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.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

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

If you are under 13 years old, please only comment 

with a parent or as part of a group with your teacher.

Allow Ideas to Find You

This week I have been fortunate to serve as Artist in Residence at Greenacres Elementary School in Scarsdale, NY. I had planned to write about crayon colors with the second grade students on Tuesday, and the evening before, I walked into my hotel only to find his broken crayon on the sidewalk in front of the door.

Broken Cerise Colored Crayon

Photo by Amy LV

Of course I picked it up. It was meant to be! I must write about this red color. My memory took me back to French class in high school where we learned that cerise means cherry in French.

Close-Up of Cerise

Photo by Amy LV

On Tuesday morning, I wrote. But I was sleepy, unsure that anything interesting would show up on the page. But something did. Someone did. A happy old lady showed up and greeted me line after line. She appeared out of nowhere, out of a broken crayon, and surprised me with her own poem.

Students - If you were to ask me what I love most about writing, it is this element of surprise. We may think we have no ideas, but when we sit and work...the ideas will appear. We may think we are too tired to write, but when we sit and work...writing wil show up. We may think that all of the good ideas have already been taken, but when we sit and work...again and again...our brains will give us gifts. Our brains will surprise us. Where did this old lady come from? I am not sure. Perhaps from here:

Someone's Broken Crayon + High School French Class + My Tree Planting Husband = A Poem

As we think about finding ideas in new ways, today I am so happy to welcome Adela, a thoughtful poet from Karen Caine's sixth grade ELA class at Hommocks Middle School in Larchmont, NY. As her poem creates an enchanted sense of place, you may wish to close your eyes and have someone read it aloud to you.

Adela was able to find the idea for her magical moment-in-the-forest-poem by writing outside. She allowed an idea find her by placing her body in a new location. This week, consider trying what she has done, and write in a new place. In this new place, new ideas will find their way to you. Much gratitude to Adela for her generosity in sharing her poem with us today.

Michelle Kogan is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at Michelle Kogan along with a celebration of poems by poets with May birthdays...including herself. Happy birthday, Michelle! Each Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.

Thank you, Adela! Thank you, Greenacres! Thank you, Greenacres second grader who suggested a wonderful idea for a future poem! Thank you, Michelle! Friends, may you be found by ideas!

xo,

Amy

ps - Guess what I found on Thursday morning on the hotel sidewalk? Cerulean.

The Broken Cerulean Crayon Wants to be Next

Photo by Amy LV

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If you are under 13 years old, please only comment 

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Collect Colors & Surprise Yourself

 

The Sky's Clothes

by Amy LV

Students - Yesterday I had another joyful meeting with Mrs. Jermolowicz's students from Luther J Schilling School in Homer Glen, Illinois. We are connected through Kids Need Mentors which is a program that pairs educators and authors for year-long partnerships. When we meet, we read and write and share, and I look forward to each visit. They may share here someday!

Yesterday, we had sound troubles (my computer)...so we shared in the chat, and we wrote together kind of in silence. Our time together grew the poem I share today. Here's what we did, and here's how you can try it too. 

Divide a page in your notebook into four boxes as you see below. Somewhere in each box, write the name of a color that you have seen today. If you would rather choose your colors in a different way (favorites, colors that remind you of your grandfather, garden colors, lunch colors, what you're wearing colors), feel free. It just matters that you have a few color choices.

Then, take a few minutes to jot whatever comes to your head about any of the colors in its matching box, in any order you wish. You might write about all colors in order. You might stick with one. You might jump around.

See if you are given a line or two of a poem. I chose to stay simple and just revise my lines a little bit.

My Color Notes

Photo by Amy LV

It can be very helpful to try a little game like this to get your writing going. You can play such idea-generating games by yourself, with a friend, a group of friends, or a whole class. When our brains play and feel free, they can be very generous with ideas!

My next book, illustrated by the wonderful Emma Virj

án, enters the world next Tuesday, March 1! It is a celebration of Poem in Your Pocket Day, titled IF THIS BIRD HAD POCKETS, A POEM IN YOUR POCKET DAY CELEBRATION, and you can see the beautiful book trailer, made by the great folks at Wordsong/Astra Books for Young Readers. It's my third COVID book release (WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! in March 2020 and THAT MISSING FEELING in January 2021), and that has definitely been strange.

