Be Amazed by Something Little

Stamps in My Notebook

Photo by Amy LV

Students - Whenever I go to the post office to purchase stamps, I always ask to see all of the available designs. I love looking through the plants, cartoon characters, movie stars, sculptures, and scenes from history, imagining which ones will decorate my future envelopes. Our eldest daughter does the same thing, and this week she came home with a couple of sheets of beauties. Stamps are small and curious, powerful and storied, and this week I found myself thinking about how sending mail...feels like magic.

I probably also wrote this poem last night because in yesterday's mail, I received the below book from my friend Elizabeth who is a grand letter writer and package sender. She had saved this treasure from a library discard pile many years ago, and generously decided to share it with me. THE FIRST BOOK OF LETTER WRITING was published in 1957, so it is now 65 years old, and still full of charming ideas and truths about sending letters. I'll share more about it here one day. Thank you, dear Elizabeth!

A Book from a Friend

Photo by Amy LV

I didn't start writing about stamps last night. I started writing about crows and ravens and had a good draft going, but then, I shifted gears. As writers, it is important that we know it is good and important to shift gears and change directions when it feels necessary and right. I turned the page of my notebook, and those first two lines - A stamp is a sticker/and you do not have to lick it - tumbled out. The ending took some tinkering, but I do like tinkering.

My writing advice to you is the same as it often is - read your poems aloud as you write them. I sat on my bed and read this one over and over, with each new line, feeling it in my blood. And when I moved to the keyboard, I read it aloud several times more. 

Stamps are small, and the world is full of small, wondrous things. Keep your eyes open!

Below you can see my cat Winnie (named after the character in Natalie Babbitt's book TUCK EVERLASTING) helping me write today's poem. She had just come in for bedtime and was very silly and cuddly and purry.

Sarah Grace is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup at Sarah Grace Tuttle with a fascinating peek into her process of writing metered poetry. Please know that all are welcome each Friday as folks share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship.

Take a look at the stamps that come to your family's mailbox this week. What stories and poems are hiding in there? Which words might you tuck into an envelope to brighten someone's day? What other small objects will cause you to wonder?

Lots of joy to you, my friends.

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.

Something Unexpected

A Handful of Color

Photo by Amy LV

Students - It is good to be back. I have missed you and hope that our time apart has been healthy and good for you and the people you love. Now that it is autumn in Western New York where I live, I will be posting poems and writing ideas here again on Fridays and perhaps on other (unexpected) days.

Today's poem is a true story poem, and it happened this week (not yesterday, but in poems you can change anything you wish). When I went to get the mail, I expected to walk back to my house with a handful of envelopes. Instead, I walked back to my house with a handful of green acorns and this pretty blue feather. I expected one thing and got another.

Has this ever happened to you? You expected one thing and got another thing instead? Maybe you thought a person would act a certain way when you first met them and later realized that the person was actually quite different from what you had imagined. Or maybe a day brought a surprise you never could have thought up - good...or not so good. These things happen to me all of the time, and now that I am thinking about it, I realize that they are strong writing ideas. I'll be paying more attention and jotting such happenings into my notebook. You might wish to try this too.

Today's poem is mostly made up of lines with eight syllables. You may count them out to check, and you'll notice that two lines have only seven syllables. Sometimes when I write, I feel a beat inside and just follow it. I recommend trying to count out syllables, just to start feeling them inside of you. You can count syllables in others' poems for practice.

Another thing you might notice how many parentheses I included in today's poem. Lines with parentheses feel like little whispered asides, as if the writer is telling special extra information to a reader.

And while I did not plan to rhyme any words in this poem, the last two lines felt like they should rhyme after all. They gave themselves to me, all wrapped in a simple rhyme.

Here's my silverboy Tuck, checking out that handful of autumn mail himself!

Tuck and the Mail

Photo by Amy LV

Carol is hosting the Poetry Friday roundup at Beyond LiteracyLink with a summer cento, or poem made from the lines of other poems. Please know that all are welcome each Friday as folks share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship.

I wish you something good and unexpected this week...and perhaps even a poem to go with it.

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.