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Poetry Friday: #MarvelousMaryLee

Posted in Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged Mary Lee Hahn, Today's Little Ditty on May 21, 2021| 17 Comments »

Poetry Friday round-up is with Christie at Wondering and Wandering.

Today the Poetry Friday community is celebrating Mary Lee Hahn on the occasion of her retirement. Mary Lee is one of those behind the scenes worker bees. She keeps Poetry Friday going with periodic calls for hosting. She has served on multiple committees with the National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE). I’ve learned over and over from Mary Lee’s quiet wisdom.

To find a way to honor her with a poem, I looked through the Ditty of the Month collections. I found an ars poetica poem by Mary Lee entitled “Peony Poem” in the 2017-2018 anthology. I borrowed her form to write this poem:

Another Peony
An idea
seedling, set
in soil, soggy and shifting
sprouting in a spring garden.
A draft
wobbly, wilting
waits on new legs
hoping to learn to grow.
A poem
blooming, brilliant
shines like a rose on a stem
showing up on this special day.
Margaret Simon, after Mary Lee Hahn, draft

Congratulations on your retirement, Mary Lee. “The trouble with poetry is that it encourages the writing of more poetry.” (Billy Collins) Just think how many poems you have spawned over the years, exponentially.

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Poetry Friday: 4 x 4 Awareness is

Posted in Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged 4X4 poem form, Denise Krebs, poetry after quotes on May 14, 2021| 14 Comments »

Poetry Friday round-up is with Irene at Live Your Poem.

This week I started following Denise Krebs’ blog, Dare to Care. We met each other virtually through blogging. She introduced me to a poetry form called 4×4. Here are the rules copied from her post:

4 syllables in each line
4 lines in each stanza
4 stanzas
4 times repeating a refrain line–line 1 in the first stanza, line 2 in the second stanza, line 3 in the third stanza, and line 4 in the fourth stanza.
Bonus: 4 syllables in the title
No restrictions on subject, rhyme, or meter.

It’s a fun form to play with. I’ve combined it with using quotes or a stolen line as the repeated line. I have to admit this form has been tough for students to use. While teaching it to kids, I’ve written a few poem drafts this week. Here are two that I don’t hate.

Awareness is
everything we
need to know to
stand for something.

Don’t fall for it.
Awareness is
looking deeply
into your soul.
Answers will come
to questions asked.
Awareness is
waiting for you.
No choice ever
is possible
until you know
awareness is.
Margaret Simon, draft

Hang on to love.
Find someone who
cares for you most,
holds you in trust.
Trust can be hard.
Hang on to love
anyway, ’cause
you matter, too.
When hearts are turned
to the sad news,
hang on to love
to get you through.
Not all sparkles
or shiny smiles,
for steady hands
hang on to love.
Margaret Simon, draft

Last summer I wrote with the National Writing Project during a virtual writing marathon. My poem, Muses, is published in their online journal here.

Chloe wrote a 4×4 poem and read it on a Flipgrid video:

https://flipgrid.com/s/bsA9gxDeQoit?embed=true

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Poetry Friday: For my Mother

Posted in Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged May Sarton, mother poem on May 7, 2021| 14 Comments »

Poetry Friday round-up is with Bridget at wee words for wee ones.

Heidi Mordhorst has started a Facebook group Paradise, Paved for poets wanting a place to “park” their poems, for comment, critique, or just a safe place to land. She has been practicing writing in conversation with or after other poets. Like artists will copy a master painting, when poets copy a master, form frees expression. Magical, really.

I received a link to May Sarton’s poem, For my Mother, in an email from Poets.org. Using her poem as a mentor text, I wrote a poem for my mother.

For My Mother
—after May Sarton

Once more
I listen
to the music
of my past
with harmony
rising in my throat.

At the piano
or stereo,
from choir to opera,
your notes
entered
my bones.

Keeping a distance,
my ears remember
the vibrations
of the walls
I closed myself in.

Your song
brought us through
flood waters.
I remember laying out
sheet music to dry.
Then you made a home
with new walls.

Today I find the box of cards
you collected
and choose one
to send you.

Maybe you will recognize the paper,
the handwriting, or the return address.
Maybe not.
It doesn’t matter.
I remember your song
and that is enough.

Margaret Simon, draft

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Poetry Friday: Feeling Humble and Famous

Posted in Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged Ethical ELA, Hop to It, poem video, Progressive poem, Zen Tree on April 30, 2021| 17 Comments »

Poetry Friday round-up is with Matt at Radio, Rhythm, and Rhyme.

