Little Gingerbread House
The whole room smells
of graham crackers and icing,
sweet-scented as Christmas should be,
marked by twinkle lights and fingers
dipped in icing or glitter glue.Santa’s in the hallway
listening to every child’s wish.
Teachers are tired, overwhelmed
by lists and sugary treats. Too much
time spent on planning, cooking, decorating.But there’s the child with bright eyes
who opens her arms and says “I love you”.You must open
Margaret Simon, draft
your little gingerbread house
to all of it.
I started my day listening to Ada Limón and The Slowdown. She talked about her grandmother’s kitchen and read the poem little tree by ee cummings. I played this episode for my students, and we wrote together. My poem above is true. I took the plunge and did gingerbread houses made out of graham crackers for the first (and most likely last) time. The success on Avalyn’s face and her insistence on telling me she loved me comforted my weary soul. She wrote a sweet story about her little gingerbread house on Fanschool here. (Spoiler alert: it includes a true story about a lizard rescue.)
Chloe wrote a poem side-by-side to ee cummings.
(after ee cummings little tree)
bright star
bright little North Star
you are so bright
you are more like a lightwho found you behind Mars
and were you sad to lose hide and seek?
see I will comfort you
because you light up my Christmas tree.i will hug your prickly sides
and swing you gently
as your mother would
so don’t run awayand my father and i will lift you up
Chloe Willis, 6th grade
and look at your shining stem
we’ll skip and sing
“Behold that Star”
This is the time of year for the Winter Poetry Swap. I exchanged with Karen Eastlund. She sent me the following poem (how cool that it’s in the shape of a Christmas tree) along with some delicious goodies and a hand sewn mini bin. Thanks, Karen.
Reflections on the Teche 