Monthly Archives: April 2024

A Ball of Purple

A ball of purple

Do not think
paint ball
light ball
purple marker on a page
food coloring
ink blot
playground ball
crayon shavings bunched up
water color drops
ball-shaped pillow

NO.

This is a
ball of
purple.

PURPLE.

the
color
is
it

When the lights turn off
and you think there is no color
the ball of purple
falls in your outstretched hand

defying the laws of
color science
leaving no mark

besides
the smile
the laugh that escapes you
in pure
purple
joy

I’m looking for poetry challenges. Today I wrote inspired by Surprising Supplies on Ethical ELA… And my long-time wish that color didn’t have to be so scientific.

What if

What if
one day
I stopped
writing?
Would my
fingers type
in the air
like they
sometimes still
play piano
in the air
years after
I stopped
playing piano?

I’m looking for poetry challenges. Today I wrote a What If poem… that I made up. Because somewhere on a some poetry form website I read that most forms are just someone making it up.

My Day: True or False?

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!

Today, I’m using the inspiration from EthicalELA: A True or False List Poem . . . There are some things that are true, there are some things that are false, and you’ll never really know!

My Day: True or False?

Today I

laughed with kindergarteners when they called me Grandma
ate my veggies and mac and cheese lunch at 2:00
fell off a chair and didn’t report it
walked my dog twice in the sunshine
was betrayed by someone who knows who they are
cried with teachers about things that don’t make sense
made big decisions I’ll soon regret
spoke my truth but too softly for anyone to hear
drank 3 cups of coffee before noon
planned arguments and poetry back to back
wrote a diamante about service leadership
told someone off who will never forget or forgive
took a nap on the couch, my book dropped to the floor
baked brownies for tomorrow, a day off of school

Or did I?






Photograph

There’s a photograph Of me
and my best friend
We are maybe seven
standing in the backyard under an umbrella
with a sprinkler
bathing suits on

Later we would
have pudding pops
float in the pool
swing
color
maybe
play barbies

Look at our
smiles
we are laughing
or were just laughing
or were about to start laughing

sprinklers with umbrellas
laughing with best friends
that’s
what summer meant

Happy April! Happy Poetry Month! 

I’m looking for poetry challenges. Today I wrote a photographic poem!

Teaching Poetry: A Few Tips

Poetry Challenge: Free Form Friday

Teaching Poetry

Did you ever
notice
that kids speak in poetry?

If you want to teach children
to write
poetry,
I have a few
tips.

One. Listen.

Two. Notice.

Three. Listen some more so that whenever you can
fit in step four, you know it.

Four. (Don’t skip this) Say it back to them.
Say
Wow! You are a
poet! Can you say that again?
I
need
to
write that down!
(Say it with serious enthusiasm.
You won’t be faking it. Children are
already poets.)

Five. Read their own words back to them.

Repeat.
Soon they will know
their own poetry
and they will draw it
recite it
build it
write it
fall in love with it.

Then you can start
to listen
to notice
to listen some more
to your own
poetry too.


Happy April! Happy Poetry Month! 

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

Poetry Challenge: A Ghazal

I thought I might challenge myself to a new kind of poetry
since April is meant to be a month that’s designed for poetry.

Ghazal is new to me, might cause me more heartbreak than my divorce
syllable counting, rhyme finding, stretching my mind for poetry.

Thankfully I believe in approximation and ish-learning
which, honestly is a good way to be inclined for poetry.

Historically, the ghazal, pronounced guzzle is tragedy
just write for me! Pardon the sarcasm maligned for poetry.

It’s not even close to perfection, with so many liberties
but I’ll take a gold star for my effort enshrined – for poetry.

***********

Happy April! Happy Poetry Month!

I’m looking for poetry challenges. I found a few, like the Ghazal here!

Some Days Are

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!

Some days are
wake up early with the dog days
dog is scared of rain days
it’s raining all day days

Some days are
meetings cancelled days
kids are awesome days
work gets done days

Some days are
coloring is part of my job days
kindergarteners say hi in the hall days
people are so appreciative days

Some days are
rush home from school days
walk the dog in the drizzle days
zoom class with good people days

Some days are
don’t see your kids very much days
make a salad late at night days
hope to go to sleep early days