Poetry Friday round-up with Bridget at Wee Words for Wee ones.
Photo by Laura P. Salas
If you haven’t discovered Laura Purdie Salas’s Writing the World for Kids and 15 Words or Less, you’re missing some poetry fun. I love playing with words. Every Thursday, Laura gives us a chance to “wake up our poetry brains” by writing a quick poem in response to an image.
If you are having trouble fitting poetry playtime into your schedule, this may be your answer. Earlier in the year the site was blocked by our school server, but yesterday I tried again and by some miracle (or maybe a little nudging email), the site was open for viewing. I set the timer for 7 minutes and we wrote. Sacred writing time. I am always amazed at what my kids can do in such short blasts of writing.
Not everyone followed the rules. Tobie tweaked them a bit and quickly produced a rhyming poem that has 15 words in each stanza. I told him I couldn’t post it in the comments on Laura’s site, but I would share it here.
X marks the spot of chests of gold
They who find it prove themselves boldX marks the spot of ye treasure
As he who finds gets thee pleasureThe spot to find depends on thee
the shadow of branches of a treeHe who finds it grants one wish
Most men want an excellent dishAs one wise man steps up to thee plate
He wishes for ye wishes eightSo if ye find the sacred treasure
Be wise with your choice, others or pleasure
–Tobie
Can trees really walk
Or dance while we’re not watching?
Disco, cha cha, frozen in place.
EmilyGiver of life
Lush green leaves
Shade for the creatures
Thank you trees
For life.
ErinShadows copying
Shadows dark
Shadows curly
Shadows straight
A big family of shadows
Kaiden
On these writing days, Laura and other writers chime in with comments on each other’s poems. Here’s what Laura had to say about my three writer’s offerings. “I love these, Emily, Erin, and Kaiden–thanks for sharing! I like the three different moods/techniques. Emily’s is full of whimsy, Erin’s of reverence, and Kaiden’s of pattern. And all full of imagination:>)” Real feedback from a real author! So cool!
Reflections on the Teche 
Tobie — When pirate treasure shows up in your poetry making brain, you must heed the call to adventure. What a fun poem!
Each one unique to the author, & each one’s use of language is wonderful, Margaret. I enjoyed Emily’s question!
Very nice, and all so well-though out! Wish I had more time for Laura’s challenge, which I used to take part in regularly.
Your students produced some amazing poems in just 7 minutes, Margaret! Wow! I especially like Emily’s – including the cha cha into a poem about what a tree does when we are not watching.Love it. =)
Thanks for sharing these and my site, Margaret–so glad you can get to it again! And I love Tobie’s narrative/epic/fable poem, too. It IS amazing what kids (and even grown-ups) can write in 7 minutes. And the more often you have students write, the faster the poems flow when you give them just a few minutes. You and your kids are a great example of this!
I hope we can keep up most weeks. The more they write, the easier it is.
I read some yesterday, but ran out of time to comment! Glad you are reposting and adding to the fun of shadow play. Wonderful to read these creations.
Tobie certainly needed more than 15 words to come up with such delightful rhymes! As a non-rhymer, I am quite impressed!
Margaret, there was 7 minutes of fun, playful writing time and look what your budding poets created. After I read the poems, I went back to the image to see how closely the children observed the image and synthesized their thoughts into a well-constructed thought. Wow!