Join the Two Writing Teachers blog for March Slice of Life Challenge.
Over at Today’s Little Ditty, Michelle Heidenrich Barnes interviewed Amy Ludwig VanDerwater who set out a challenge this month to write about small things. We wrote our poems on Friday and I posted some student poems here.
When my kids write, I write. I looked at my desk for inspiration and found the rock. We had decided to do something nice for teachers, so Emily brought in rocks. My students wrote inspirational words on the rocks and gave them out to teachers. This was a Halloween treat, so this rock has been sitting on my desk for a while. I think it was supposed to go to the art teacher, but whatever, there it sat…and inspired this prose poem in me.
She gave me a rock,
a smooth small stone
on which she wrote a quote
from a book about a boy who was bullied.If you have a choice
of being right or being kind,
be kind.Thirteen words to turn
my attention everyday
to the world
of choices, that choice
within myself to be kind.I take her small kindness
into my hand and wonder
about the river bank
the stone lived in before,
a place where violent waves
smoothed rock.I wonder
about the larger truth:
Can violence smooth out
the edges and leave behind
kind?–Margaret Simon
Reflections on the Teche 
This is one of your best poems, methinks. Love its flow, your voice, and the story behind it.
Continuing Kimberley’s thought…and the message. The power of a rock, what it comes from, what it can accomplish. Love the last line.
I strive to be that rock. But is it violence or is it time that smooths the edges? Maybe it depends on how violent the waves of time must be? Thank you for getting me thinking this morning, Margaret, and for this beautiful contribution to Amy’s DMC challenge!
At first I was taken aback by my own word violence. I considered changing it but sometimes words come from a place that I am not aware of and maybe there was a reason.
Beautiful words inspired by a beautiful gift! I love this poem and the rock which inspired it!
Nice to write about this special rock, Margaret. I’m wishing that something would work magic and smooth out the violence.
That distasteful word. Violence. Funny how words sometimes sound and feel like their meanings. Maybe it is experience that makes this connection. because of the actions of certain public persons, and the way in which people of different perspectives have been reacting to each other this harsh and frightening word has been in my thoughts lately. Your poem reminds me, life so often bumps opposites together. Jagged glass is worn smooth by the sea. People who write, must reflect on what they see and experience, and what they think is transformed. I wonder that providing students time to write, to observe, and reflect, and attach meaning is more important than ever. You inspire me every day, Margaret.
Your comment inspires me. Yes we need to keep thinking and talking and creating.
This poem is a gift to me this morning, Margaret – thank you!
Powerful poem, Margaret. It goes from such a tangible rock with important words to such an important idea and wonder. Wow.
Margaret, this line resonates with me: I take her small kindness/into my hand and wonder. For whatever reason the rock remained on your desk, you chose to reflect upon it write a poem from the heart. Well done!
This is so powerful, Margaret. I love how you turn your poem from that small stone to your important wondering: how do we find a way to “leave behind kind.”