Hands - What is Your Favorite Feeling?

 

Holding Hands

by Amy LV

Students - Last week I was working at Sprucelands horse camp, and that is why I was not here for Poetry Friday.  One bright afternoon, as campers rested after lunch, the "hill moms" (camp adults) decided to walk out into the mud with a flag we'd made out of an old t-shirt and some duct tape.  Well, one thing led to another after we planted the flag, and suddenly it was an all-out mud war.  All of us were covered in mud and laughing both evil and joyful laughs.  We washed off by lying in a stream, letting the cold wash over us as we sang songs together.

After rinsing, we sat in a circle holding hands, just talking about friendship.  Then, still hand-in-hand, we put our feet into our circle and laid back into the warm day, forming a circle of friendship that looked just like a sunshine.  

Later this week, as I sat with my neglected notebook, that day's feeling of holding hands with friends came right back to me.

What is one of your favorite feelings? Can you think of a time when you felt very connected to other people?  Jot a little list in your notebook of such feelings and times, because these are food for your writing life.  I am starting such a page in my notebook today.

Muddy Hill Moms - How Grateful I Am to You!

Photo by Joy Warren

Speaking of notebooks, this week I am so happy to welcome Alan Wright over at my other blog, Sharing Our Notebooks.  Alan shares his interesting insights into notebook-keeping along with a great suggestion for all of us to try.  Please stop by and leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway of a surprise notebook.  (I have not yet chosen it!)  Teachers - I am pleased to say that Sharing Our Notebooks is filling up with excellent resources for your teaching with notebooks...plus it holds ideas for grown-up notebook-keepers too!

Violet Nesdoly is hosting Poetry Friday for her first time today over at Violet Nesdoly/Poems.  If it's your first time visiting Poetry Friday, please know that all you have to do is head to her blog and enjoy the treats.  And of course you are always more than welcome to link to your own blog.

Here's wishing you a week full of friendship and silliness!

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I Cry - Poems about Confusing Feelings

Welcome to Philip Levine, new Poet Laureate of the US!  You can read some of his work here at The Writer's Almanac.  For today, here are a few words, the last lines, from "On My Own."

...know, now it's obvious, what with the light

of the Lord streaming through the nine

windows of my soul and the music of rain

following in my wake and the ordinary air

on fire every blessed day I waken the world.

Changing Feelings

by Amy LV

When I was a little girl, I loved summer camp.  I loved summer camp as soon as my parents left, that is.  The transition of Mom and Dad leaving me for a whole week, however, was teary.  Hours of bonfires, play, crafts, sports, swimming, and camp songs later, the week ended and my parents returned.  So did my tears.  I always thought that my mixed up feelings were rather funny, and I still do. 

Students - one way to find writing ideas is to watch and notice your feelings.  We are all full of so many emotions, and writing can help us to understand our moods and our loved ones' feelings too.  When I was a little girl, my sister Heidi and I would dance around our living room to the songs in Marlo Thomas & Friends' FREE TO BE YOU AND ME, a book full of heart-wisdom both then and now.

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Here's one favorite song from the book/record/8-track/cassette/CD/ipod download: Rosey Grier singing, "It's Alright to Cry."

And since it is still summer, here's another camping poem about sleeping in a sleeping bag!

Karen is hosting today's Poetry Friday smorgasbord over at Karen Edmisten: The Blog with the Shockingly Clever Title.

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