Special Objects & Senses

Aunt Tom's Jewelry Box

Photo by Amy LV

Students - I have written about my wonderful Aunt Tom (Edythe) and her green jewelry box before, HERE in 2016.  She was a fabulous human, a flapper and musician, an glittery-eyed artist. She was my Grandma Florence's sister, and as I didn't have any aunts and uncles or cousins (my parents are only children), she was one of my few relatives. Below you can see her as a young woman. The photograph is from my Great Grandfather John's album, an album I am lucky to have.

My Great Aunt, Edythe Toebe

Photo by ?

Today's poem does not rhyme. Poems need not rhyme. But you will note that it does pay attention to where the lines break. The line that begins She has been gone stands alone because 20 years is a long time, and I wanted to leave space around those words.

I brought a few senses in here too. Which senses can you find in the poem: sight, smell, touch, hearing, taste?

If you are writing a poem or story or bit of nonfiction or notebook entry, consider your senses. Which have you included? Which might you include? 

And if you are not sure of what to write about, do you have a relative who makes you smile? Have you ever been given something that once belonged to someone now gone?

It has been a wonderful week of author visits in the Williamsville School District. Thank you to all students, teachers, and administrators at Maple East Elementary, Maple West Elementary, and Dodge Elementary for our time together.  I look forward to visiting the other Williamsville elementary schools in a couple of weeks.

Carol is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup as well as a celebration of summer at her place, Beyond Literacy Link. Please know that we gather each Friday, sharing poems and poemlove, and all are always welcome.

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.

Writing the Rainbow #29 - Tan

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

April 13 - Sights - Inspired by Purple Mountains' Majesty

April 14 - On Saturdays - Inspired by Melon

April 15 - Bundle - Inspired by Robin's Egg Blue

April 16 - Our Rooftop - Inspired by Periwinkle

April 17 - Childhood Trees - Inspired by Mahogany

April 18 - In Our Laundry Room - Inspired by Blue

April 19 - Summer Treat - Inspired by Red

April 20 - Home - Inspired by Timberwolf

April 21 - After School - Inspired by Apricot

April 22 - Misty's Eyes - Inspired by Yellow Green

April 23 - City Night - Inspired by Black

April 24 - Sharing Asparagus - Inspired by Asparagus

April 25 - I Wonder Things - Inspired by Wild Strawberry

April 26 - On Miss Johnson's Fire Escape Again - Inspired by Red Orange

April 27 - Saturday Morning - Inspired by Blue Violet

April 28 - Tia and Me - Inspired by Wisteria

And now...today's crayon.  Tan!

Up and Down

by Amy LV

Students - Today's poem is a concrete poem.  You will notice that the line breaks shape the poem into stair steps, mirroring the way a person walks up and down stairs.  And reading this poem is a bit unusual because one must begin in a different place than usual.  Was it tricky for you to decide how to read it?

If you are Writing the Rainbow with me, perhaps your color for today will bring a particular object to mind.  I very much enjoy running my hand along stair rails, imagining all of the people who have walked up and down the same stairs that I walk up and down.

You may also wish to write a concrete poem of your own.  I especially enjoy concrete poems that show movement in some way, that mirror the movement of the actions.

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 one colorful and beautiful place to visit..

And please don't miss the links to all kinds of Poetry Month goodness up there in my upper left sidebar.  Happy thirtieth day of National Poetry Month...tomorrow is April 30.

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.

Celebrating Simple, Humble Objects with Our Words

Winter Projects

Photo by Amy LV

Students - Today's poem is a celebration of simple mittens.  I love mittens, I love yarn, and I love the short 'i' sound.  And so today's small temple of words comes together around these three loves.  

Sometimes in life, one goes through times of despair and worry, grumpiness and uncertainty.  I've been feeling these things lately, and so this week I decided to turn my attention toward humble objects that bring me and the world small measures of joy and beauty.  You can see yesterday's notebook words around this idea here --

December 1, 2016 Notebook Snip

Photo by Amy LV

I do spend bits of winter days knitting cozy projects, and today the words and wool come together as one.

Any one of us can choose to turn our attention to the humble nouns around us. Check your closet and pockets.  What do you see, feel drawn to, love?  Try choosing something that does not require batteries or electricity.  Go as simple as you can.  Appreciate small things.  And write about them.

