I love to go for a walk in the morning. Getting out of the house is my problem. First, I have coffee. Then I check email and these days, write a Slice and read some Slices. Comment. I get sucked in. Even with this problem of getting out of the door, once I’m out, I’m never sorry. Most days when I get back home, there’s a mad rush to get ready for school. Somewhere in this morning routine, I try to get in some writing. Sometimes the writing happens while I am walking. Notes app, microphone on.
My grandson Leo visited this past weekend. He is highly creative. He draws with amazing design, unlike most scribblings of a 4-year old. Last week we ran into my cousin Andrew, the architect, during Mardi Gras. I showed Andrew Leo’s drawings. My daughter started a shared album about a year ago, so I have them on my phone.
Andrew told me a story about his second grade teacher. He loved to build things, and his mother, my aunt, would throw out things like paper towel tubes, boxes, and magazines, etc.. But not Andrew’s teacher. She had a box of trash just for him. An Andrew box full of scraps to build with. He has never forgotten this and may be the artist he is today because of it.
Being Mamere I collected toilet paper tubes, gumballs, and a box. Early on Saturday morning (Leo woke up at 5:30 AM), I showed him the stuff. “You can make whatever you want.” I gave him a plastic container with glue and a paintbrush and left him alone. He created something. When his mother saw it, she noticed that he had even found a wad of cat hair to add to the top of one of the towers. I placed the sculpture in my new butterfly garden to hopefully attract insects and caterpillars.
For Poetry Friday, it is the first Friday, so the Inklings (my writing group) have a new challenge. And it came from me. I asked my friends to toy with the use of anaphora (repetition) in a poem using the mentor text from Jericho Brown, Crossing. I wrote one last week that I ended up putting in the trash, so I didn’t have anything to share. Remember the walk I took? I spoke a poem into my Notes app that is my poem offering today.
To see other Inklings poems:
Linda @A Word Edgewise
Heidi @my juicy little universe
Molly @Nix the Comfort Zone
Catherine @Reading to the Core
Mary Lee Hahn @Another Year of Reading
Reflections on the Teche 
Leo is certainly a lucky fellow and I agree, so creative. Your poem is a reminder that just about everything can be repurposed as objects, works of art and beauty, or expressions of oneself.
Love how your walk led you to collect words and items so that you and Leo could both create. And his sculpture is grand just like your poem.
Thanks for sharing so much beautiful writing here. I am overwhelmed by how much you get done each morning. What an energizing way to start the day.
I love Leo’s creation. Very thoughtful design! I have a granddaughter that creates 3-D designs out of flat paper. Incredible! Once she made a rotating ferris wheel.
How do they do that? It’s a gift. So glad you have helped Leo in developing his talent.
And always so glad to read your words.
Oh Margaret! How lucky your grandson is to have someone give him space to stretch his creativity (and who wouldn’t love the wad of cat hair?). As the mom of an artist, I know that opportunities to “mess” is essential to nurturing those creative souls. Love the sculpture!
I LOVE this poem and now I love it even more, knowing the backstory! Keep giving that boy boxes of genius materials!
[…] @ My Juicy Little UniverseLinda @ A Word EdgewiseMargaret @ Reflections on the TecheMary Lee @ A(nother) Year of ReadingMolly @ Nix the Comfort […]
Walks are really treasure hunts, aren’t they? I love that you found inspiration for Leo’s sculpture and your poem on your stroll!
I love how you’re providing opportunity and materials for Leo to experiment, and then valuing what he creates and then turning around and creating yourself from the experience of doing so! Wow!
So wonderful, and yes I agree a bunch of recyclables is just what kids need for artistic expression. Thanks for this!
While walking is a right time to compose a poem with anaphora, the repeated rhythms coming in time with your steps. So many rich experiences bubbling up in your life!
Thanks for sharing Leo’s inspiring sculpture, looks like installation art to me! I love the supplies in your poem, especially the “gumballs that fall/from the sweetgum tree!