This week I was humbled and surprised to have one of Sylvia Vardell’s students create an amazing poem video of Zen Tree from Hop to It: Poems to Get You Moving. Garrett’s soothing voice, the calm music, and the amazing images all came together to show something beautiful. I am honored by this creative expression of my words. Thanks to Sylvia for organizing the project with her students. See more at Poetry for Children.

Michelle Schaub has been posting poetry videos all month on her blog Poetry Boost. My video of “Peep Eye” was featured this week.

Michelle Kogan finished up the Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem with a final line as well as a delightful illustration. The poem will be archived here.

I’ve been writing poems each day in response to prompts on Ethical ELA. I share these prompts with my students. On Wednesday, I struggled over the prompt. I shared the struggle with Chloe. She started writing me notes with topic suggestions. One of these notes said, “Me.” Then the pen flowed.

Fifth Grade
She comes in the room
with an attitude
that testy mood
of preteen silliness
and suggests I write a poem
about her.
As if I know her well enough
to write her down in words.

What I know is she grins loudly in braces.
She writes notes on paper
and crumples them like the crunch
of a chip bag in the trash–
Schwoop! Perfect shot!
But this poem will not be a perfect shot.
There are no shots left on her page
of excuses–the “not my fault”
dissolves into “I just can’t.”
I wonder aloud “When will you believe in yourself?”
When did I believe in myself?
Have I ever?
This poem can’t end like this.
I must write something encouraging
to make all this white space worth it.
This I know…she’s worth it!
Margaret Simon, all rights reserved

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Poetry Friday: Writing about Hope #DiverseVerse #AuthorsTakeAction

Posted in Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged #AuthorsTakeAction, Ethical ELA, hope, origami, Padma Venkatraman on April 23, 2021| 14 Comments »

Poetry Friday round-up is with Catherine at Reading to the Core.

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
hanging in a tree
twisting with the wind
longing to be free.
Draft #1

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

Our Kidlit Progressive poem is rolling along nicely. Check out the next line choices today with Janice at Salt City Verse.

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Poetry Friday: Equation Poems

Posted in Poetry Friday, Teaching, tagged equation poems, Laura Purdie Salas on April 15, 2021| 22 Comments »

Poetry Friday round-up is with Jama at Jama’s Alphabet Soup

I hope you are having a fun-filled poetry month. This week I played with equation poems à la Laura Purdie Salas. Laura released a book of equation poems titled Snowman – Sun = Puddle (published by Charlesbridge and with art by Micha Archer). This is a great book to read with budding second and third grade writers as they learn about figurative language. This month Laura is posting an equation poem on her blog daily. My students and I enjoyed creating image equation poems using Canva.

by Rylee, on a stormy day when her teacher had a hard time getting home because the streets were flooded.

by Mrs. Simon on the same rainy day when no one could go out for recess.

by Adelyn, who in second grade is learning about the Civil Rights Movement.

by Chloe with a nod to Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo.

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2021 Kidlit Progressive Poem

Posted in Poetry, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged 2021 Kidlit Progressive Poem on April 9, 2021| 25 Comments »

This year’s progressive poem started out recognizing kindness and is currently bouncing off to the playground where we have met a new character. Here’s the progress so far:

I’m a case of kindness – come and catch me if you can!
Easily contagious – sharing smiles is my plan.
I’ll spread my joy both far and wide,
As a force of Nature I’ll be undenied.
Words like, “how can I help?” will bloom in the street.
A new girl alone on the playground – let’s meet, let’s meet!
We can jump-skip together in a double-dutch round.

Denise at Dare to Care offered these line choices:

Over, under, jump and wonder, touch the ground

But she was shy when greeted; she didn’t make a sound.

I am attracted to the action in the first line, so I have selected it.

I’m a case of kindness – come and catch me if you can!
Easily contagious – sharing smiles is my plan.
I’ll spread my joy both far and wide,
As a force of Nature I’ll be undenied.
Words like, “how can I help?” will bloom in the street.
A new girl alone on the playground – let’s meet, let’s meet!
We can jump-skip together in a double-dutch round.
Over, under, jump and wonder, touch the ground.
2021 Kidlit Progressive Poem Day 9

I am happy that I get to begin a new stanza, but since this poem has become a rhyming poem, I don’t want to burden it with a difficult word to rhyme. I also need to consider the theme thus far, kindness and friendship.

I love the idea of a friendship blooming. Chloe was around when I was trying to create the line choices, so I let her write one of them. I won’t tell you which one, though. My friend and critique partner, Molly Hogan, gets to choose from these two lines:

Friends can be found when you open a door.

A never-ending sign connects hand to hand.

