Writing the Rainbow Poem #13 - Purple Mountains' Majesty

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

And now...today's crayon. Purple Mountains' Majesty!

Sharing

by Amy LV

Students - When I drew the color PURPLE MOUNTAINS' MAJESTY, of course the first thing that came to mind was the song America the Beautiful. Because this phrase is so closely linked to this song (have you ever heard it elsewhere?), it seemed right to refer to the song and other lines from it.

I have never seen purple mountains.  And I imagined that my imagined-new-friend might never have seen them either.  But still, even without mountains, I - and this new friend - see many small beauties.  Life is about finding them.

If you are Writing the Rainbow with me, perhaps your color for today might bring a line of a song to mind...or a small ordinary something you see in your days.

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 quite a beautifully hopping place.

Don't miss the links to all kinds of Poetry Month goodness up there in my upper left sidebar.  Happy thirteenth 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.

Wallow in Wonder 13 - How Do Homing Pigeons Find Home?

Welcome to Day 13 of Wallow in Wonder!  For my 2016 National Poetry Month project, I will celebrate learning and writing from learning, writing poems from each daily Wonder at Wonderopolis.  As I did with my Dictionary Hike in 2012, I am looking to surprise myself with new inspiration daily.  This year, such inspiration will show up in my inbox each morning.  I will print it and carry each Wonderopolis Wonder around all day...and in the afternoon or evening, I will write and post the poem for the next day.  

I invite anyone who wishes to take this challenge too.  Just read today's wonder over at Wonderopolis, and write a poem inspired by it for tomorrow.  Share it tomorrow at your own site, and if you wish to link in my comments for others to find (or share your poem there), please feel free to do so tomorrow, the day after the Wonder is published at Wonderopolis.  If you would like to share any ways you have used Wallow in Wonder or your own site (safe for children only please), please link to the #WallowInWonder padlet.

My April Poems Thus Far

April 1 - So Suddenly - a poem inspired by Wonder #1659 

April 2 - Thankful Journal - a poem inspired by Wonder #1660

April 3 - The Storm Chaser - a poem inspired by Wonder #779

April 4 - A Jar of Glitter - a poem inspired by Wonder #641

April 5 - To Make Compost - a poem inspired by Wonder #1661

April 6 - Deciding Now - a poem inspired by Wonder #1662

April 7 - Hummingbird's Secret - a poem inspired by Wonder #1663

April 8 - Limits - a poem inspired by Wonder #1664

April 9 - Sundogs - a poem inspired by Wonder #1665

April 10 - Perspective - a poem inspired by Wonder #128

April 11 - At the History Museum - a poem inspired by Wonder #115

April 12 - Seventy-Five Years Ago Today - a poem inspired by Wonder #1666

And now for Day 13!

Wonder #1667 - from April 12, 2016

I Am Going Home

by Amy LV

Students - I channeled my inner homing pigeon for today's poem. Seriously.  This week I've been working with second grade poets in the Fairport, NY School District, and we have been talking about mask (or persona) poems, poems that speak in a voice other than the poet.  So, I'm Homer.  Nice to meet you.

Today's poem does not rhyme, but it does use repetition.  Lots of repetition. I used so much repetition in this poem because I imagined, "What would a homing pigeon mostly think about?"  And then I answered myself, "Home!"

When you consider using repetition in a poem, ask yourself why you are doing it.  In today's poem, I did so because I feel that a homing pigeon probably has a one track mind - home - home - home - and so I wanted my poem to reflect one-track-mindedness.  I actually giggled to myself a little as I read it aloud.

You will notice that the non-repeating lines in today's poem each almost have the same number of syllables.  So, while this piece does not rhyme, the repetition of words and beats holds it together a bit.

If you have not read the Wonder above, do. Homing pigeons are incredible!

You can read another poem inspired by Wonder #1667 if you visit Wonder Lead Ambassador, literacy advocate, teacher, and writer Paul Hankins at his Wonder Ground blog where he, too, is writing daily poems from Wonderopolis wonders.  He and I are in this together daily and some other writers are joining in on the fun sometimes too. All are welcome to wonder through poems with us.

This month I have a special guest over at my other blog!  Middle school teacher and librarian Stefanie Cole and her students from Ontario, Canada are visiting Sharing Our Notebooks this month.  This is a fantastic post full of notebook inspiration, a video clip, and a great book giveaway from Stefanie.

Happy Day 13 of National Poetry Month 2016!  

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.