I feel so thankful to have collaborated on this book with Emma and everybody at Wordsong/Astra. I learned a lot along the way and was filled with such wonder as I wrote. Poem in Your Pocket Day is on April 22 this year, so you might want to mark your calendars and start choosing your own pocket poem.

Enjoy this trailer if you wish...

Tricia is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup at The Miss Rumphius Effect with the results of an Exquisite Corpse game she played with some poet friends and also an upcoming poetry challenge called an ekphrastic doditsu (read the post to learn more!) Please know that all are welcome each Friday as folks share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship.

Happy color collecting!

xo,

Amy

Please share a comment below if you wish. 

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

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

Final Day of Writing the Rainbow #30 - Magenta

Welcome to the final day of my National Poetry Month project for 2017!  Students - Each day of April 2017, I closed my eyes, and I reached into my box of 64 Crayola crayons.

Aerial View of Crayola Box

Photo by Georgia LV

Each day I chose a crayon (without looking), pulling this crayon out of the box. This daily selected crayon in some way inspired the poem for the next day.  Each day of this month, I chose a new crayon, thinking and writing about one color every day for a total of 30 poems inspired by colors.

As of April 2, it happened that my poems took a turn to all be from the point of view of a child living in an apartment building.  So, you'll notice this thread running through the month of colors. I'd not planned this...it was a writing surprise.

Thank you to the many students and teachers and classrooms who shared on our Writing the Rainbow Padlet - HERE.  There is so much joy and so much color here! 

Here you can see the colors for the whole month, displayed on a glorious colorful calendar made by Deb Frazier's first graders in Ohio.  Thank you, young poets!

Writing the Rainbow Calendar

by Deb Frazier and Her First Grade Poets

Ohio

Here is a list of this month's Writing the Rainbow Poems:

March 30 - Pick a Crayon, Write a Poem - Project Introduction 

April 1 - Misty - Inspired by Carnation Pink

April 2 - Each Morning - Inspired by Lavender

April 3 - Outside My Building - Inspired by Dandelion (!)

April 4 - Mr. B. - Inspired by Olive Green

April 5 - Once in a While - Inspired by Tumbleweed

April 6 - On Miss Johnson's Fire Escape - Inspired by Yellow Orange

April 7 - The Guy Downstairs - Inspired by Spring Green

April 8 - I Watch Her - Inspired by Forest Green

April 9 - Their Hands - Inspired by White

April 10 - Up and Down - Inspired by Orange

April 11 - Eavesdropping - Inspired by Sky Blue

April 12 - Mr. Mick - Inspired by Red Violet

April 13 - Sights - Inspired by Purple Mountains' Majesty

April 14 - On Saturdays - Inspired by Melon

April 15 - Bundle - Inspired by Robin's Egg Blue

April 16 - Our Rooftop - Inspired by Periwinkle

April 17 - Childhood Trees - Inspired by Mahogany

April 18 - In Our Laundry Room - Inspired by Blue

April 19 - Summer Treat - Inspired by Red

April 20 - Home - Inspired by Timberwolf

April 21 - After School - Inspired by Apricot

April 22 - Misty's Eyes - Inspired by Yellow Green

April 23 - City Night - Inspired by Black

April 24 - Sharing Asparagus - Inspired by Asparagus

April 25 - I Wonder Things - Inspired by Wild Strawberry

April 26 - On Miss Johnson's Fire Escape Again - Inspired by Red Orange

April 27 - Saturday Morning - Inspired by Blue Violet

April 28 - Tia and Me - Inspired by Wisteria

April 29 - The Railing - Inspired by Tan

And now...today's crayon, the last one.  Magenta!

New Girl and Bike

by Amy LV

Students -  Today's poem is my final poem for the Writing the Rainbow series.  It felt right to take this time to refer back to some of this month's earlier poems.  If you read the poem below, you will see that I have linked lines to previous poems where connections exist.

New Girl

She has a lot of braids

and a cool magenta bike.

(She rides it on the sidewalk.)

I think I’m going to like

to have a new kid living here.

She’ll like Misty too. (Also here.)

She’ll snack out on the stoop with us.

(She’s moving into Number 2.)

We’ll let her hold Asparagus.

She’ll wave and smile at Mr. B.

I think she’ll love the sky at night.

