Enchanted by a Candle - Writing from an Object

Warmed by Light

by Amy LV

Students - I missed you last week!  For Thanksgiving, our family visited my sister's family in Vermont where we ate lots of turkey and laughed and hugged.  Last Poetry Friday we were making the long drive back home to Holland, NY, and while I thought about Poetry Friday, I did not join in.

Today, my mind turns to candles.  It is winter, and one of my most favorite things to do during winter is to light candles.  I love to watch the flames and love to cup my hands around the glowing light, love to stare and wonder and allow my thoughts to travel about.

Candles are a part of many religious and spiritual traditions, perhaps because the warm light of a candle offers hope in the cold - we can cook with flame, and we can see by it; our bodies and our dreams are warmed and rekindled.

I adore words that go with candles too: fiery, glow, warm, kindle, flame, golden, heat, yellow, light.

Today I wrote about an object I care about.  This is always a great way to begin a piece of writing.  Think of an object you care about.  I suggest choosing something non-commercial, something different than a video game or a phone.  Close your eyes and travel around your life looking at simple joys, at things that connect you to family members or traditions or rituals or stories.  Consider making a list of words in your notebook that go along with your cared-for object, and if you wish, you might write a poem using one or more of your words.

Much much gratitude to you for your overwhelming and beautiful response to my "Welcome" post celebrating the work of Stitch Buffalo two weeks ago.  I continue to send birds and pouches and bracelet cuffs to many happy people, and the people at Stitch are tremendously grateful for your support.

I am thankful and honored to to host author and illustrator Peter Catalanotto over at Sharing Our Notebooks this month.  Please stop by and look at the notebooks of this prolific creator!  Peter has generously offered two signed books for giveaways to commenters on this post as well.

Buffy is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at Buffy's Blog.  Please visit her place to find this week's gathering of poetry lovers and all of their links.  Know that all people are always welcome to visit, follow links, and share their own!

Please share a comment below if you wish.

Our Nativity - Stories in Daily Pictures

Our Family's Nativity Set

Photo by Amy LV

Students - This poem is true.  That's all there is to it.  I just wrote the truth.  Our family is Christian, and last week, when I set up our Nativity set on the second Sunday in Advent, I was struck by all of the stories it holds.  I remembered back to the childhood Nativity Set I loved playing with as a little girl, arranging the straw and the angel and shepherd over and over again.  I remembered when our friends Glenn and Paula gave Mark and I this Nativity set for our wedding twenty years ago.  I remembered where each piece of our Nativity has come from.  And I was grateful.

When it was time to write, the poem just showed up.  It may be the most personal poem I've shared here.  I wrote the words that asked to be written.

Today's poem is in free verse.  It does not have a special rhyme or meter that holds it together; it just sounds like talking.  But I did read it over and over again, out loud to myself, to listen to the music of the prose.

I wish you a week full of joyous surprises and small stories in dusty boxes.  The daily pictures that you see and fall in love with each day may be the very pictures that tell you exactly what to write in your own notebook.

Paul is graciously hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at These 4 Corners. Visit his online home to find all kinds of poetry goodness, all around the Kidlitosphere, all week long.

Please share a comment below if you wish.