I have subscribed to the National Geographic newsletter. One of these days I will break down and pay the subscription fee for full access because the images and articles are so inspiring. This one included photographs taken all around the world during the pandemic selected to express “how we deal.” My prompt for my students: select a photograph and take words from the text descriptions to write a poem. And I wrote, too.
I chose a photograph of a pregnant woman. My daughter found out she was pregnant around this day a year ago. I was drawn to the woman. Having a child during a pandemic can bring about heightened anxiety. As the grandmother, I felt the joy.
A moment
is all it takes
to cancel
close
lockdown.
A test
of our humanity
our hunger
our resilience.
We cannot close our eyes, blind-out reality.To grow a life
inside a womb,
nourish and protect,
celebrate its birth– there is somewhereto go, to be
Margaret Simon, draft
with a moment,
comforted and belonging
to the insanity
of things.
Reflections on the Teche 
Oh wow, Margaret! I love your picture, as well as the poem, as well as the idea! Your students truly get amazing experiences while they are with you, and I’m sure many of them carry those out into the world.
Beautiful, all of this! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
This really shows the power, the anxiety, and the love of a single moment.
I’d love to know more about how your students responded. Did the photos resonate with them? What did they write?
Kim
The responses were varied. They were somewhat removed and abstract. More general than personal if you know what I mean.
Oh! The toes again! They’re just delicious. 🙂 I love reading your writing about the grandmother experience. Someday….