Write a Love Song to Something

A Spring Joy

Photo by Amy LV

Students - There are so many things to love in the world! Today I love my little packets of seeds. I find it quite incredible that each one of the little seeds will grow into a big flower that can attract bees and butterflies, grow its own seeds, and inspire humans to paint and love it.

We spend a lot of time on computers and other devices these days, and today I encourage your writing selves to fall in love with not-digital things. You, too, may wish to write a love poem to one of the objects or beings you love. Maybe a plant. Maybe an animal. Maybe an art supply. Maybe a cloud. Only you can know and decide.

As writers, our interests beyond writing give us ideas and a reason to love life. And so now, I am turning off my computer and phone and heading out into the rain.

Michelle is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at More Art for All with a beautiful original painting titled Red-winged Blackbird at Montrose Point along with two poems inspired by it. Each Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.

xo,

Amy

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A Thank You To...

Bookshelf at Home

Photo by Amy LV

Students - This week has been Banned Books Week, and so I decided to write a poem for the greatest champions of books...librarians. When librarians stand up for books, they stand up for you and for me and for all of the ideas we share and for all of the ideas we do not share. Librarians stand up for thought and for freedom. All of my gratitude to them. Librarians are the lifeguards of thought.

To whom are you grateful? This may be one person or it may a whole group of people who do a particular job or who share a characteristic. Thank you notes can be personal and given to one person or general and written for all to read such as mine today. If you write a thank you poem, you may choose to write your poem in your own voice...or you may choose to write it in the voice of another as I did today. Your voice need not even be human! Feel free to title it as I did..."A Thank You to..."

I look forward to Saturday when I will have the good fortune to learn the educators of The Literacy Connection, a professional organization in Ohio. We will be reading and writing poems together, discovering the many ways that poems can teach us about writing and life as we dig into my book POEMS ARE TEACHERS and the poems of so many. 

Tomorrow, Irene will be hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at Live Your Poem. Each Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.

Read, my friends...

xo,

Amy

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Finding Metaphors Along the Road

The Purple Lilac

Photo by Amy LV

Students - When I was younger, I liked flowers just fine. But now that I am older, I LOVE flowers. I have been planting hundreds and hundreds of bulbs and learning about different flowers, and with each new week of spring, I am thrilled with the new colorful friends who appear. This week is the week of lilac bushes. We have a whole line of them along the road in front of our house, and when people walk by, I offer them a bunch to take along the way.

Today's poem celebrates a bit of daily beauty. Writing poetry can help us notice things that we otherwise walk right by because the simple act of writing in a every day helps us to see more, notice more. I have been away from my own notebook due to the fact I have been helping someone who recently died. Now I am taking care of their house and belongings. Seeing this lilac and writing about it reminds me how much I have missed writing as I have been not-writing-busy over the past couple of weeks. Thank you, Lilac, for reminding me to return to daily noticings.

In this small poem of address (I write TO the lilac), I compare the branches of a lilac to human arms and its flowers to human hands. When we compare things to other things in poetry, we call this metaphor or simile, depending on whether we use the word "like" or "as." This poem uses metaphor, which is a bit stronger in a way. If I had said, "Your branches as long as arms" or "Your flowers wave like hands wave," I would still be comparing one thing to another, and those comparisons would be called similes. Since I do not use "like" or "as," this poem uses metaphor. You might want to try comparing something to something else in a poem or story you are writing. This is one way to give a reader a mind picture.

Linda is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at A Word Edgewise with her generous clunker exchange. Each Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.

I encourage you to write in your own notebook for 5-10 minutes a day, perhaps at the same time every day. You do not need to know what you will write about before you begin. Simply begin, and as the days go by, you will find that you notice more and more in this inspiring world.

Next week I look forward to a week-long writing residency at Greenacres School in Scarsdale, NY. I have not been there since before COVID, and it will be wonderful to see everyone again!

xo,

Amy

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For Teachers...and Welcome Guests!

Last Day of School

by Amy LV

Students - In the United States in mid-June, many schools are out for summer vacation, and many of the others are on their way to summer vacation very soon. So, this poem is an occasional poem, or a poem written for a special occasion - the end of school. It is also a poem of address, as in a poem written to someone particular, in this case, a special teacher.

