Begin with "Somewhere a"

Solstice Sun Gingerbread Cookies

Photo by Amy LV

Students - Here where I live in Western New York, yesterday was our shortest day of the year - the Winter Solstice. My family celebrated with a few friends, many candles and a big bonfire, welcoming the return of the sun and thinking together about the new year ahead. Of course today I am thinking about animals, how they too may mark our longest night and this shift in light.

If you wish to take your brain on a little adventure, just write these words on the next page of your notebook:

Somewhere a

You might write it once and see what appears next. You might write it many times, each time completing the sentence with a surprise from your own heart. Then, if you wish, you might choose one of your Somewhere a ideas and let it offer you a poem.

You can learn a bit more about the Winter Solstice here at CBC Kids News.

Jone is hosting this week's Poetry Friday over at Jone Rush MacCulloch with a joyful solstice post. Each Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.

I wish you laughter, love, and light as we begin a new year together. See you again here on January 5, 2024!

xo,

Amy

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Celebrate a Nature First

First Snow of Winter 2023/2024, Holland, NY

Photo by Mark LV

Students - We had our first snow of the winter this week...and it was such a magical surprise. Even when we know the snow is coming to Western New York, we are still charmed and surprised by the fresh, frolicking flakes. And as always, I found myself amazed and struggling to believe that each flake is unique. But indeed they are...just like each of us!

Today I share a very short poem celebrating a nature first: first snow. Can you think of some nature firsts, either in your life or in the life of any natural creature or plant or weather or sky object?

• the first time you saw a certain bird
• the first time you saw a certain (not birdy) animal
• The first time you learned about or recognized a plant or flower or tree
• the first time you had a particular nature adventure
• a first feeling in nature
• a first type of weather in a long time
• the first time an animal did something  

Firsts are worth celebrating, even little firsts, maybe especially little firsts. We are accustomed to celebrating big games and birthdays, but so many of our days are filled with small, magical firsts. Earlier this fall, I was happy to pick up my first red maple leaf of this year, pressing it into my notebook and remembering all of the others I have collected over the years. Remember that you need not write poetry in your own voice. If I were to write about picking up the first red maple leaf, I could write as me...or the leaf...or the tree...or something else. That's where some of the fun is.

Regarding line 5 of this poem, did you figure out that the love notes are snowflakes? Poets try to use language in surprising ways, and while I have heard of snow being compared to lace, I have not yet heard of it being compared to small love notes before. They do feel like beautiful love notes to me.

If you write a first poem, I would love to read it.

In other writing news, I am happy to share that my musician and English professor friend Gart Westerhout has turned another one of my poems into a delightful song with him singing and playing piano. If you would like to hear it, it is part of the post of "Doors," a poem from two weeks ago. So now, that post includes a poem inspired by art that inspired a song. We all do need each other in this world.

For part of this week and next, I am fortunate enough to be writing with the primary poets of Alden Primary School in Alden, NY. Thank you teachers, students, and administrators - I am still thinking about some of the poems I read today.

Buffy is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup at Buffy Silverman with a beautiful poem about a maple leaf's dance recital and a first snow celebration of her latest book, ON A FLAKE FLYING DAY: WATCHING WINTER'S WONDERS. Each Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.

Watch for nature firsts this week remembering that you look for is what you will find... If you write a nature first poem, I would love to read it.

xo,

Amy

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Know that your comment will only appear after I approve it.

If you are under 13 years old, please only comment 

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They're Not...They're...

 

Draft of Poem

Photo by Amy LV

Students - I dedicate this poem to my new first grade friends from Ms. Rose's class and Ms. Ferrari's class at Furnace Woods Elementary School in Cortlandt, NY. We had a virtual visit yesterday (they at their school, me in my old camper), and one thing we talked about is the importance of making changes to our work. I loved meeting with these thoughtful students, and this is the poem I was drafting before and after our visits. You can see how many changes I made to it in my notebook!

Sometimes people think of cross outs and scratch outs as "mistakes." But I don't see them that way at all. They are really growing marks, showing the birth of new ideas and understandings.

