Slice of Life Challenge Day 15
Sometimes when I need a little inspiration for writing, I read some of my favorite poets. Sometimes I use one of their lines to jump start a poem. I shared this with my students. I said they could find any line from a book they were reading or from a poetry book. I explained if they used the actual line, they should give credit to the author. But sometimes the borrowed line goes away and leaves an original poem behind.
Nikki Giovanni helped me write the following poem. From her book Acolytes, I read a line from her poem I am Now my Own Grandmother. The line read “Old lace handkerchiefs as delicate as a spider web.” Once I jump started into the writing, this line no longer fit.
Evening Ritual
A screen door creaks.
The earth moves.
The sun drops down and tops
the trees with vanilla ice cream.
The dog delivers his ball.
The cat rubs against a wooden post.
Tires make tracks in the gravel driveway.
A refrigerator hums.
Ice clanks into the tray.
Women move in their kitchens
alone, making miracles
out of vegetable scraps
and a stone, the ending
of a busy day
standing still,
bone-tired,
still
standing.Visit Check it Out for more Poetry Friday posts
Reflections on the Teche 
I love your poems, Margaret. I want to eat and drink your poems because they are so delicious. I’m going to try so hard to get one to flow this weekend. I might have to get some help from the master…my husband who is so quick to turn a phrase. xo
This is a strong image.
Your poem is scrumptious! The word choices were so precise. Thanks for helping me paint such a strong picture in my mind.
[…] Reflections on the Teche has an original poem and a student activity of borrowing a line to “jump start” a poem. […]
Perfect word choices that put me in that place at the end of the day! Nice!
I have learned a lot about poetry just from reading your poems. I am jealous of how creative you are.
The visual image is strong… but I love all I “hear” when I read this poem.
Very visual, Margaret. You draw us straight into the scene, it’s great.
Great idea to borrow a line, even if (especially if?) you eventually abandon it.
What a wonderful idea, Margaret, to use another line to help start, & that the line helped you, but you “lost” it along the way is interesting. I love that line “tops the trees with vanilla ice cream”. That’s exactly it!
The “jump off” line is a great starter. And as for the poem — as always, excellent! Static single sentences, then motion from “Women” to the bottom. “alone” and “stone”, “standing still” / “still standing” — very, very nice touches of craft. Bravo!
The jump start idea is a great one. I need to share it with my students.