I have a little ditty in the book as do many of my PF friends.
A few weeks ago I grabbed a poetry writing idea from Kim Douillard. She had her students make heart maps about a place they love and write a poem after Lee Bennett Hopkins’ City I Love.
I did this with my students. We cut simple heart shapes from plain paper and drew and wrote on them. Then glued them into our notebooks. Here’s a photo of one of mine.
On the Bayou I Live Near
after Lee Bennett Hopkins
On the bayou I live near–
bayou I love–
morning sun streams
in wide golden beams
gleaming a new day.On the bayou I live near–
bayou I love–
afternoons bloom
while speedboats vroom
through sweet olive perfume.On the bayou I live near–
bayou I love–
sunsets glisten,
a lone heron listens
as the hoot owl
who, who, whos
me
to
sleep.Margaret Simon, draft 2019
Reflections on the Teche 
Hi, Margaret. The sensory images in your poem swept me way, especially that olive perfume. This looks like a great exercise to do with kids. Did using the heart shape shift that “blank page” fear some students get?
Laura, I hadn’t really thought about it, but I know the act of making the heart and having options to draw and write helped them feel more motivated to do the exercise.
I love this…I’ve tried heart mapping. And, I am easily overwhemed by the sheer number of possibilities. But, a specific place would be something I could work with. I love the repetition of “bayou I love.” Simply beautiful. Perhaps for your next book?
❤️ your tender, heartfelt poem Margaret, it fills me up inside. I also think it would be a wonderful book— and a joy to illustrate, thanks!
Such a great writing idea, and you’ve done a beautiful job with it! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
A great exercise! I’m imagining how it might be extended to gift giving—like writing and decorating a heart poem about the home I love and giving it to mom or dad for Valentine’s, Mother’s, or Father’s Day. I love the active verbs in your poem and that sweet olive perfume!
Hi Margaret, I love seeing the example from one of your students, so sweet, and your poem doesn’t surprise me. I know how much the Bayou means to you. I love the subtle rhyming and the ending, those “who, who, whos”.
Another fame of that “sweet olive perfume” here! I saw Kim’s post and love seeing what you did with it. LBH’s poem is such a great mentor poem and your bayou poem is gorgeous. A love song, indeed!
Margaret, I love the line with “sweet olive perfume”. It provides such a beautiful visual of the bayou. Wee you at NCTE ’19. Will you be at the LB Hopkins tribute on Friday night 9pm at the Biltmore Hilton lobby cocktail area?