Poetry Friday is Carol at Beyond Literacy Link
While I was vacationing for the 4th of July in Santa Fe, NM, my Voxer Good2Great friend, Jen Hayhurst tagged me in a post about her #ProjectPoetry. I wrote about the project on my Slice of Life post on Tuesday.
I have this self-assigned goal of writing a poem a day. That gets tough when you have a husband who wants to walk all over New Mexico. My writing muscles had to give way to my walking muscles. Nevertheless, I took some pictures that planted some ideas in my brain. Once home I had time to sit. Sit with the images and process a poem. Jen’s goals for writing poems are to synthesize experience and ignite curiosity. This is what poetry should be, in our lives as well as in our classrooms.
Last night I watched Kylene Beers and Bob Probst do a Facebook live video about their book, Disrupting Thinking. When someone asked if poetry should be the first unit taught in the school year, Kylene answered, “Poetry is not a unit. Poetry is something we breath in. We should breathe in poetry every day.”
Take a deep breath and look at the amazing sky. I was astounded and mesmerized by the huge sky of New Mexico. It seemed somehow bigger and brighter and mightier there. Maybe because I was paying attention. Maybe because there was something to be learned. Maybe just to be captured in a poem.
The Magic Sky
Sculpts grey clouds
into bursts
of sparkling rain.Then a rainbow,
a puffy horse
riding beside.I stand above
this Rio Grande Gorge,
feel like a speck
of dust in the wind
to the magician
of the sky.–Margaret Simon
Next Friday is National Mac and Cheese Day. Who knew there was such a thing? So Poetry Friday folks are planning to write about Mac-n-Cheese. Join in the yummy fun.
Reflections on the Teche 
Oh, that is gorgeous. I love it! I often feel like a speck of dust, and now I’ll add your last three lines to that thought. 🙂 And smile.
Wonderful…..I so want to go to New Mexico. I hear that there are AMAZING writer retreats there. Doing that is on my bucket list! Welcome home. Glad you had a good time and stretched some muscle. You have poems in your head just because you are you….I wouldn’t worry about it being on a screen or paper. They will be there when you are ready.
Thanks, Linda. I think I’ll hold onto this quote from you: “You have poems in your head just because you are you”
That’s the sky here too, but standing by the Gorge is awe-inspiring, and I’ve been there more than once. Your poem captures it, Margaret, “feel like a speck
of dust in the wind”. I’m happy you made that journey!
Another beautiful poem, Margaret! I can only imagine the vastness of those winding canyons in New Mexico.
Mac-N-Cheese poems next week? (giggle)
Lovely, Margaret. It sounds like an amazing trip that will provide fertile ground for future poems. I look forward to reading them!
I love all the magic in your big sky poem, Margaret! I definitely agree that “We should breathe in poetry every day.” Thanks.
Your poem is magical, Margaret. I love the images you paint with your words and the image you captured on your camera. Yes to breathing “in poetry every day!”
Margaret, the poetry wind helps us breathe in the beauty of nature and turn that breath into a magical moment, just like you did. I think the use of the word sculpts was just the right verb to create the opening scene. I am saving this one for the summer gallery, of course with your permission.
I will remember that surprising image: “The magic sky/sculpts grey clouds” when I am standing near that same spot again, soon, I hope. That is my “home.” I’m thrilled that your husband wanted to walk all over NM, and even happier that you accompanied him! Thank you for making poems about it.
What a gift your sore muscles gave to your poetry! I can feel your heartbeat and hear your breathing as you reach the top. What a fantastic trip.
I’m so glad you enjoyed my “home state” — NM is where I graduated from high school and where my mom and granny live. The sky there is amazing, especially at sunset. It makes my heart happy you found poetic inspiration there!
I love this idea of branching out from our habit of breaking things into units, as if the world could be separated in such a way – in reality, everything in this world is connected – history to math, chemistry to poetry, and everything in between! 🙂
I tried to imagine bayou you in dry skyfilled New Mexico. I knew you would see with fresh eyes.
What a contrast in habitats for you! (BTW I have a goal of a poem a day, too, but since my husband’s retirement it seems we are always on the move!)
Lovely, thoughtful poem about that awesome sky – it is easy to feel like a speck of dust when you are standing there and being so connected.