Hand-stitched Notebooks by Stitch Buffalo Refugee Artisans

Photo by Amy LV

In case you missed it last month, just like last year, The Poem Farm will be giving a Christmas gift of free shipping for anyone who would like to order two or more hand-stitched notebooks or bird ornaments.  These are beautiful pieces made by refugee artisan women in Buffalo, NY through Stitch Buffalo.  They do not ship, but only sell locally, so this is a special opportunity. You can read my post and learn more information HERE.  

To read last year's Stitch Buffalo post and poem, visit HERE.  I am so happy and thankful to share that in two weeks, The Poem Farm readers have purchased over $1600 of birds and notebooks, most all of which will go directly to the individual artisans who made each item.  Thank you!

Over at Sharing Our Notebooks, you can find the winner to my latest book giveaway.  And I am currently seeking a new writer over there, so if you are a young student notebook keeper, please let your teacher know if you would be interested in sharing your notebook pages.  Together with your parents and teacher, I would love to celebrate your notebook!

Bridget is hosting today's Poetry Friday fiesta over at wee words for wee ones.  Join her, and all of us, in finding goodness in poetry and life all week long.  Everyone is always invited to Poetry Friday!

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.

Iron - Poem #22 for April 2014 Poetry Project

LIVE!

Learn about this, my April 2014 Poetry Project, HERE!

Iron

Photo by Amy LV

Students - I wrote today's poem in traffic court last night.  Yes, I received a speeding ticket last month and so I was having my evening in court.  There I sat, waiting...waiting...with my notebook on my lap, writing to the sound of the judge's voice as he spoke with others who were in court for the same reason. One can write anywhere if one chooses to do so!

The idea for this poem came earlier in the day, though.  As I have almost each day of this month, I began by scrolling through the many thrift store photographs on my phone, to find one that struck me in the moment.  The iron was it.

Then, again, I thought about the iron throughout my day, wondering what its voice would say, what its poemspark would be.  I spent much of yesterday raking huge piles of last autumn's leaves, filling wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow, dumping thousands of oak leaves into our woods.  Somewhere around wheelbarrow #8, I thought to myself, "Hmmm...I bet irons like making wax paper leaf pictures best!"  I carried that thought in my noggin until traffic court began.

After that, it was just time to play with rhythm and line breaks and words. This is a mask poem, in the voice of the iron, and I'm not exactly sure why I chose to make the poem long and skinny, but I did.

Iron - Draft Page Spread #1 
Poem by Amy LV

Write everywhere.  Why not?

Michael is the winner of this week's giveaway over at Sharing Our Notebooks. Michael - please drop me an e-mail to let me know your snail mail address!

Please share a comment below if you wish.

Fine Antique Plates - Poem #7 for April 2014 Poetry Project

LIVE!

Learn about this, my April 2014 Poetry Project, HERE!

Flowery Plates

Photo by Amy LV

Students - Today's drafts were written in the car.  Our family was going visiting, and so I wrote from the passenger seat.  You can see that the minutes of notebooking tally up to thirty-five, but this poem did take longer.  I spent a lot of time, eyes closed, just thinking and not timing myself at all.  Daydreaming the poem into life.  I also spent a lot of time playing with this poem in the typing stage.  In fact, these last two stanzas did not appear until I typed.

For today's verse, the fun came  in imagining walking around the rims of plates. This was my spark.  And then, making the flowers disappear...well that just made me giggle a bit.

Challenges included finding spring flowers with the correct number of syllables. This sent me to a bit of research as I didn't want to include late summer or fall flowers at all.

You may have wondered why those last two lines are so short, shorter than the rest of the non-flower lines.  I did consider keeping as one line.  But somehow, the punch line of the dishes being "simply white" felt like more fun with a longer pause.

Here are today's drafts.  You can see that I spent a little time trying to decide which object to choose.

Fine Antique Plates - Draft Page Spread #1

Photo by Amy LV

Fine Antique Plates - Draft Page Spread #2

Photo by Amy LV

Did you notice that the dishes in today's poemphoto are the same dishes as those in the THRIFT STORE LIVE logo?  

Yes.

I bought them.

March 31, 2014 Shopping Cart - AmVets

Photo by Amy LV

Please share a comment below if you wish.

