Peace

Sky and Field

Photo by Amy LV

Students - Sometimes a person can have a busy week and yet still have one important word in the background of everything. This afternoon I took a walk with our dogs Cali and Sage around the pasture, and it sounded like the big spruce trees were whispering, Peace. Peace. As I looked at and listened to those trees, I imagined the oceans making the same plea.

It is important to pay attention to the thoughts that return to you. If a word or idea returns to you again and again, it may be asking you to write or make music or art about it. Listen to those thoughts -- they know.

You might wish to try taking a walk outside to get your writing started. Close your eyes and listen to your imagination. Imagine what the nature may be saying to you.

If you'd like, feel free to experiment with a two stanza poem like the one I share here. You might even choose to begin one stanza with the word outside and one stanza with the word inside.

Consider writing a poem focused around just one word. As you write and revise, experiment with repeating it in different ways.

Kat is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup at Kathryn Apel with a celebration of the release of her new verse novel, WHAT SNAIL KNOWS which I am very excited to read!  Please know that all are welcome each Friday as folks share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship.

Peace.

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.

Ask Your Cat, Ask Your Art, Ask.

Peace Dove

by Amy LV

Students - This year I made some peace cards by carving and printing my own rubber stamp.  Today I decided to write about this stamp, but I was not sure where to begin.

I remembered talking with a wise boy who said,  "I'm not a cat whisperer or anything, but once when I didn't know what to write, I asked my cat.  And then I knew."

So I decided to ask the dove of my stamp what it wanted to say. And then I knew.

I was also helped by this quote from Picasso, about his famous Dove painting. Picasso's father had taught him to paint doves, and addressing the 1950 Peace Congress, Picasso said, "I stand for life against death; I stand for peace against war."

May we listen to our doves, our hearts, our cats, and our inner voices as these will point toward kindness.  And they will give us writing ideas too!

Stamp and Cards

by Amy LV

At Sharing Our Notebooks, my other online home,  I am tickled to welcome third grade teacher Dina Bolan and her third grade writers from Alexander Hamilton Elementary School in Glen Rock, New Jersey.  Take a peek at their nonfiction notebook entries, and leave a comment to be entered into a drawing for a snazzy new notebook selected by me! 

Jan is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup at Bookseedstudio. Her post honors the memory and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and you will be grateful to find the resources she shares. Please visit! 

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.

Poems Grow from the Seasons & Current News

Giggle! Giggle!

by Amy LV

Students - Today's poem showed up in my notebook with its own voice.  I was writing and thinking...and after a few false poem starts, these words appeared.  I believe that this small poem grew from a combination of my thoughts about a fresh school year, musings on being new (our daughter is a new college student), and from current news about the numbers of people who must flee their homes due to war or disaster.  One friend can shelter a person from a storm.  We can each reach out a hand.

Pay attention to your own feelings about the seasons of the year and the news you hear and see. Our emotions mix with the world, and we can combine feelings and observations into new art.

Pay attention, too, to books that move you. I am quite sure that this poem also grew from two of my favorite picture books, picture books that I often read aloud: EACH KINDNESS by Jaccqueline Woodson and BE A FRIEND by Salina Yoon.

I have missed The Poem Farm online these past few weeks, but I had a beautiful summer at The Poem Farm in real life.  I wrote a collection of poems for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra's 2017-2018 children's concert, and I look forward to attending a show or two.  I taught some classes, made all kinds of goodies from fruit, visited Assateague Island to camp on the beach with wild horses, and read a few great books...  It was a good summer.  And too, it's good to be back.

Now, as the year begins, I look forward to two new books to be published this fall.  READ! READ! READ! , illustrated by Ryan O'Rourke, will be out this month with Wordsong, and POEMS ARE TEACHERS: HOW STUDYING POETRY STRENGTHENS OUR WRITING IN ALL GENRES will be out in October with Heinemann.  Please visit Goodreads to be entered in my giveaway for a signed copy of READ! READ! READ!

I also have an in-person school visit up for bid in Kate Messner's KitLit Cares auction for Hurricane Harvey Relief.  This auction is full of Skype visits, signed books, manuscript critiques, conferences admissions...all up for bid with all proceeds benefiting those affected by Harvey.  Please consider bidding and sharing the link.

It has been a treat to host Jessica Fries-Gaither at Sharing Our Notebooks...where she shares all about keeping a Scientist Notebook  You can find all kinds of notebook inspiration over there, so please stop by when your notebook wishes for a bit of love.  I invite you to share your notebook...

Kathryn Apel is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at her place with a celebration of creativity. All are always welcome to this weekly gathering of poetry and friendship!

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.