I’ll take her to the roof with me. (Also here.)

Miss Johnson will give her a hug. (Also here.)

She’ll wash and dry 

her clothes downstairs.

I really like her bike a lot.

(I wonder if she shares.)

© Amy Ludwig VanDerwater

National Poetry Month 2017

(Poem inspired by Crayola’s Magenta)

If you are still Writing the Rainbow with me, perhaps you, too, will choose to connect your poems with previous poems you have written.  I've connected two poems before...but never a handful of poems as I have done today.

Colors can take us anywhere.  Please take a visit to this month's lovely Writing the Rainbow Padlet, with contributions from so many generous teachers and students and poets from everywhere!  Please feel free to add to this Padlet still, as I am sure it will continue to have curious and interested visitors.  

It has been an absolute joy to share another National Poetry Month with everyone who has stopped by to read either every day or just once in a while.  I have loved reading your poems, hearing from you, and finding new surprises in colors every single day.  Each of the poems here was written fresh for that day, and I always went with the first color offered by my box that day.  It was a blast, and I learned a lot.

Thank you, dear friends, for joining me during this colorful month: for sharing your poems and ideas, for keeping me company.  Much love to you for May.

xo,

a.

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.

Writing the Rainbow #29 - Tan

Welcome to my National Poetry Month project for 2017!  Students - Each day of April 2017, I will close my eyes, and I will reach into my box of 64 Crayola crayons.

Aerial View of Crayola Box

Photo by Georgia LV

Each day I will choose a crayon (without looking), pulling this crayon out of the box. This daily selected crayon will in some way inspire the poem for the next day.  Each day of this month, I will choose a new crayon, thinking and writing about one color every day for a total of 30 poems inspired by colors.

As of April 2, it happened that my poems took a turn to all be from the point of view of a child living in an apartment building.  So, you'll notice this thread running through the month of colors. I'd not planned this...it was a writing surprise.

I welcome any classrooms of poets who wish to share class poems (class poems only please) related to each day's color (the one I choose or your own).  Please post your class poem or photograph of any class crayon poem goodness to our Writing the Rainbow Padlet HERE.  (If you have never posted on a Padlet, it is very easy.  Just double click on the red background, and a box will appear.  Write in this box, and upload any poemcrayon sharings you wish.)

Here is a list of this month's Writing the Rainbow Poems so far:

March 30 - Pick a Crayon, Write a Poem - Project Introduction 

April 1 - Misty - Inspired by Carnation Pink

April 2 - Each Morning - Inspired by Lavender

April 3 - Outside My Building - Inspired by Dandelion (!)

April 4 - Mr. B. - Inspired by Olive Green

April 5 - Once in a While - Inspired by Tumbleweed

April 6 - On Miss Johnson's Fire Escape - Inspired by Yellow Orange

April 7 - The Guy Downstairs - Inspired by Spring Green

April 8 - I Watch Her - Inspired by Forest Green

April 9 - Their Hands - Inspired by White

April 10 - Up and Down - Inspired by Orange

April 11 - Eavesdropping - Inspired by Sky Blue

April 12 - Mr. Mick - Inspired by Red Violet

April 13 - Sights - Inspired by Purple Mountains' Majesty

April 14 - On Saturdays - Inspired by Melon

April 15 - Bundle - Inspired by Robin's Egg Blue

April 16 - Our Rooftop - Inspired by Periwinkle

April 17 - Childhood Trees - Inspired by Mahogany

April 18 - In Our Laundry Room - Inspired by Blue

April 19 - Summer Treat - Inspired by Red

April 20 - Home - Inspired by Timberwolf

April 21 - After School - Inspired by Apricot

April 22 - Misty's Eyes - Inspired by Yellow Green

April 23 - City Night - Inspired by Black

April 24 - Sharing Asparagus - Inspired by Asparagus

April 25 - I Wonder Things - Inspired by Wild Strawberry

April 26 - On Miss Johnson's Fire Escape Again - Inspired by Red Orange

April 27 - Saturday Morning - Inspired by Blue Violet

April 28 - Tia and Me - Inspired by Wisteria

And now...today's crayon.  Tan!

Up and Down

by Amy LV

Students - Today's poem is a concrete poem.  You will notice that the line breaks shape the poem into stair steps, mirroring the way a person walks up and down stairs.  And reading this poem is a bit unusual because one must begin in a different place than usual.  Was it tricky for you to decide how to read it?