Lucky Pebble - Narrative Poems

It Stayed!
by Amy LV

 

Click the arrow to hear me read this poem to you.

Students - Today's poem is a narrative poem, and it's based on a true story that happened to someone I've never met.  People who write are always on the lookout for stories, and last summer when I was teaching a workshop, a teacher told me about a girl in her class who had a collection of lucky stones. This young girl knew her stones were lucky because each one had ridden home on the bumper of her car, and each one had made it all the way home...just like the pebble in today's poem.  When I heard that story, I thought, "Someday I am going to write about this."  Someday came last night.

Listen for stories, not just your own stories...but stories you hear others tell. Any story can make a good poem, and understanding others' stories helps us stretch ourselves and understand how we are all alike, even when we're different.

I adore the way that every object holds at least one story: the story of how you got it, the story of how you lost and found it, the story of how it was made, the story of "one time" with it, the story of how it got a little bit broken, the story of how you came to care about it.  This week, think about your favorite objects. Consider making a list of them, either with little sketches or simply a word list. Then, whenever you feel stuck, you'll have many many little stories to return to.

Did you notice how today's poem has two longer stanzas and one very tiny one-line stanza?  I did this on purpose.  I wanted to make a clear definition between the speaker's hope (that the pebble would stay) and the reality (just how it did stay).  In order to indicate that a reader should really pause mid-poem (listen to the recording), I left lots of space around those three words, "And it did."  This is how writers help readers know how to read their poems, by breaking up words and putting lots of space around them.

The next time I see you with a  new poem will be on Friday as The Poem Farm will now feature new poems only on Mondays and Fridays.  I'll be finding other ways to dip into the archives here as I tuck five new poems each week into my pink binder.  Two for The Poem Farm, five for the binder...each week.

I hope that you are having fun with your own Poetry New Year's Resolutions!

This week I welcome Reading Specialist Amy Zimmer Merrill to Sharing Our Notebooks.  Don't miss her beautiful collage journals or the chance to win one.

Please share a comment below if you wish.

To find a poem by topic, click here. To find a poem by technique, click here.

Like The Poem Farm on Facebook for more poems, articles, and poemquotes!

Spinwishes - Writing from Objects

My Kaleidoscope

Photo by Amy LV

 

Click the arrow to hear me read this poem to you.

Sutdents - Today’s handful of words is a small tribute to the feeling I have each time I look into the end of my brass kaleidoscope.  It had been a long time since I picked this old treasure up, but recently I held it to my face in wonder once more.  I peeked into that magical cylinder, and like jacks sprinkling a sidewalk,
questions poured out:

• Where did this glass come from
• Does everyone see the same thing in here?
• Will these patterns ever repeat in such a way again?
• Who made this whirling work of twinkling art?
• Why can’t I see the world in kaleidoscope patterns all the time?

As a notebook keeper, I tuck wee snips of beauty and surprise into my blank pages every day, uncertain if they will one day grow into something “sharable.” Sometimes they turn into poems or essays right away.  Sometimes they never do.  And sometimes they do, but it just takes many months or years for them to grow up into something ready for others to read.  That is the beauty of a notebook.

A notebook is a place to save things that you just may need, or you just may not...but either way, you've got them.  (This is how I feel about all of the candles and chocolate chips I have stocked up for the oncoming storm!  For a laugh, see my old WBFO essay about readying for storms.)

Writing verse brings me joy in that line-by-line, I am surprised by which words decide to show up for the party.  I began “Spinwishes” as a celebration of an object - a brass kaleidoscope - and ended up with a bit of a funny wish, not something I had planned at all.  The contrast of lovely geometric lace to that of a person walking with kaleidoscopic eye sockets makes me smile.

Try this yourself.  Just choose an object near to you.  Look at it closely.  Pick it up in your hands and examine it from various angles.  Ask yourself some questions about it.  Feel it in your hands. Let some new thoughts rise in your mind. Now...mind open...write!

If you do not see a post from me on Wednesday, please know the VanDerwater family does not have power...  If this happens, know that I will be back as soon as possible...and writing by candlelight until the lights return!

Please share a comment below if you wish.

To find a poem by topic, click here. To find a poem by technique, click here.

Like The Poem Farm on Facebook for more poems, articles, and poemquotes!