So if you cross something out in your work to replace it with a new idea or to simply leave space where it needs to be...celebrate that and celebrate you!

Can you think of a time when you thought of something one way and then realized that it is not that way at all? This could be the good start to a poem. If you wish, you could even begin by writing:

They're not....

They're....

or

It's not....

It's....

It can be helpful to have a starter and then keep it or not once you get going. 

Your writing is yours. I wish you scribbles!

Cathy is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup at Merely Day by Day with a gentle and generous poem that she wrote for the Poetry Friday community. It speaks of all teachers and all who give. Please know that all are welcome each Friday as folks share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship.

xo,

Amy

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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.

Celebrate Summer with FOUR Poetry Peeks Today!

We Did It!

Photo by Amy LV

Students - Life is chock full of moments to feel happy about.  One accomplishment to feel happy about is a writing piece finished and shared with friends or with readers we do not even know.  Today I am grateful to share all kinds of writing by poets and songwriters of different ages.  Today's poem is for the writers of the pieces you are about to read...and for all of you who celebrate writing with me all year long.  Thank you!

Please sit back and take great pleasure in these works...

First, I welcome First Grade Teacher Mark Kehl of Arcade Elementary in Arcade, NY and his young poet, Colton.

From Mark:

Colton had overheard his parents talk about their previous home.  He is only 8 but is writing about a house that they had for 11 years.  He is an old soul.

Welcome, now, to First Grade Teacher Amanda Urbanski and her poets from Cattaraugus - Little Valley Elementary School in Cattaraugus, NY.

A musical welcome to Music Teacher Heather Holden and Songwriter Zoe Lesika of Lindbergh Elementary in Buffalo, NY.  Zoe approached Heather with the beautiful melody she wrote which turns my "Song" from FOREST HAS A SONG into a real song.  It is beautiful, and I am so grateful to Zoe for writing it and for Heather for reaching out and sharing it.

From FOREST HAS A SONG

Illustration by Robin Gourley

(Click to enlarge)

Beautiful melody by Zoe Lesika

And a hearty welcome to Sixth Grade Teacher Helene Albrecht and her two classes of poets from  Oradell Public Schools in Oradell, NJ.  

From Helene:

During Poetry Month we began over a month long unit on poetry where students were immersed in reading and writing different kinds of poetry.  The children listened to music while writing poetry inspired by paint chip colors. They also wrote color poems by Writing the Rainbow, The Poem Farm's challenge to pick a random crayon from a box of crayons to create poems. 

I introduced my students to blackout poetry using different text. The amazing pictures that were created can be found on our Instagram @la.in.6a.  Many of the ideas for poems, such as list poems and just because poems, came from 30 Days of Poetry, a name many of us ELA teachers use to describe our poetry units.  Among others, I used the following websites as resources: Mrs. McKeown's Thirty Days of Poetry, 30 Days of Poetry, 30 Days of Poetry (II).

At the end of our Poetry Unit, we invited the parents in so that we could share our creations. The children chose one of their favorite poems from their Poetry Notebook and created a slide for our class slide shows which you can view below.

Lucky, lucky us.  Thank you to everybody who was part of these beautiful celebrations.  I celebrate and thank all of you today!   Please, kind reader...leave these writers a kind comment.

If you have not yet visited, Linda Rief has opened her gorgeous notebooks this month over at  my other blog, Sharing Our Notebooks. Please visit and leave a comment by next Thursday, July 29 to be entered into a giveaway of one of Linda's books.  You can find all kinds of notebook inspiration over there!y

Heidi is hosting today's Poetry Friday by celebrating her students and their over at my juicy little universe.  Visit her warm space for this week's roundup of poetry and friendship.

Happy happy summer to all!  I am on a blogging holiday for July...and maybe longer. During this time, I will complete a writing project for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, draft a proposal with an illustrator, organize the poems already here, and make some jam!  You can still find me at The Poem Farm Facebook Page, Twitter, and Instagram, sharing old poems from the archives and other things I find along the path of summer.  Much joy!

xo,
Amy

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

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