On Ethical ELA this month, teachers and authors are offering intriguing poetry writing prompts. Padma Venkatraman wrote on April 14th that she has created a team of authors dedicated to diverse verse: “Diverse Verse is a website and a resource for educators and diverse poets and verse novelists.” This week they launched using the hashtags #DiverseVerse and #AuthorsTakeAction.
Padma invited teacher/writers to write a 4 lined rhymed stanza beginning with “Hope is.” I thought of how I made origami cranes last summer and organized a gathering of cranes to hang downtown. My first draft of this poem was this:
Hope is an origami crane
Draft #1
hanging in a tree
twisting with the wind
longing to be free.
In the comments, someone pointed out the words hanging, twisting, longing. “There is beauty but also struggle with “hanging”, “twisting”, “longing”. Much truth here.” A positive comment, I know, but I wanted to revisit the verse and see if I could make more of a connection from the hands creating the crane to the idea of peace. This is my next attempt with a line from Chloe, “Is perfection too much?” We’ve tried origami together. She pointed out how our attempts are imperfect at best, but we keep trying. Like hope. Like peace. It’s in the attempts, not the perfection.
Chloe wrote a verse, too. She received a comment from Padma herself and was thrilled.
Would you like to try to weave a metaphor about hope? Share one in the comments.
Hope is space between the clouds
the light shining through
the sun’s smiling face
who knew?
Chloe, 5th grade
Reflections on the Teche 
“Hope is the space between clouds” — what a beautiful line, Chloe! Thanks as always for sharing your own poem and your process in working with young writers, Margaret.
Lovely poems from both of you. Thanks so much for sharing your process. I love thinking of the attempts as moving toward perfection.
I love how poems seem to have lives of their own and can elicit different responses with the change of a word or two. Blessed imperfection! I love Chloe’s “hope is the space between clouds.” Hmmm…. let’s see…. How about “hope is a seed dreaming of sky.”
Hope is the joining of
young voices
and teacher poets who nurture them
like you
How lovely that Chloe’s line was recognized & well-deserved, too, Margaret. I enjoyed reading of the earlier poem, the conversation, & then another try, including that connectedness. And Chloe’s poem is a heartfelt wish that I appreciate. Let that light come through. Thank you!
What a coincidence that we both shared our responses to Padma’s Ethical ELA prompt today. I only recently discovered her writing and I am in awe of her! I love both versions of your poem, especially “hands to fingers to touch.” Chloe’s metaphor is wonderful. It reminds me of the title of Paul Janeczko’s anthology, “Seeing the Blue Between.” Do you know this book? If you don’t, you need to find a copy.
Margaret, thank you for sharing the process and collaboration with Chloe. I love your “hands to fingers to touch.” Chloe, I love your whole poem, but especially “light shining through the sun’s smiling face.” Great work, ladies. I have Padma Venkatraman”s verse novel A Time To Dance: I’m looking forward to reading it. I will have to check out April 14 on Ethical ELA and Diverse Verse. Thank you.
Hope is a snow-covered daffodil still shining light.
PS I loved Padma’s The Bridge Home!
Yay, you and Chloe, writing together! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
Oh, this is a wonderful post. The good feeling of writing sometimes interrupts me from actually seeing my words–I get that! I just listened to Song Teller, Dolly Parton’s new book. She talks about how she is so into writing her songs that sometimes she doesn’t understand what her words might mean to others–she’s got some funny stories about that.
And, Chloe! My goodness…I think your poem should go in the dictionary for a definition of hope. Well done!
All of these are thought-provoking and inspiring!
Your revision took the poem to the depths you hoped for. Thanks for sharing your process and Chloe’s poem.
Two versions, two views, two questions. Hope is asking, and asking again, to find the way.
Thanks for a peek into your deep dive process, Margaret. And Chloe’s ‘sun’s smiling face’. Swoon. 🙂