“Let your brain dump.”
Um
I actually try
not
to dump
my brain
I know what it feels Iike to
be dumped
and it seems like that would not be the kind of thing to do if you were
attempting self love:
Dump
your
brain
But- honestly my therapist would probably like me to dump my brain – the one that overthinks and judges judges judges myself.

“What if you just did it,
but without judgement?”
She often asks me.

What if, indeed!

I’m looking for poetry challenges. Today I wrote inspired by The Brain Dump on Ethical ELA, even if didn’t actually do the prompt correctly :0)

Ode to Goodbyes

Oh goodbyes
thank you for giving us
a reason to celebrate
and cry
or hold back tears
while celebrating
the ends of things
one door shuts
another one opens
somewhere
down a long hallway

Without you, goodbyes,
would we think
to stop
to appreciate?
to give each other
gifts and cards
and kind words?

Once I sobbed on the last day of school.
My second graders were very confused.
Once my sixth-graders sobbed on the last day of school
I stood back and watched them say
Goodbye.

I’ve said goodbye to friends
a man I thought I knew
countless children I called
“my class”
And now I say
Goodbye
to
you

I’m looking for poetry challenges. Today I wrote inspired by An Ode to the Unworthy on Ethical ELA…

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
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.

1 Home

6 My childhood, a few blocks away

8 Time is confused, memories hide in neighborhood nooks

0 💭

3 Surrounded by trees

Happy April! Happy Poetry Month! 

I’m looking for poetry challenges. Today I wrote a Zip Ode – Zip Code Poem from Ethical ELA.

Today the sun warmed
us, brightened blue with yellow
I am here! It said
so remember tomorrow
as we are in eclipsed awe

I’m looking for poetry challenges. Today I wrote a tanka.
(More Tanka resources here)

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!

She writes every day now, does she?
And we are supposed to read it?
You should of course, but she skirts
around the specifics
hints at the issues
read all you want
you’ll never
get the
tea

Happy April! Happy Poetry Month! 

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