Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for creating an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write and share.
Kim Johnson, fellow slicer, has made a plan for her daily musings. I’m not one to make a plan. I like to be more open to what the universe is giving me to write about; however, I read Denise Krebs’ post yesterday. She sliced about the early morning. She reminded me of my daily walk.
I usually start out around 6:15, buckle up puppy Albert (who is now a year old and much better about the leash). On this particular morning, I went to my Insight Timer app for a walking meditation. I selected the first one in the queue. A soothing female voice guided me to be present in my body, to feel the breeze, to listen to the sounds around me, and to let my thoughts float in and out without giving them much notice.
Ah, yes. A walking meditation is the just right way to start my day. Sometimes my walk inspires a poem.
Notes from a Walk
I want to pick up a pile of oak leaves the pile of leaves blown from the curb, rejected into the street.
I want to hold a gathering of leaves in my hands, carry them home, make mulch. Mulch that will feed the soil.
I want to pick up all the gumballs those countless gumballs that fall from the sweetgum tree. We could create art together.
I could give you supplies: leaves and gumballs, a cardboard tube. You can make it yourself. You can make a masterpiece.
We can be a masterpiece, you and me. Margaret Simon, from 90 Ways of Community: Nurturing Safe & Inclusive Classrooms Writing One Poem at a Time (available for free download here.)
Your poem is a great reminder that what might look like trash is, to an artist or gardener, potential treasure. (I started to type poetential, which I quite like as well!! Maybe even poetintentional!!)
Your slice took me back to when I taught Kinders over 25 years ago. I took a walk and found a pinecone for each child to use to make birdfeeders. Using nature makes the best art, in my case, edible art for the birds! Thanks for inclusing this reader of your slice on a walk today!
Margaret, you inspire me to make a Notes from a Walk post one day this month. Your poem brings peace in the simple joy of a dog walk. I’m checking out that app, by the way. I, too, walk Boo Radley, Fitz, and Ollie in the early morning before leaving to go to work and while that walk generally feels a bit rushed to be on time, the afternoon walk is where I can savor the moments. This is a lovely way to celebrate the beauty in nature. I like that you offered the free download link, too. I am using that book this month as I consider forms of poetry to write each day for The Stafford Challenge and for Slice of Life. Happy Sunday, Margaret! Thanks for the inspiration.
Oh! I now know what I’m going to write about tomorrow! Thanks for sharing your mindful walk this morning and for the open welcome and invitation of your poem!
Thank you for sharing a great way to get inspiration from a morning walk and for sharing the book link. I plan to use your poem as a mentor text for myself!
Creating art from nature is the best, espeicially when curious children are involved. I love the idea of taking notes from a walk. I am nursing a knee injury, so right now my walk wouldn’t be too exciting to writing about!
Margaret, your walk was intentional but your thoughts were poetentional. What a great word Mary Lee created. Your simple walk brings such joy that brings me back to my childhood days into adulthood. I used to love picking up driftwood and shells at the beach. With those pieces, I created objects that made me happy. Thanks for the poetentional poem of the day.
[…] my friend, Margaret Simon, wrote about her early morning walk, and I knew immediately that that was what I would write about today. Unlike Margaret, I […]
[…] noise and stress to take to the silence. I’m reminded of Margaret Simon’s recent post on Notes from a Walk inspired by Denise Kreb’s post on her own morning walk and take some mental notes for a blog […]
Margaret Simon lives on the Bayou Teche in New Iberia, Louisiana. She teaches gifted elementary students, writes poetry and children's books. Welcome to a space of peace, poetry, and personal reflection. Walk in kindness.
Reflections on the Teche 
Your poem is a great reminder that what might look like trash is, to an artist or gardener, potential treasure. (I started to type poetential, which I quite like as well!! Maybe even poetintentional!!)
“Poetintentional” is a great new word. We should start a meme!
Your slice took me back to when I taught Kinders over 25 years ago. I took a walk and found a pinecone for each child to use to make birdfeeders. Using nature makes the best art, in my case, edible art for the birds! Thanks for inclusing this reader of your slice on a walk today!
A lovely poem and all the more so because it is about a routine morning walk.
Margaret, you inspire me to make a Notes from a Walk post one day this month. Your poem brings peace in the simple joy of a dog walk. I’m checking out that app, by the way. I, too, walk Boo Radley, Fitz, and Ollie in the early morning before leaving to go to work and while that walk generally feels a bit rushed to be on time, the afternoon walk is where I can savor the moments. This is a lovely way to celebrate the beauty in nature. I like that you offered the free download link, too. I am using that book this month as I consider forms of poetry to write each day for The Stafford Challenge and for Slice of Life. Happy Sunday, Margaret! Thanks for the inspiration.
Oh! I now know what I’m going to write about tomorrow! Thanks for sharing your mindful walk this morning and for the open welcome and invitation of your poem!
Thank you for sharing a great way to get inspiration from a morning walk and for sharing the book link. I plan to use your poem as a mentor text for myself!
I am looking forward to warmer weather and morning walks–hopefully starting this month. And I will have to borrow your idea for a slice!
Creating art from nature is the best, espeicially when curious children are involved. I love the idea of taking notes from a walk. I am nursing a knee injury, so right now my walk wouldn’t be too exciting to writing about!
I’m sorry to hear that. I hope it heals soon so you can get out when the spring weather comes.
Margaret, your walk was intentional but your thoughts were poetentional. What a great word Mary Lee created. Your simple walk brings such joy that brings me back to my childhood days into adulthood. I used to love picking up driftwood and shells at the beach. With those pieces, I created objects that made me happy. Thanks for the poetentional poem of the day.
[…] my friend, Margaret Simon, wrote about her early morning walk, and I knew immediately that that was what I would write about today. Unlike Margaret, I […]
[…] noise and stress to take to the silence. I’m reminded of Margaret Simon’s recent post on Notes from a Walk inspired by Denise Kreb’s post on her own morning walk and take some mental notes for a blog […]