I am very lucky to have learned from many wonderful teachers including but in no way limited to my mom, my grandmother (both taught fourth grade!), Mrs. Dufty, Mr. Fron, Mrs. Brooks, Mr. Walsh, Professor Valerie Bang-Jensen, Professor O'Brien, Professor Kennison, Professor Pliner, Lee Bennett Hopkins, and so many of the teachers I meet and authors of books I read every day. Moving from one class or grade to another can leave that bitter (so sad to leave) sweet (yay, new adventures) feeling in my mouth every time.

While this poem is not a ghazal, the form was definintely inspired by the ghazals I recently read and reread by Laura Purdie Salas, Liz Garton Scanlon, and Mary Lee Hahn. I highly recommend that you check them out. In this poem of mine, notice the repetition of the -eer sound and also the repetition of the whole word together. 

Today, and this summer, one writing recommendation I have for you is this: write a poem for a special occasion. And...or...write a poem especially FOR someone else. If you like, play around with some repetition, either by repeating one sound over and over...or coming around and around to the same word.

And now, happy guest news!

Today I am fortunate and excited to again welcome friends from Tioughnioga Riverside Academy in Whitney Point, NY. Hello and many thank yous to Intermediate Literacy Coordinator Dr. Kristie Miner, Fifth Grade Teachers Mrs. Clark, Mrs. Kraly, and Mrs. Vandermark and the Fifth Grade Poets of TRA.

These writers took on a 24 HOURS project, each writing a poem in the voice of their school, all the way through one night and one day. Look closely at that first slide and the fabulous way the authors displayed their work all around a large clock face!

Read these delightful poems to meet some of the school's characters, listen to sounds, notice similes and careful repetition. Pay attention to the different feelings in each poem and how the line breaks help you feel those feelings. This slideshow reads like a book that I would love to check out from the library.

Click the three dots and ENTER FULL SCREEN to enlarge.

Thank you again, poets! I feel like we just took a secret field trip, absorbing the sights and sounds and smells of Tioughnioga Riverside Academy. Your school will miss your voices and your footsteps  and will think about you in the summer days (and nights!) ahead. Readers, please if you would, take a moment to comment on this delightful book in slides.

Buffy is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup and two camoflauge photographs and poems over at Buffy Silverman. Each Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.

And young writer friends, please know that I will be here for most Fridays of the summer. I plan to spend lots of time writing in my little shed named Gratitude (tour next fall) and also look forward to lots of fruit picking, sock knitting, flower photographing, and craziest of all, a Giant Puppet Making workshop at Touchstone Center for Crafts in Farmington, Pennysylvania.

xo,

Amy

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Dear Reader, - Poems of Address

Open Notebook

Photo by Amy LV

Students - Today's poem is known as a poem of address or an apostrophe poem.  In such a poem, the writer writes to a person, thing or idea not actually in the room.  It is interesting to write this kind of poem because it allows us to talk to objects like the cookie we wish to compliment or the spelling word that keeps tripping us up.  We can even write poems to the idea of Peace or Worry or if we wish, to a person who died long ago.

I have been a writing teacher for many years and since I am a writer too, I think a lot about the kind of response that helps me, the kind of listening and advice I wish for and hope to offer the writers I meet.  So this poem is to all of the readers-of-writing, mine and others'.

Erin is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup at The Water's Edge with a Where I'm From poem. Each week we gather together, sharing poems, books, and poetry ideas all at one blog.  All are always welcome to visit, comment, and post.

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Hello & A Poetry Peek from Missouri

My New Notebook
Photo by Amy LV

Students - This week I filled up the last pages of my notebook and bought a new notebook, the one you see above.  I am excited when I complete a notebook, but I also feel a little bit sad to say goodbye. (I feel this way about novels too!)

I wrote today's poem as a poem of address, or a poem written TO something else.  Sometimes it is interesting to pretend that another person or animal or object is listening to you...and to write directly TO it. This poem sounds like I really do talk, except for the rhyme part, and it is something I often think about.  Each time I begin a new notebook, it feels strange to enter this new paper room, to write on these new paper walls.  I do get comfy in a new notebook after a while.  It takes a few pages of writing in a notebook before I feel at home.

If you don't know what to write about, consider writing TO a person or animal or object.  Or think about a feeling related to your own writing life.  Or perhaps, make a list of many different events in life (riding your bike, having a haircut, playing with a dog) and the feelings that go with these events.  Approach a topic from a feeling place...and off you go!

