Apology - Poems About Feelings

You Can Never Take It Back

by Amy LV

Students - I found today's poem in an old notebook from 2011.  Below, you can see two drafts of it as well as a little note about why I likely wrote it: I was short with my husband.

Old Notebooks are Friends

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You'll notice that today's version repeats I am sorry three times rather than changing the last line to simply I am.  Somehow this felt right to me.

I like the tooth fence.  I appreciate apologies and learned from my mother that to apologize is brave and that it really matters to the hurt person.

Keeping a notebook helps me not only write better, but I like to think that it helps me to become a kinder soul.  Reflection is healthy.  And going back to read old notebooks is like hopping on a time machine made out of paper and ink.  Who knows what poems we will find in our pasts?  We can only find them, though, if we write regularly.  Notebooks are friends.

Margaret is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at Reflections on the Teche with a lovely book share and invitation to write.  All are always welcome at these weekly gatherings of poetry and friendship.

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Apology - A Poem of Address

Wood Thrush - After Hitting a Window

Photo by Amy LV

Doing OK

Photo by Amy LV

Flown Away!

Photo by Amy LV

Students - Today's poem tells the story I share with a little wood thrush, a story this bird and I lived together just yesterday morning.  It is a story with a happy ending, but I at first I could not know how it would end.  I was worried about this pretty bird who hit my living room window, worried about this small body so beautiful in its feathers.

My poem above is a poem of address, a poem which speaks directly to someone or something, in this case - a small soft wood thrush.  Have you ever found yourself talking to something that cannot talk back to you?  Sometimes I talk to keys and socks that I cannot find, asking them to come out and make themselves seen.  Sometimes I talk to my kitten.  Sometimes I talk to my car.  In a poem of address, you can come right out and talk to whatever, whomever you wish.

So many congratulations to the wise and wonderful Jacqueline Woodson, who this week was named by The Poetry Foundation as our new Young People's Poet Laureate.  Author of BROWN GIRL DREAMING, THE OTHER SIDE, SHOW WAY, LOCOMOTION, and many more books for young readers, Jackie is a gift to us all.  I can't wait to see what she does for poetry...for children...for humanity...in her new position.

It is summertime now, and I wish everyone many beautiful adventures outside. Don't forget, though, to take your notebook with you!  You may lalready know that I am collecting ideas for summer notebooking ideas over at my other blog, Sharing Our Notebooks, and I invite you to visit and share your own idea too.  It is great fun to learn about all of the ways people find writing and drawing ideas - 66 and counting!

Today I'd like to especially thank third grade teacher Kim Doele and her students from Wealthy Elementary in East Grand Rapids Michigan.  These students have shared so many great posts and ideas at Sharing Our Notebooks. Many readers have already told me through Twitter how excited they are to try these students' notebooking ideas.

Below you can find links to these students' specific posts at Sharing Our Notebooks. Big hugs to all of you!

Inspire Yourself with Walks and Books - by Finn

Write About People You Love to Be With - by Eoghan

Begin With the Day's Weather - by Greta

Write as Something or Someone Else - by Hayden

Compare Two Ways to Do Something - by Julia

Write About a Subject You're Interested In - by Mo

Look at One Object in Many Different Ways - by Teagan

Write Two Poems about Alike/Different Things - by Alyssa

Get Writing Ideas at Wonderopolis - by Henry

Buffy Silverman is hosting today's Poetry Friday extravaganza over at Buffy's Blog. Head right on over there to join in the poetry fun!

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