Thursday was a stormy day. Everyone was talking about the storm, so when we were looking for a topic for a zeno poem, Thunder came through.
A zeno poem was invented by J. Patrick Lewis and it follows the mathematical sequence 8,4,2,1,4,2,1,4,2,1, and the one syllable words rhyme. Great time to pull up RhymeZone and do some chatting about word meanings like dire.
Thunder is a loud, cranky noise
terrifying
crackling
fire
electric charges
targets
wire
outrageously
shocking
dire.
–Mrs. Simon’s class
I then set my students loose to write their own zeno poems while I worked on my own. I tried the haikubes, but there are no rhyming words in them, so it proved nearly impossible to make a zeno. Then I turned to metaphor dice. A little better, but I’m still not completely satisfied with the results. But, as writing partner Molly Hogan stated in her post yesterday, I honored the play of it all.
The mind is a back-handed drum
pounding fissures
into
line
beating thoughts with
rhythm
time
waiting for my
soul to
shine.
–Margaret Simon, (draft) 2019
Poetry Friday round-up is with Karen Edmisten.
Reflections on the Teche 
The best play during a storm…taming unease with poems.
Yay for play! And for your shining soul, Margaret. xo
I think it’s quite profound, Margaret, and the rhyming worked well, the ‘beating thoughts with rhythm time’. I like the idea of that ‘cranky’ storm, too. Hope you have sunshine now!
I’m fascinated with your first line and those beating thoughts. Such an interesting metaphor.
Fun, fun, fun. Thanks for the Zeno poem form.
The playing is wonderful, and especially that your students got to see! I have to try a zeno… Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
The mind is a back-handed drum
Such a poignant first line. Love this poem, Margaret.
I love both of these. I think I’m going to have to give a zeno a try.
Love these, Margaret. I love the writing about thunder on a stormy day, such a good way to write from experience in real-time, and everyone has common experience to share in a collaborative poem. I’ve been playing with syllables lately as I write poems… I definitely will add zeno to the forms I’m trying. Thanks for sharing. Have a lovely week!
Stormy
Skies open wide—mind lightning’s whip,
Thunder too, comes
out to
play
Classroom poets
have their
say—
Thursday is a
writing
day
I am always so honored when a poet responds with more poetry. I can’t wait to share this with my students on Monday!
So many wonderful words in your class poem–all those other “r” sounds that complement the rhymes.