Poetry Friday posts are with Jone at Check it Out.
Image from Nola.com
What do you do when there’s a hurricane in the Gulf? Write a poem about it, of course. Here in South Louisiana, we are no strangers to the dangers of hurricanes. Hurricane Harvey is threatening, but all models show the brunt of the storm heading into west Texas, miles away from us. We will have rain, days and days of rain, which could lead to some flooding. That remains to be seen.
I asked my students to list all the words they could think of about hurricanes. Their lists included words like danger, wind, storm, and bigger words like magnificent and treacherous. We talked about the poetry form called a cinquain. We counted syllables in the words we had listed. Doom and gloom poems emerged.
The weather channel is on. We are watching the progress. These weather events are scary yet intriguing. We can channel our thoughts and worries and fascination into words.
Tracking
hurricane’s path
swirling charged red center
unwanted catastrophic storm
Gulf beast–Margaret Simon
Massive
Dangerous floods
Treacherous destruction
Magnificent monstrous mammoth
Scary
–Noah, 6th grade
Jacob chose to write a free verse poem. I like to introduce forms, but also choice. There should always be choice.
Hurricane Harvey
A spinning circle of destruction
On a treacherous journey through ruined parts of Earth
Walking through this dark thick rain, trying to find home
I see the eye of this magnificent beast
I stare as the tornadoes and rain fly away in the sky
I see the Sun, I know that this monster of wind and rain is over.–Jacob, 4th grade
Reflections on the Teche 
Thank you for channeling the interest in, and the fear of, Hurricane Harvey and creating poetry. You rock!
I’m watching now & it does look as if you will be missed except for the rain. It feels like when we have a blizzard predicted. I imagine your students loved the writing and it helped with their fears. And I like Jacob’s “dark, thick rain”, Noah’s “Magnificent monstrous mammoth,” and your “Gulf beast”. Sending thoughts that you will be okay.
Wow… you are a great teacher!
On Fri, Aug 25, 2017 at 8wo:12 PM Reflections on the Teche wrote:
> margaretsmn posted: ” What do you do when there’s a hurricane in the Gulf? > Write a poem about it, of course. Here in South Louisiana, we are no > strangers to the dangers of hurricanes. Hurricane Harvey is threatening, > but all models show the brunt of the storm heading i” >
Noah has so many nice sounds together. “Treacherous destruction,” for instance as well as the alliteration. Jacob really covers so much — trying to make your way home, seeing what nature can do, and the relief of seeing the sun again.
Good luck with all the rain. I hope it doesn’t flood!
Holding you and yours (plus all of the Gulf Coast of Texas) in my heart. I know you’ve “been there done that,” but I can feel real fear in the poems. Good that you gave them a creative outlet (with CHOICE, of course!! :-).
oh, that red center holds our attention, doesn’t it?! I hope you can stay high & dry. I’m watching TX with fingers crossed. high-fives to Noah for sticking with the form and Jacob for striking out on his own with free verse. Noah sets us up….Jacob brings us home. Nice.
Here’s hoping for a non-monstrous hurricane season this year. I love the poems! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
I love how you showed your students how poetry can help them address fears and concerns. Your poem is wonderful to read aloud, with all those hard t’s and c’s and I love your “Gulf beast” ending. Your students’ poems make me excited to work with kids again soon! Hoping hurricanes steer clear of your neck of the woods this year!
I hope you stay high and dry, and that the people of Texas are able to ride it out safely. I often turn to poetry to process what is scary (usually related to politics these days) or what I don’t understand. I’m glad your students have the chance to learn this, too. I love Noah’s alliteration with “magnificent monstrous mammoth.
Hurray for CHOICE, for breaking rules, for coming up with new forms… all of it. There may be fear about weather in your classroom, Margaret, but never about poetry! Hope you escape the flooding… will be thinking about you.
These are terrific, Margaret! Teachers always find a way to make lemonade out of lemons, don’t we? Hope the flooding misses you. Thanks for sharing!
Hoping all is well in your area, Margaret. The poetry is sublime! Loving the Gulf beast. And excellent use of alliteration, Noah, to build tension. And yay Jacob, for being confident in words and form – and having a supportive teacher to enable the creativity.
I love that you are using the real time moments for poetry lessons. Hope it doesn’t reach you.
Hurricanes inspire and captivate. Love the poems.