Earlier this week I posted my Pile of Good Things Poem prompted by Stefanie Boutelier at Ethical ELA. Stef encouraged us to use technology and shared a design she made in Canva. I shared the prompt with my students on Monday. My little ones in 1st and 2nd could put together this idea for a poem. I am amazed at how easily they use technology at such an early age. Second grader James turned his pile into the shape of a tree.
I’ve been thinking about my pile of not so good things lately. You might say it’s a gripe poem, a pile of pet peeves.
My Pile of Peeves
Scent of cat pee
Margaret Simon, ongoing draft depends upon the day
Anxiety at 3 AM
Morning cafeteria duty
When I’ve lost something
Hitting Send before proofing
A colleague diagnosed with cancer
An unconsolable child weeping over a mistake
The sound of my alarm when I’m actually sleeping
In carpool line, putting a student back into a toxic environment
The big white truck with extra tires passing me to make a right turn from the left lane.
The Kidlit Progressive Poem schedule for April is full. You can copy and paste the code found on this post. Contact me by email if you have any questions.
Reflections on the Teche 
I hope your like doesn’t become too precarious!
Margaret, I like your flipping of the pile into peeves. And the cat pee to start it just scents the whole tone and helps us see these things in the pile are definitely PEEves. Your students creating these and even blending the concept of a pile into the concrete poetry of a tree helps us see that perfect blend of gifted creativity in the writing. Lovely way to start the day! (and I know all too well that carpool line and the toxic environment thing…..that really is a peeve in the pile).
I didn’t even see the word play of Peeve and Pee. Ha! It works.
You really ‘piled’ it on today, Margaret.
James’ final lines, “I can do more but I am done. I am very sorry.” – pure gold.
Oh, and there’s definitely ‘gold’ (on multiple levels) in your gripe pile. I can definitely relate to the 3am anxiety.
Last night it was at 1 AM. Is it an age thing? I don’t like it at all.
You named the very things I gripe about too! A theory – with the changing weather, I’m not out in nature enough and I feel less peaceful and tip toward griping more. I need spring and summer and outside time!
I’m getting outdoor time but I have the irritability of a spring cold weighing me down. Thanks for understanding.
Your title is wonderful, “My Pile of Peeves,” I like the grittiness of this poem contrasted with your poem “My Pile of Good Things.” Both poems are strong, I empathize with the interruption of 😴 I also like how both your poem’s shapes grow in width as they continue. Such got-a-love honesty in the students poems, rich post, thanks Margaret!
Thanks, Michelle. I am pleased with how James has taken on poetry as a way to be creative with out of the box thinking. You can’t teach that.
I’m amazed, too, not only at your students’ wonderful poetry, but their comfort with Canva that I still struggle with. I guess that’s what somes with being a technology native. Thanks for sharing, Margaret!
Ah, your amazing students! Such a great poem prompt, too, since recognizing your things to be grateful for makes you a better human. And your pile of peeves. Oh, boy. I felt (and smelt) them. I like the way you built your lines from short to long, and the weight of them feels cumulative and almost unbearable by the end!
I hesitated to post it because I know I should be grateful. But sometimes it helps to get the gripes out too.
Those student poems really impressed me. The concept of a pile poem seems particularly accessible. Your own pile of peeves is relatable and I hope also provided a healthy release of some of those frustrations.
Your pile of peeves poem hit home. Thank you for sharing.
Margaret, I love the description of your pile of peeves, that changes according to the day. You have some peeves that are just annoying and some are life-changing and heartbreaking. Nice post today. Carson’s is a favorite pile of good things poem. 🙂
James’ Tree is fun, an apology, too! I imagine he ran out of room! And Carson kind of covers the top points of his day & so well. As for your peeves, annoying, heartfelt, wishing for change – good for you for writing about them!
Wow! Your students’s poems are impressive. I loved your pet peeve pile. I may have to try that before this challenge ends.
I relate to James’ “I am done” and to your pile of peeves, Margaret. I hope you get some downtime this weekend to recharge.
I was JUST talking to someone about how I wake up about 3 am most nights…she asked me to imagine what all the women awake at 3 am in the world could do if they just realized all the others were also awake. Made me laugh. Oh your peeve poem. I need to write one…but your students are so sweet. I want to highlight their sweetness! I love a good dose of fun, sweet, kid effort.
I love your Pile adaptation turning it into a pile of pet peeves. Well done!
Pile of peeves! Love the flip on the pile poem. And definitely enjoyed your student poems. Maybe I’ll have my students try one in April.
I like the twist of a pile of peeves. I wonder if that would be easier to write than a pile of good things. It would be poetic if the were equal.
I like the structural qualities and the content within that has been captured in these poems, Margaret. A nice array of examples. Your own contribution bring to light some commonly shared irritants.
I love the “pile” idea–it really frees up the resulting poem structurally, makes it sound less considered, less precious, freer. I enjoyed James’s tree but even more his sense of sound in the words, and maybe my favorite part of your pile is the very end: “Margaret Simon, ongoing draft depends upon the day” 😂
A pile of peeves…don’t get me started!!! 🙂
What a joy to read your students’ poetry!
And I do think keeping a draft of peeves-poetry might be great therapy 🙂
So many things about the pile of peeves that are relatable, Margaret. Wishing you some good sleep at 3am, because that can make everything else more bearable. Hugs!
Pile it on! The ‘good things’ your students wrote about are priceless, and it helps to air the peeves, too. Life seems to come out us with plenty of both.
I’m not sure I’m happy that so many relate to the peeve pile. But you’re right. They tend to pile as high as the good, sometimes higher.