like you,
we like to play.
To be specific,
in your house all day.
We can't believe all
the sprays and pesticides,
more than one every day dies.
You can't just kill us,
we think it's
inhumane.
We're a part of
the ecosystem.
Isn't that great.
Why do you hurt
us, it's not fun
to be squished.
We don't like being
called pests.
You're always
hurting our
feelings every day.
Can you please
hear us out,
can you stop
hurting us.
It hurts us
inside and out.
Do you understand cockroaches now?
Elephants by Jordan
Elephants
by Jordan
Elephants running in one herd,
all communicating
with no words.
The blazing sun
hitting their backs,
only their ears
to prevent the sun's
attacks.
Michelle is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup today with a celebration of sandpipers and fathers in word and art over at Michelle Kogan. Each Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.
May your summer be full of plans and dreams, writing about them and making them come true. Remember, my friends, dreams and plans can be small and still magical.
xo,
Amy
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Jordan-what a fun collection of poems you've shared. I love the comparisons in Dandelions and can just imagine a field of dandelion seeds blowing around right now. Keep writing!
ReplyDeleteJordan,
ReplyDeleteI am so proud of you for having the courage to share your gift of writing. I love how effortlessly you open the reader’s mind to a different point of view. Being empathetic and understanding towards others is not always an easy skill to master, but will serve you well in life. I’ve never viewed cockroaches in such a compassionate, loving way:) Keep chasing your dreams, & follow what makes you happy!
Love, Mom
What a wonderful poem, Amy. So much of life is "highlights tours," when what we really need are deep connections to soak up one thing. I love Jordan's poems, especially her elephants one! I'll have to respectfully disagree with the cockroach poem. I was thrilled to leave roaches behind (mostly) when we left Florida. Shudder.
ReplyDeleteYour poem is so perfect, Amy - reminded me of an art class I took out in Berkeley, Calif., a million years ago, when we were looking at Rothko paintings. And, thanks to Jordan for sharing such fine work - what a sensitive soul revealed in these writings! Keep creating!!
ReplyDeleteAmy, thank you for showcasing Jordan's poems. She has a promising career as a poet and she has such a wonderful headstart now. I enjoyed all the poems but the dandelion one presented such a beautiful image:
ReplyDeleteBut just like a bird
opens its wings,
a dandelion will sprout
again.
Congratulations, jordan!
Amy, your poem made me think of Julia Donaldson’s I Opened a Book in that once you’ve experienced the painting and left, it stays inside you. It’s a beautiful image that resonates with me in both your and her poem.
ReplyDeleteJordan, thank you for sharing your gorgeous poems! You are already a writer. My favourite was the elephant poem because I come from Africa and I love elephants. Your poem took me right back there. And I have two preemies - they were unbelievably small but so very strong. I’m sure you were too.
I love to go to museums and galleries all alone just for this reason.
ReplyDeleteJordan! Wow what talent and creativity you have -- imagine that from a preemie that needed so much care in her beginning. You have certainly brightened my day with your possibility and poems. Thank you, Amy for sharing all the talent today.
Thank you, Jordan for sharing yourself in your poetry. I will do my best to reconsider the cockroach's right to life.
ReplyDeleteJordan, I enjoyed reading your work. Keep writing! Thanks to Amy for sharing these poems.
ReplyDeleteJordan, your poems are a delight! I love the way you help the reader see things (dandelions, roaches!) in a new light. I hope you keep writing!
ReplyDeleteAmy, I adore the final two lines of your museum poem. What a lovely way to describe the relationship we feel with certain pieces of art. ❤️
ReplyDeleteAppreciations Amy for this rich post, your "Leaving the Museum" poem reminds me of the Van Gogh exhibit I just saw and decided while there I would return for it was too full of people, I'll return for a more intimate viewing. And thanks for sharing your post with Jordan and her lovely poems, keep on following those nature callings Jordan!
ReplyDeleteYour poem spoke to me… I’m looking forward to a visit to Newfields in Indianapolis to visit favorite paintings in the renovated American art gallery which recently reopened. I missed seeing some of my favorite paintings on my last few visits.
ReplyDeleteJordan, thank you for all you shared. I enjoyed seeing your notebooks and your poetry in your own handwriting.