Poems Can Help Us Say Goodbye

 

George Charles Ludwig II

1944 - 2020

Loved by So Many

amylvpoemfarm · Here And Gone And Here - a poem by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater

Dear Students and Friends - I have not been in this space for a couple of weeks because my loving father, George Ludwig, died on August 21, 2020. Instead of tending this space, I have been missing my dad very much and also taking care of his house and business.

Too, I have taken a position as a fourth grade teacher, and I could not be happier about this. It has been a sad time and a time of new beginnings, and I am grateful that my dad knew about my job. He was so happy for and proud of me, and I cannot wait to meet my students this week. It has been 22 years since I was a classroom teacher, and at this time of loss, I am happy to have a beautiful new beginning too. Thank you to everyone at Parkdale Elementary and everyone in the East Aurora Union Free School District for welcoming me so warmly.

Each person experiences ups and downs on life's rollercoaster, and I am grateful to have spent so much of my own life-ride with my father. Some of you may know the feeling of almost not believing that someone is gone, and at such a time, reading and writing poems can help us hold our feelings up to the light. Even when the world feels scary, words are here for us. Words and poems can help us grieve, can help us say goodbye.

I wrote this poem in the second person, choosing to write in the you voice instead of the I voice, even though this poem is actually about me and my own dad. It just felt right this way. Remember, when you write your own poems, you may choose the point of view. It need not always be your own.

Carol is hosting this week's Poetry Friday party over at Beyond LiteracyLink with the roundup and her Embracable Summer Gallery of poems and images.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.day 

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

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

To the baby blue jay skeleton....

Blue Jay Nest

Photo by Amy LV

Students - My husband Mark was watching some blue jays nesting in our barn earlier this summer, and when the babies fledged and the nest was abandoned, he took it down and looked inside. There was one baby who did not live long at all, perhaps just long enough to hatch.

Baby Blue Jay Skeleton

Photo by Amy LV

Not every creature is given a long life, and in today's poem, I simply wanted to speak to that little one, about all of the things I am sorry it never got to experience. The blueness of blue jays is a special blue indeed, and their might in flight is beautiful to witness. Today's poem created a pause in my day, an acknowledgement of a very short, very tiny life.

Bits of life strike us humans. And poetry is a way to hold a feeling or a question in our hands, to look at it and to take our time. I am glad to have stopped my day to think a bit about this small bird and am grateful for the time to honor its life with a few words.

You will notice that today's poem is simply a list, each line beginning with "You never..."  I did not want to talk about my feeling (sadness) but instead, hoped that this simple repetition would make it clear.

And yes, this poem does have a long title.  I am not sure why. I just like it that way...

Christie is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup at Wondering and Wandering with a celebration of birds and her love for birds.  Each week we gather together, sharing poems, books, and poetry ideas all at one blog.  All are always welcome to visit, comment, and post.

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.

Firepaw and Charlie - a Friendship Poem

Charlie

Photo by Elizabeth Pellette

Firepaw
Photo by Amy LV

Students - This is a true poem.  Firepaw is really our cat.  And Charlie was really our neighbor cat.  They loved each other.  When Charlie died earlier this year, I wished that Firepaw could understand English, even if just for a moment.  I wanted so dearly to explain that Charlie was gone, would not be coming back.  When I see Firepaw waiting down by the mailbox these days, I wish I could help him understand.

We all have feelings that come up again and again, good feelings, sad feelings, confused feelings, lonely feelings, surprising feelings.  We might talk about our feelings and wishes with other people, or we might want to keep them to ourselves. Writing is a way to help make sense of these things, to see them on the page, and both celebrate inside and heal our hearts too.

Firepaw still does have his sister, Pickles.  She is another one of our cats.  They love each other too...so Firepaw is not alone.  But we still miss Charlie.

In news this week, I have been very busy at my other blog.  A bit less than two weeks ago, Kimberley Moran from iWrite in Maine suggested that I host a Summer Edition of ideas at Sharing Our Notebooks. Well, 43 entries of crowdsourcing later, the collection of ideas is beautiful and rich, and I welcome your voice too! You can read about the project here and check out the list of ideas here. Teachers, be sure to check out the bookmarks in the Sharing Our Notebooks sidebar too.  So many wonderful ideas for summer!  I am truly grateful to host this collection and cannot wait to see where it goes.

Margaret is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at Reflections on the Teche.  Visit her online home to learn about all of the delicious poetry goodies around the Kidlitosphere today.

Please share a comment below if you wish.