Today I could not be happier to welcome co-teachers Emily Callahan and Nicole Johnson and their 44 second grade poets from Crossroads Academy Quality Hill Academy in Kansas City, Missouri.  Some of you might remember Emily Callahan from when she was a fourth grade teacher at a different school.  Back in 2016, she and her students taught us all about Popcorn and Poetry, which has caught on in many new places. 

How lucky we are to have these poet guests! Enjoy every moment.

If you wish to learn about this class's poetry journey through slides, do so here.

Or if you'd rather learn by watching a five minute movie, you may do so here.

Click the Box to Enlarge


Enjoy a peek at this thoughtful class poetry anthology...fingerprints on the cover!

Second Grade Poetry Anthology - Read HERE
Book by Second Graders of Crossroads Academy Quality Hill


Do not miss this chance to read this book by three authors.  What a challenge!

 IT'S ALL GREEK TO US - Read HERE
Book by Authors Jude, Christian, and Matthew


Watch Ben's movie book to learn about cats and 20 ways to approach a topic.
(Thank you, Ben, for your generous dedication!)

Wow!  I am very grateful to these students for their posts here today.  Thank you, writers and teachers!

If you did not have a chance to read last week's beautiful fourth grade poems, shared by teachers Lauren Coffey and Patricia Nesbitt of McNeill Elementary in Bowling Green, Kentucky, please be sure to head on over and dive in. We are fortunate to have so many gorgeous words to wallow in...and teachers, I invite your class to share in this space too.

Deep gratitude to all of the generous sixth grade bloggers from Michelle Haseltine's class of Brambleton Middle School in Loundon County, Virginia.  For the whole month of May, they took OVER my other blog, Sharing Our Notebooks, filling each day with pictures, ideas, and endless enthusiasm and fun.You can visit over there to find all kinds of ideas for your own summer notebooking.  What a blast!  I'm currently seeking blog takeover classes for the 2018-2019 school year. Teachers, if you're interested, please let me know.

Buffy is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup at Buffy's Blog where you will find a cool seed storm!  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.

Reminders from History - A Poem for Older Children

Postcard - Anne Frank House, Facade Secret Annex

Photo by Allard Bovenberg

Students - I am this week volunteering at an English immersion adult week in La Alberca, Spain with Diverbo.  There are fourteen English speaking adults here (from Canada, England, Australia, and the United States) and there are nine Spaniards.  The job of the English speakers is to only speak English, as the Spanish people are here to strengthen their English.

On the way to Spain, my daughters (part of the Diverbo teen program) and I spent a day in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and we visited the Anne Frank House and Museum.  Walking through the rooms where young Anne wrote about her life during the horrors of Nazi rule made me think about the power humans have - for evil and for good.

Anne's father, Otto Frank, really did mark lines on the wall in the Secret Annex, to show his daughters' growth.  And Anne pasted pictures of royalty and movie stars upon her wall, to make it feel like home, even though it was not home, but a secret annex where Anne's family, another family, and one more man stayed in hopes of staying safe.  They were all killed for being Jewish, all except for Anne's father Otto, who survived Auschwitz and had Anne's diary published after the war.

I am grateful to Anne for writing, as her story is the story of many.  Because she wrote it down, we have a small window into one child's life - one normal child's life in the most dire of circumstances.  Many children today live in terrible circumstances, and Anne's diary and legacy reminds me of this.  Too, her words remind me of my responsibility.  How am I helping, as Anne's family's friends tried to help her?

To learn a bit more about what a helping person does, I am reading ANNE FRANK REMEMBERED (there is also a documentary by the same name) by Miep Gies and Alison Leslie Gold.  Miep Gies was one of the employees of Otto Frank, Anne's father.  Miep, her husband, and others brought food to Anne and her family and tried to keep them safe; this was at risk to their own safety, but they did what was right.  After Otto Frank returned, Miep gave him Anne's diary and other writings.  She had kept them, hoping to one day return them to Anne.

A Book by a Helper

Photo by Amy LV

There are many ways to learn about the world.  We widen our horizons and deepen our understandings by reading, talking with others, traveling, and allowing ourselves to think and write about what we notice and observe and believe.

This week's Poetry Friday roundup is over at The Logonauts with Katie.  Here you will discover many poetry happenings around the blogosphere this week.

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

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