Elfchens

poetry

Here are a few Elfchens…

Weekends
Come late
in the week
after a million days
Break!

Write!
Pen to
Paper, words flow
make it make sense
Think!

Sleep
Head on
Pillow, close your
eyes, empty your brain
Rest

Elfchen
Counting words
Boxed in format
Makes writers work for
Poetry!

It’s April! I’m looking for poetry challenges. Here’s a fun format I just found – called an Elfchen: 11 words in 5 lines of 1,2,3,4,1. I found it described here!

Countdown Calendar Math

poetry

It’s almost May
countdowns have started all around me
but no countdown can beat
ours
because you have to be especially good
at calendar math
follow along
it’s okay to count with your fingers. . .

Today is Wednesday
but the day is almost over
which means it’s basically
tomorrow
Thursdays are Friday Juniors
which means it’s basically
the weekend
the weekend goes by so quickly
so basically there’s just
one more week
until I see you, friend

I’m looking for poetry challenges. Today I decided a free write was just what I needed.

Chaucer Says

poetry, Reflections on teaching, Slice of Life

This slice is part of the Slice of Life on  Two Writing Teachers! #sol24. I’m slicing on Tuesdays. I hope you’ll join me!

I’m searching for a seed
of a story
that shows flowers after showers
like Chaucer says.

Instead, I’m back in eleventh grade
Memorizing The Canterbury Tales
Recording my performance on cassette
in a closet off the classroom.

Is this a real memory? It must be.
For decades I’ve randomly
thought, “Whan that Aprill…” and wondered
Does everyone else remember the rest but me?

So I get it, Chaucer
with the showers then the flowers
I just don’t think you knew
how long the rain can last.

I’m looking for poetry challenges. Today I found one by checking out Ethical ELAs prompt:: “April Showers Bring May Flowers”

Lucky Earth!

haiku, poetry

Lucky Earth!

earth is lucky to have this day
this let’s all celebrate earth today day
right here, in the month where words play
to praise the beauty, to worry and pray

earth doesn’t ask for much, you
can write a haiku if you’re the type who
likes to count 5-7-5…all the way to
17 while you vividly describe a view

earth breathes deeply, tries smiling, relaxing
knows your care is most likely just passing
why can’t she always have this much backing
most days she watches as we’re all trashing

I’m looking for poetry challenges. Today I found one by checking out Ethical ELAs prompt:: “Thank You Mother Earth”

I’ve Been Writing This Since

poetry

I’ve been writing this since
I noticed that I keep noticing
spring trees lining a path
Maybe every spring
I don’t know the names of trees
even the ones you think I should know
but I see them with their small spring blossoms
line the road, your driveway, some sidewalks

I’ve been writing this since
I drove by a lone tree in a front yard
just today
it had purple flowers, a flat top
I guess that the trees don’t have to line a path
for me to dream of sitting with them

I’ve been writing this since
I got married down a long winding
tree-lined driveway
it felt like windswept magic down that drive
I don’t know the names of trees
even the ones that lead the way

I’ve been writing this since
I took my dog on a walk on Saturday
I stopped to smell the sweet white flowering tree
next to the sidewalk
I don’t know the names of trees
even the ones that smell almost
but not quite
like lilac

I’m looking for poetry challenges. Today I found one by checking out Ethical ELAs prompt. Today’s linked to an earlier post: “I’ve been Writing this Since.”

Telephone

Family, poetry 

I got a phone for my birthday once
like a corded one
for my room
pink
landline
land
line
I got in trouble for talking
on my phone too much
not being
not using 
talking
Talk
ing
with my voice 
to my friend’s 
into their ear on the other end
to my boyfriend
sometimes all night 
until we’d fall asleep
the phone would fall too
Luckily he wasn’t long distance
Not to get all 
Taylor Swift on you
but I’m not sure
lucky 
would be the word I’d use for 
him
even though HE dID latEr know how 
to 
get lucky 
with the other woman
At some point we must have gotten
call waiting
We’d have 
had to
since I was on the phone 
all night
long


I’m looking for poetry challenges. Today I was inspired by “Noteworthy” on Ethical ELA, and the prompt to reflect on communications from the past.

Whelm

poetry

I am not so good at
goodbyes
I cry.
I cry.
Today a friend said
she’s maybe not so good
at transitions
Transitions.
Almost everyone I talk to
is overwhelmed.
over.
whelmed.
Overwhelmed.
I thought maybe
I’d just like to be
plain old
whelmed
but then I
looked it up
Whelm:
to submerge; engulf
to overcome utterly; overwhelm
I guess
somehow
whelm
is a synonym of overwhelm
Then I thought I had it figured out
underwhelm!
But.
Then I looked it up
Underwhelm:
to fail to impress
Well.
strike that
I’m pretty good at
whelm
over, under,
just pain
whelm

I’m looking for poetry challenges. Today I did a Free Verse. Free Verse Friday! It’s a thing. Because I made it a thing!

Somehow it’s my Sister’s Birthday Today

Celebrate, Family, poetry

Somehow it’s my sister’s birthday today
I was 12 when she was born
My parents waited to tell me my mom was in labor
So I could go to school for
Whatever standardized test was happening in Pennsylvania
34 years ago

Words cannot describe how excited I was to finally
Have a sibling
I handed out big sister purple pencils instead of cigars
I was obviously a very cool seventh grader
(My perm sealed the deal.)
But the actual coolest thing was my baby sister.
And my sister is
Actually still
The coolest
For real
I mean, have you talked to her?
Have you seen her art?

See this favorite family picture
It’s one of my favs, I’m sure you can see why
Notice please-
Her bangs and smile
Her dress with the white lace collar
My dark teenage eyes, somehow perfect hair
The cool shirt I vaguely remember and now suddenly miss
The way my mom casually holds my sister
My dad’s small smile and his sweater
(My parents here about my age now)
Don’t miss
The toucan behind us!