If you are Writing the Rainbow with me, perhaps your color for today will bring a particular object to mind.  I very much enjoy running my hand along stair rails, imagining all of the people who have walked up and down the same stairs that I walk up and down.

You may also wish to write a concrete poem of your own.  I especially enjoy concrete poems that show movement in some way, that mirror the movement of the actions.

Colors can take us anywhere.  And if you'd like to join in with your own poem at our Writing the Rainbow Padlet, please do! It is one colorful and beautiful place to visit..

And please don't miss the links to all kinds of Poetry Month goodness up there in my upper left sidebar.  Happy thirtieth day of National Poetry Month...tomorrow is April 30.

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.

Writing the Rainbow #28 - Wisteria

Welcome to my National Poetry Month project for 2017!  Students - Each day of April 2017, I will close my eyes, and I will reach into my box of 64 Crayola crayons.

Aerial View of Crayola Box

Photo by Georgia LV

Each day I will choose a crayon (without looking), pulling this crayon out of the box. This daily selected crayon will in some way inspire the poem for the next day.  Each day of this month, I will choose a new crayon, thinking and writing about one color every day for a total of 30 poems inspired by colors.

As of April 2, it happened that my poems took a turn to all be from the point of view of a child living in an apartment building.  So, you'll notice this thread running through the month of colors. I'd not planned this...it was a writing surprise.

I welcome any classrooms of poets who wish to share class poems (class poems only please) related to each day's color (the one I choose or your own).  Please post your class poem or photograph of any class crayon poem goodness to our Writing the Rainbow Padlet HERE.  (If you have never posted on a Padlet, it is very easy.  Just double click on the red background, and a box will appear.  Write in this box, and upload any poemcrayon sharings you wish.)

Here is a list of this month's Writing the Rainbow Poems so far:

March 30 - Pick a Crayon, Write a Poem - Project Introduction 

April 1 - Misty - Inspired by Carnation Pink

April 2 - Each Morning - Inspired by Lavender

April 3 - Outside My Building - Inspired by Dandelion (!)

April 4 - Mr. B. - Inspired by Olive Green

April 5 - Once in a While - Inspired by Tumbleweed

April 6 - On Miss Johnson's Fire Escape - Inspired by Yellow Orange

April 7 - The Guy Downstairs - Inspired by Spring Green

April 8 - I Watch Her - Inspired by Forest Green

April 9 - Their Hands - Inspired by White

April 10 - Up and Down - Inspired by Orange

April 11 - Eavesdropping - Inspired by Sky Blue

April 12 - Mr. Mick - Inspired by Red Violet

April 13 - Sights - Inspired by Purple Mountains' Majesty

April 14 - On Saturdays - Inspired by Melon

April 15 - Bundle - Inspired by Robin's Egg Blue

April 16 - Our Rooftop - Inspired by Periwinkle

April 17 - Childhood Trees - Inspired by Mahogany

April 18 - In Our Laundry Room - Inspired by Blue

April 19 - Summer Treat - Inspired by Red

April 20 - Home - Inspired by Timberwolf

April 21 - After School - Inspired by Apricot

April 22 - Misty's Eyes - Inspired by Yellow Green

April 23 - City Night - Inspired by Black

April 24 - Sharing Asparagus - Inspired by Asparagus

April 25 - I Wonder Things - Inspired by Wild Strawberry

April 26 - On Miss Johnson's Fire Escape Again - Inspired by Red Orange

April 27 - Saturday Morning - Inspired by Blue Violet

And now...today's crayon.  Wisteria!

Dance

by Amy LV

Students - Yesterday's color, BLUE VIOLET was purple-y....and I've written about purple-y sky with PERIWINKLE.  So today's challenge was to find a new window into a new purple.  Tia Inez, from April 17 (MAHOGONY), led the way.

Now, I don't know so much about Tia.  I don't even know if Tia and our friend are really related or if they are just so close that they feel like family.  Today, though, family or not, Tia Inez is sharing some of her thoughts about life.  Sometimes people do this - give us advice or tips or wise words.  We can remember and write about them.  Or, as writers, we can make up our own and give them to our characters.

