Last Friday I posted poems from my two fifth grade girls who responded to Amanda Gorman’s powerful words with their own poems. Their poetry prowess has not stopped. On Thursday, Kaia announced that she had written another poem. She explained to me that she saw Beldam, the Other Mother in Coraline. She googled it and found a poem by John Keats, La Belle Dame sans Merci. As she’s telling me this, she is writing and googling and writing and asking me about the Queen and how tall she is. Where is she going with this? In the end, it all led to an original ballad-esque poem.
I told her, “You are doing the work of a poet.”
Her face (her eyes, for she was wearing a mask) lit up. “Really, why?”
I explained that as a writer, we seek inspiration and research it and then write from it. Amanda Gorman explained in an interview with Anderson Cooper that she read other inaugural poets and researched inspirational speeches to write her poem, The Hill We Climb. “You are doing this kind of work. You are not just writing from my prompts anymore. You are actually a poet.”
Those words inspired her to write another poem. I will post a stanza here. She said, “I love how in poetry, you can write about anything. I can write about your desk, that pen, the Kleenex box.”
“Yes, you can.” I thought to myself, a dream come true. Or my One Little Word, Inspire, at work.
I’d like to find a place to send some of her work. If you have any ideas, please leave a comment.
The Work of a Poet
As you pick up the pen, you wonder what to write
Kaia, 5th grade
Thinking this way and that way, until you see a light
A shining and glistening rhythm it sets off
And helps you to the end of the paper, as fast as a cough
Reflections on the Teche 
Yay, Kaia! I’m delighted to read this post. I can just tell that poetry is an elixer for this kid. She grows stronger with it with each sip. How fun and gratifying for you to see this young lady discover the wonder and power of poetry. It’s super special that we get to share in that here. Thank you so very, very much!
Precious teacher/poet moments. I love what you’ve done here, Margaret. Keep writing, Kaia! Extolling the beauty of everyday wonders is a talent in itself.
I’m sure you have lots of wonderful opportunities closer to home – but here is some information on an Australian poetry competition that, if I remember correctly, is open to international entries. The information hasn’t been updated for 2021 yet – but keep a watch on this space; https://www.ipswichpoetryfeast.com.au/writing-competition.
So goosebumpy, flowing along with your telling of the young poet’s words to you..
So mighty fine, her poem.”The Work of a Poet.” And that surprise at end! What podium will she be poem-performing from in 5 years? Wow.
(my poems don’t usually arrive “as fast as a cough” – she has some kinda mojo!)
Perhaps Stone Soup & Skipping Stones are 2 places for you to researches possible poem submission portals for the ages of your students?
Inspiring, you and Kaia, Margaret! Thanks for sharing the conversation along with the lovely poem. I adore that ending! I don’t know the details, but Rattle publishes a smaller version of its journal, a yearly young people’s anthology. Here’s the link: https://www.rattle.com/children/rypa/ I used to have my students submit to a state contest. Does your state have one, maybe through teachers’ organizations? Thanks for sharing Kaia’s writing & her words about poetry!
The rattle deadline has passed but I’m tucking it away for next year. Thanks.
What a beautiful creative mirror you are for Kaia, showing her what she IS and what she CAN DO! This whole post just made me smile…
Love that term “creative mirror.” Thanks!
Wow, that is just the best! What a teacher lives for!
Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
What an inspiring post!
Poems feeding poems and inspiration feeding more poems–what wonderful aha moments for you both to share, and thanks for sharing Kaia’s moving poem!