Join the roundup with Linda at Teacher Dance.
I like to keep my poetry in practice, so I often enlist my students in my pet projects. I love Laura Purdie Salas and her blog site. Every Thursday she posts a picture and asks writers to post a poem comment using 15 words or less. Not every Thursday, but many of them, I show her image to my first bunch in the morning. We talk about the image, someone rings the sacred writing bell, and we write.
Yesterday, Laura posted an old tree. I listened to my first grader, the youngest of the bunch, explain to a fifth grader what he needed to do. “Look at the picture. Then use your imagination.” We read Laura’s poem and Jacob said, “I’m stealing the word squirrels.” I swear this kid could lead a writing workshop already!
Old Tree by Laura Purdie Salas
I posted this poem early in the morning. The tree image reminded me of the old live oak in our backyard.
Grandmother Oak
With footholds to climb
Eyes that see time
Stories in my rings
Come swing.–Margaret Simon
Grandmother oak in the sunset
Then I wrote again with my students.
Stories told
from a wisdom of scars
wrinkled into skin
like crevices on this old tree.–Margaret Simon
If you would like to play, go to Laura’s site on Thursday mornings. It’s a fun place to be.
Old People
Two old men
bickering every day
scaring nature away.
These old hags
should calm down.
–Tyler, 6th grade
Another poetry practice project I am doing is on another Laura’s site, Laura Shovan of Author Amok. I am joining some fabulous poets writing to sound prompts. Check it out!
Reflections on the Teche 
I love your Grandmother Oak and your tributes to her.
That Jacob! What a spark he brings to your class!
Someone wrote that people are inspired to write about trees about as much as any other subject. Sorry I missed the picture this week. I do love doing it, too, Margaret. I love these, but that first one, really special to me: “stories in my rings/come swing.”
Beautiful interpretations, Margaret! And Tyler’s common sense approach is refreshing. But no “squirrels” poem to read? Poo.
Here it is, Jacob’s poem about the tree.
Big tree bumpy horns.
Squirrels on the brown and grey tree.
water surrounding the tree.
http://kidblog.org/class/SliceofLifeChallenge/posts/55wa0x99qqbllh2qrqb279m92
Sorry it took me so long to come back and see this! Bravo! Love that first line especially.
Margaret, thank you for telling me about Laura Purdie Salas’ Thursday blog site. It sounds like another challenge is on its way for me. I have been following Laura Shovan’s challenge and am impressed by the different perspectives on the sound prompts. The poem you and your students wrote about the tree is a wonderful piece with a great line, “from a wisdom of scars.” Life’s wounds provide story starters.
So much to love above! Thanks for sharing your poems and student insights (they are the best!). I’m with Linda – captivated by the ending of the first poem, “Come swing”!
Oooh – Grandmother Oak is just beautiful, Margaret.
I love how stopping to really look at a tree draws out such varied perspectives! Wonderful word choices here. That’s a great way to start your Thursday, Margaret.
What is it about trees that we feel so drawn to them? I love the invitation of your first poem to “come swing.” Thanks for sharing!