For a full list of participants, check out the sidebar.

Poetry Friday round-up is with Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference.

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#SOL21: Poetry Friday Small Kindnesses

Posted in Poetry Friday, Slice of Life, Writing on March 26, 2021| 20 Comments »

Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for creating an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write and share.

Poetry Friday is with Susan at Soul Blossom Living

With my student Chloe, I read the poem Small Kindnesses by Danusha Laméris. I learned about Danusha from a podcast from Poetry Magazine featuring her in conversation with Naomi Shihab Nye (who is also well-known for a poem about Kindness.) Ramona recommended it last week.

Chloe and I talked about all the small kindnesses in the poem. About this line, “…for the driver in the red pick-up truck to let us pass,” she said, “You know, she’s right. Red trucks are the friendliest!”

In every school, the custodian is the person you want to know. The poem about small kindnesses reminded me of a custodian at one of my schools. She is always dressed in bright colors with a wonderful head wrap and mask to match. She calls everyone “Love.” When I told this to Chloe, she gave me a word list around the topic of sun from her poetry writing journal Write the Poem. The list included effulgence which we both needed to Google. (Effulgence is brightness taken to the extreme.) My poem uses lines from Danusha, the word from Chloe, and the kindness that I almost forgot to notice had I not needed something to write about.

I’ve been thinking about the way when I walk
the school hallways, it’s always the custodian
who speaks. Excuse me, I say as I weave around
her heavy trash bin
that squeaks, rumbles and roars.
She calls after me, Have a nice day, Love!
Radiant as the sun itself, her yellow t-shirt
and rainbow leggings light my path.
Even her scent is effulgent, shouting warmth
of kindness, a hug for my hurried day.

Mostly, we want to greet each other
with glowing smiles. To slip a scented flower
beneath the doorway,
like a spritz of perfume, leave kindness
on someone else’s path.
Margaret Simon, after Danusha Laméris

What small kindnesses are you noticing?

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#SOL21 Poetry Friday: Spark Art & Poetry

Posted in Creativity, Poetry Friday, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged Betty Nichols art, Spark!, torn paper collage art on March 19, 2021| 16 Comments »

Poetry Friday is with Linda at Teacher Dance

I challenged myself to try Spark, a creative exchange between artists and poets. Artist Betty Nichols sent me an image of her art.

A process I’ve been playing with lately is paper collage. To get my head around this abstract painting, I decided to recreate it in collage. The paper I selected informed words I collected to write from. Here is my response collage.

Notebook collage in response to art by Betty Nichols

While searching for things to cut out, I found an article that included advice from Maria Shriver on how to make a difference. The first bullet point, “Sit with yourself” became the title. I cut out radicchio to get the red color. Doing research I found that radicchio is the “crunch VIP of salads.” The black flame came from a bee print paper. I let the list and collage sit for a few days. The process worked for me.

Sit with Yourself
The chicory radicchio is said
to be the ultimate crunch in your daily salad,
rich in vitamin K.
This red dagger isn’t dangerous.
The flame that is the yellow body of a bee
harmlessly flying from tree to tree
pollinates, perpetuating life.
This red dagger isn’t dangerous.
When you are faced with the sharp points
of a knife you use every day,
look closely. The stain of death
may be the blood of birth,
the path of its blade leading to light.
This red dagger isn’t dangerous.
A snow-filled valley will green in spring.
Sit with yourself.
Give it time.

Margaret Simon, all rights reserved.

Posted at Spark here.

I sent Betty a blues poem, and she responded with tissue paper art. See our collaboration here.

At first I was completely intimidated by the idea of writing a poem to someone else’s art. By making it my own through my own art, I was able to find a way in to the original painting. The idea of sitting with yourself to make space for creativity comes up for me a lot these days. Creativity requires space as well as time for incubation. I hope you can find time and space to incubate and create. The process is its own reward.

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#SOL21: Poetry Friday: The Beautiful Brain

Posted in Poetry Friday, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged brain poem, February Poetry Project: Body, Laura Shovan on March 12, 2021| 20 Comments »

Poetry Friday is with Heidi at M y Juicy Little Universe

In February I joined an amazing group of poets writing everyday to prompts about The Body on a Facebook group organized by Laura Shovan. Laura has posted all the marvelous prompts on her website.

Most days it was tough to get one poem written and some days I didn’t write, but one day I wrote two poems. The prompt was about the beautiful brain. On Facebook I posted a Golden Shovel from Emily Dickinson’s line “The brain is deeper than the sea.” But in searching my notebook for something to post today, I found a different poem. I didn’t like it when I wrote it, but now I kinda do.