My Blanket Smells - Poems from the Past

Caapoo 2011

Photo by Amy LV

This poem is no longer

available.

It will soon be a book! 

Students - when I was a little girl, I had a blanket named Caapoo.  His name was pronounced CAA-poo, not Caa-POO, and I remember my parents telling me how I once corrected my Great Aunt Kay who mispronounced his name as Caa-POO.  That would not do!  

I loved my blanket and his special smell, and I used to tell him all of my secrets.  Several years ago, I had a poem published in LADYBUG MAGAZINE titled "My Bear" about whispering secrets into a teddy bear's ear.  This poem was really about stuffed bears, dogs, favorite pillows and blankets...anything that a person sleeps with and whispers to and loves.

I wrote today's poem some time ago, when my old blanket-friend was still living in a drawer in my childhood home.  Recently, my dad found Caapoo in a box and gave him back to me.  I don't sleep with a blanket anymore, but it's still good to have him around. 

What special objects do you love?  Do you remember any particular smells that you think will stay with you for your whole life?  Go ahead...write about them.

If you love blankets and stories about blankets, don't miss Bob Graham's picture book, THE RED WOOLEN BLANKET.  Like every other book Bob has written and illustrated, this one is full of heart, goodness, and giggles too!

Available through Amazon

Teachers - I am so glad that you stopped by. Please know that I will be posting and sharing poetry and classroom-poem ideas each Friday.  The after-poem words in each post are directed straight to students, so you can trust they will be appropriate and safe for SMART board or center use.  I also welcome you to share any poem ideas or student work...if you look in the sidebar, you will see "CLASSROOM POETRY PEEKS."  These are posts chock-full of stories, photos, and fresh ideas from wonderful teachers, all about sharing poetry in school.

Thinking about things we love has me also thinking about things others have lost in the wake of Hurricane Irene.  If you would like to donate a book to the Wells Memorial Library in Upper Jay, NY or the West Hartford Public Library in West Hartford, Vermont, visit Kate Messner's blog for information on how to do so.  If you are an author or artist who might like to donate a book or artwork, please visit Kate's post here.

Today's Poetry Friday snuggle is over at Tricia's The Miss Rumphius Effect.  And if you didn't know, Tricia posts regular Monday Poetry Stretches where anyone can write and share!  You can see last week's stretch here - Natural Forces.

(Please click on POST A COMMENT below to share a thought.)

Garage Sale Jeans - MyPoWriYe #190

Wondering

by Amy LV

Our family has been very lucky in the hand-me-down department lately.  Many bags of beautiful clothes have rolled in from good friends with children just a wee bit older and bigger than ours.  I, too, have been enjoying the land of used clothing, frequenting Goodwill and coming home with funky shoes at $2.99 a pair.  I love the deals, and even more...the secret stories.

Students - as we've talked about before, objects are full of stories.  Some objects hold stories we know.  Some hold stories we don't know.  And some hold both!  With our world becoming more and more connected each day, I am fascinated by stickybits, small barcode stickers you can attach to real world objects and link to your own digital stories, photos, videos and music.  You can read more about this idea here at TechCrunch, and I'll be back to report as I just ordered some stickybits for myself on amazon.  Hmmm... this will be fun!

If you like poems about clothing, here is one about dirty socks, one about a favorite shirt, one about who makes our clothing, and a more recent poem about overcoats and underwear.

(Please click on COMMENTS below to share a thought.)

MyPoWriYe #123 - This Shirt

Hen's Favorite Shirt

Photo by Amy LV

We all have articles of clothing that we looooove.  Articles of clothing that we wear over and over again until they almost fall apart.  In fact, I've heard that most people wear 30% of their clothing 70% of the time and 70% of their clothing 30% of the time.

Our home holds a small pile of our children's baby clothes that just float around.  It's hard for me to say goodbye to those fuzzy jammies, difficult for me to put them into boxes, and I would never give them away.  Sometimes I just pick each one up and remember.

Students - I wrote this poem thinking about a shirt that Henry loves, a shirt he wears as much as he can.  And while he is far from outgrowing this shirt, someday he will, and I imagined that day while writing last night.  This is a good place to get a writing idea.  Think of an object you have outgrown, an object you will someday outgrow, or an object that you don't need anymore but still hang onto.  Then write.

(Please click on COMMENTS below to share a thought.)