If you are Writing the Rainbow with me, perhaps your color for today will bring you to a place of thinking or advice.  Maybe you will find yourself musing on an idea or topic as I did her through Tia Inez.  

Colors can take us anywhere.  And if you'd like to join in with your own poem at our Writing the Rainbow Padlet, please do! It is one colorful and beautiful place to visit.  (And I heard there may be a few new poems going up there soon...written by another poet who is writing about a colorful apartment building of her own!)

JoAnn Early Macken is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at Teaching Authors with some spring beauties.  All are always welcome to this weekly poetry party.

And please don't miss the links to all kinds of Poetry Month goodness up there in my upper left sidebar.  Happy twenty-eighth day of National Poetry Month.  Only two days left after today!

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.

Writing the Rainbow #27 - Blue Violet

Welcome to my National Poetry Month project for 2017!  Students - Each day of April 2017, I will close my eyes, and I will reach into my box of 64 Crayola crayons.

Aerial View of Crayola Box

Photo by Georgia LV

Each day I will choose a crayon (without looking), pulling this crayon out of the box. This daily selected crayon will in some way inspire the poem for the next day.  Each day of this month, I will choose a new crayon, thinking and writing about one color every day for a total of 30 poems inspired by colors.

As of April 2, it happened that my poems took a turn to all be from the point of view of a child living in an apartment building.  So, you'll notice this thread running through the month of colors. I'd not planned this...it was a writing surprise.

I welcome any classrooms of poets who wish to share class poems (class poems only please) related to each day's color (the one I choose or your own).  Please post your class poem or photograph of any class crayon poem goodness to our Writing the Rainbow Padlet HERE.  (If you have never posted on a Padlet, it is very easy.  Just double click on the red background, and a box will appear.  Write in this box, and upload any poemcrayon sharings you wish.)

Here is a list of this month's Writing the Rainbow Poems so far:

March 30 - Pick a Crayon, Write a Poem - Project Introduction 

April 1 - Misty - Inspired by Carnation Pink

April 2 - Each Morning - Inspired by Lavender

April 3 - Outside My Building - Inspired by Dandelion (!)

April 4 - Mr. B. - Inspired by Olive Green

April 5 - Once in a While - Inspired by Tumbleweed

April 6 - On Miss Johnson's Fire Escape - Inspired by Yellow Orange

April 7 - The Guy Downstairs - Inspired by Spring Green

April 8 - I Watch Her - Inspired by Forest Green

April 9 - Their Hands - Inspired by White

April 10 - Up and Down - Inspired by Orange

April 11 - Eavesdropping - Inspired by Sky Blue

April 12 - Mr. Mick - Inspired by Red Violet

April 13 - Sights - Inspired by Purple Mountains' Majesty

April 14 - On Saturdays - Inspired by Melon

April 15 - Bundle - Inspired by Robin's Egg Blue

April 16 - Our Rooftop - Inspired by Periwinkle

April 17 - Childhood Trees - Inspired by Mahogany

April 18 - In Our Laundry Room - Inspired by Blue

April 19 - Summer Treat - Inspired by Red

April 20 - Home - Inspired by Timberwolf

April 21 - After School - Inspired by Apricot

April 22 - Misty's Eyes - Inspired by Yellow Green

April 23 - City Night - Inspired by Black

April 24 - Sharing Asparagus - Inspired by Asparagus

April 25 - I Wonder Things - Inspired by Wild Strawberry

April 26 - On Miss Johnson's Fire Escape Again - Inspired by Red Orange

And now...today's crayon.  Blue Violet!

Writing in the Sky

by Amy LV

Students - Somehow, it just felt right that our little friend should have a blue violet notebook.  And who wouldn't want to write up in the sky?  Today's poem is about writing.  Writers often write about writing, and I've been thinking that this young person is very observant and most likely keeps a writer's notebook. 

Do you notice the repetition in today's poem?  Feel free to play with repeating words and lines in your own poems. Repetition can lend a playful air.

If you are Writing the Rainbow with me, perhaps your color for today will make you write about writing.

Colors can take us anywhere.  And if you'd like to join in with your own poem at our Writing the Rainbow Padlet, please do! It is one colorful and beautiful place to visit..

And please don't miss the links to all kinds of Poetry Month goodness up there in my upper left sidebar.  Happy twenty-seventh day of National Poetry Month!

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.