From a True Story to a Bit of Advice

Just Getting Gas

Photo by Amy LV

Students - Today's small free verse poem grew from a real experience that I had this week, one that I keep thinking about. I simply wished to hold onto this bittersweet memory (so sad, but so many people stepped in to help) by shaping the minutes and hours of that day into a poem to keep. I realize now that it is a bit of an advice poem, offering advice to myself and possibly to readers.

Consider paying close attention to your own life this week, to the small lessons you learn when you listen to your heart. Where have you been? What have you seen and heard? How have you grown? How might you shape this all into a memory or memory-and-advice poem for yourself or others? 

Feel free to use the words You might....

Our lives and stories matter. When we write about them, we learn. And once in a while, we may even teach without even knowing it.

As you may remember, a few weeks ago I had the good fortune to write color poems with the third graders of Greenacres Elementary School Greenacres Elementary School in Scarsdale, NY. We are lucky that Teacher Amy Correnti and her students are generously sharing their crayon color poems with us today. Enjoy these poems, noticing how one hue can bring a person to a character, to a moment, to life!

Thank you, Poets, for sharing with us today. I know that many of us will look for colors and see them in new ways this week thanks to you.

Denise is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at Dare to Care with a sacred seven poem and information about some upcoming poetry happenings. Each Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.

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Try an Object-Inspired-Advice Poem

Spring Bulbs Peeking Up!
Photo by Amy LV

Students - I have this little basket pot of spring bulbs growing in my study window, and each hour they seem to peek up just a bit more. When the sun was shining so prettily on them the other day, I just had to take their picture. Later, I decided to write this small poem inspired by the bulbs. Remember this, you can always take or sketch pictures for someday-writing-inspiration. You need not always sit down and think of an idea on the spot. Like squirrels gathering acorns for winter, we can prepare ourselves for our writing times by filling our cheeks with thoughts, impressions, and wonderings.

Today's poem gives a little bit of advice and a hope for the reader. And it was inspired by the needs of a plant. This has me wondering what other things in and around me might hvae advice or hopes tucked inside of them. Maybe this old chair wants to tell people to be sure to make time to rest. And perhaps my warm socks and sturdy boots would advise me to stop and think about the places I have been. Or maybe they would tell me to keep going, keep seeking. It is possible they would wish me good journeys.

If you are looking for something to try this week, consider choosing an object or animal or natural living thing to inspire you. Look around you right now. Make a list of the most interesting or inspiring things that catch your eye at this moment (looking out of the window or into your mind's eye is allowed of course!) 

Now, sketch (or photograph if you wish) this thing. Listen to it and to yourself, "What advice or hope would this object or animal offer to me?" Make a list if you wish, thinking about these questions:

• What advice would this object give to me?
• What hope might this object have for people?
• If this could talk, what might it teach me?
• What does things object want me to know and understand?

Allow what you learn to find its way to the page and to your own object-inspired-advice-poem. You may choose to write this poem in your own voice as I did, or you may choose to write it in the voice of the object or animal itself. If I had done this, I might have written something like, I am a plant./I need these things...

Elisabeth is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup at Unexpected Intersections with a lovely acrostic that flows so naturally from line to line. If you are mostly familiar with acrostic poems that stop severely at the end of each line, do not miss her words about F-E-B-R-U-A-R-Y. Please know that all are welcome each Friday as folks share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship.

We have a lot of snow where I live, but I will still tilt my face up to the sky for a bit today. I wish you sun rays on your face as well.

xo,

Amy

Afternoon Update: The bulbs are blooming! The bulbs are blooming! Just LOOK at these tiny irises.

Blooming Bulbs

Photo by Amy LV

Spring Close Up

Photo by Amy LV

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If you are under 13 years old, please comment only with a parent 

or as part of a group with your teacher and class.

Follow a Book Title

 

A Book Off the Shelf

Photo by Amy LV

Students - Sometimes a writer is unsure of how to begin. The more I get away from writing, the harder it is for me to begin. This is where keeping a notebook can be very handy - it keeps you in the groove. Just as jumping into a swimming pool or lake can shock you with its coldness, the water of writing can feel scary if we stay out too long.

Today's poem grew from a book title. I snagged a few books from the living room shelf and brought them out to Betsy the Writing Camper. I said to myself, "Something in one of these books will get me started." Well, I never even opened one of the books. The title of Thich Nhat Hanh's book pictured above got me off and running.

My Writing Camper, Betsy

Photo by Amy LV

I started just by jotting about gratitude for our wedding anniversary (26 years! Yesterday!) Then I began writing about how I do not want to waste my life. I looked up, saw this book, and began poem-ing. Somehow the old phrase, "If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride," popped into my head. The idea of wishes blended with the idea of being here and too, the idea of now-ness.

Lots of scribbling and reading aloud later, these words ended up on the page. They are a good reminder to me...now is all we know to be.

Rebecca is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup at Sloth Reads with a spotlight on today -  International Friendship Day. Remember: all are welcome each Friday as folks share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship.

I wish you now.

xo,

Amy

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The Land of Notknowing

Tweet from My Friend Katey

March 12, 2020

Tweets from the Seattle Symphony

March 12, 2020

Students - Last week, I shared a public service announcement poem about different ways to greet each other without touching in the time of COVID-19. When I shared the poem on Twitter, I received several comments, including this one from one of my favorite professors:

Valerie's words have been living in my mind for a week, not at the front of my mind, but not at the back either. Her words have been like a little seed underground in the soil of my brain. This morning when I woke up, they popped out into the sprout of a little poem. So I thank my teacher for continuing to guide me in writing and in life.

The Land of Notknowing is of course not a physical place on a map, but it is a place in my heart and mind these days as I read the news about COVID-19. No one, not even the most knowledgeable scientists knows everything about this strange new time, but together, we can each do good. And we need each other. It is important to remember this. We each can lift another. And we each can tell stories of the good stories we see and hear about. And too, we can each continue to make art and music and writing for people to enjoy and to clear our spirits and bring joy to our hearts and hours. We are not all scientists or doctors, but we can each do good.

The story of the girl drawing little hugs to share is true, as is the story of the Seattle Symphony freely sharing their beautiful music online.  I am grateful to this girl, to these musicians, and to the many who inspire me with their humanity and grace. They hold the lamp and teach me to be better.

So, about writing...have you ever imagined another land? What might it be? If you like thinking about that place, maybe go ahead and write about it...as a poem or as a story or whatever you wish.  

Or...think of one specific kind or brave act have you seen or heard about. Consider writing this story as a poem, line-by-line, falling down the page. The story might even give you an idea for a piece of music or art.

What good will I give? What good will you give?

Matt is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup at Radio, Rhythm, and Rhyme with a peek into two forthcoming Lee Bennett Hopkins books and also a bit about Madness! Poetry. We invite everybody to join in each Friday as we share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship. Check out my left sidebar to learn where to find this poetry goodness each week of the year.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

If you are under 13 years old, please comment only with a parent 

or as part of a group with your teacher and class.