Poetry Friday | Reflections on the Teche

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Poetry Friday: Inklings Challenge

Posted in being mamére, Gratitude, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, Inklings challenge, Laughter on January 3, 2025| 20 Comments »

Poetry Friday is hosted by Mary Lee today at A(nother) Year of Reading.

Dear Poetry Friends,

I am posting on my phone because I’m having trouble connecting in a hotel room. I’m visiting my mother who is in the end stages of Alzheimer’s. This time is filled with hard and love, tears and joy.

Heidi challenged the Inklings this first Friday to choose a prompt from her Yule calendar. Since I spent last week in the company of my grandchildren, I was drawn to the prompt “Capture the sound of laughter in rhyme.”

I am taking delight in watching my grandchildren laugh. This poem is dedicated to my granddaughter, June, who was two on Dec. 21st.

De-Light

I taste a note of nutmeg
on my tongue, a slight burn
while I yearn
for sweetness,
and your song

“Happy Day Day”

your two-ness
of delight candles to blow
ribbons flow

twisting into this gift
of a child shifting,

becoming laughter.

Margaret Simon, draft

To see how other Inklings wrote to this challenge:

Heidi @my juicy little universe
Molly @Nix the Comfort Zone
Mary Lee @A(nother) Year of Reading
Linda @A Word Edgewise
Catherine @Reading to the Core

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Poetry Friday: On Love

Posted in Gratitude, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged Amber Tamblyn, Lory Landry, The Isolation Journals on December 20, 2024| 11 Comments »

Poetry Friday is hosted this week by Jone MacCulloch

I have subscribed to The Isolation Journals for years and often read the prompts but don’t do them, usually because I read them at a time when I don’t have time to stop and write. They usually speak to me, but perhaps there is a little intimidation happening with me as well. I don’t know. I try to keep my doubt under control, but it’s not always that easy.

I tucked away a prompt from Amber Tamblyn. She used anaphora in a poem titled “This Living”. Her prompt suggested we use this same phrase, “It’s going to be”. As I was driving to school on a particularly foggy day, a phrase came to me, “I could fall in love with”. I played around with it in my Notes app. Autocorrect created the title.

On Love

I could fall in love
with someone
playing acoustic guitar
singing breathy tones.

I could fall in love
with a fog bow
reaching for a waning moon.

I could fall in love
with twinkling lights
blue, red, golden
on the tall Main Street
Christmas tree.

I could fall in love
with my own alto voice
rising in this small car
joining a choir
cantata.

I could fall in love
with darkness
coming so soon–
a winter solstice
Peace.

by Margaret Simon, draft

Peace has been my One Little Word for 2024. I’m grateful for the way “peace” showed up for me and for this poem. Have a wonderful holiday season!

Christmas tree on Main St. by Lory Landry

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Poetry Friday: Count on Me

Posted in Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged friendship, Golden Shovel, music mashup on December 13, 2024| 12 Comments »

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise.

Linda is hosting today with a mashup of songs and poems. This reminded me that we did a similar activity in my class. I asked the class what song about friendship do they like. Kailyn said, “Count on Me” by Bruno Mars.

I stole the line “I’ll sail the world to find you.” to create a golden shovel.

My friend, I’ll
tell you again that I will sail
through a turbulent storm, the
end of the world
as we know it to
rescue you, comfort you, to find
safety in this place with you.
Margaret Simon, draft

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Poetry Friday: My Place in the World

Posted in being mamére, Gifted Education, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged "my place in the world" poem, #bayoulife, #beingmamére, student poetry on November 23, 2024| 11 Comments »

Poetry Friday is gathered by Ruth at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town.

My students and I are reading Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. In the book, there is a poem “On the Road with Arley” that begins with line “Here’s the way I figure it, my place in the world is at the piano.” It’s been fun to find music of the time period and write alongside it. My students worked hard to create poems using this beginning line. I asked them to use imagery to create a tone. I wrote a model poem about my place in the world.

In a Canoe

Here’s the way I figure it,
my place in the world is
on the bayou
lazing about in a canoe
with you.

I’m just a mamere
wanting the best time
to be outside
watching for eagles
slipping through slow current
listening for Mr. Owl
to cook-cook-for-you!

My place is in open toes
among cypress knees
sniffing catfish air
hearing cicadas buzz
when the sun goes down.

Here’s the way I figure it,
my place in the world
is in a canoe with you.

Margaret Simon, draft

Photo by Nitin Arya on Pexels.com

Here’s the way I figure it,
my place in the world is
out of it.

My place is in a different place,
far away from here.
In a mythical world,
or one that is crumbling
even more than mine is.

With my favorite characters
I venture
for escape.
Escape.
My feet will beat the ground,

in my head a pound,
and then I settle down.
In a bed or a chair,
I wind

wind

wind

down.

I read, and I am free.

Here’s the way I figure it,
my place in the world is
seeking distraction from it.

Adelyn, 6th grade

Where is your place in the world?

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Poetry Friday: Perspective

Posted in Poetry Friday, Teaching, Writing on November 15, 2024| 12 Comments »

Poetry Friday is hosted by Karen Edmisten.

With my students, I am using the recent Ethical ELA book 90 Ways of Community for writing prompts. This week we used two different prompts. The first was from Leilya Pitre about taking a break, a walk, and writing a narrative poem.

Veteran’s Day Walk

Finally, a chilly wind
blows my white hair
into my eyes
reminding me that winter
is on its way.

Leaves dapple the playground mulch
like confetti left over from a football game.
This is how fall is…
coming in on a wind
soothing my severed soul
into a peaceful,
place of presence.

Margaret Simon, draft

The second prompt I used was from Jodi Opager asking us to step into the shoes of another person or object. Avalyn has been exploring putting tone and emotion into her poems. She wrote from the POV of the TV. This poem she wrote breaks my heart for her, but she assures me that she is OK and handling things.

Broken Memories

I turn on again
watching the mom
and her daughter.

I remember it
as clear as day.

I remember how the daughter cried
because her mom was fussing
for the third time
that day.

I remember how the dad
stomped upstairs
packed his bags
and left

but everything was fuzzy
because now
I sit in the hallway
empty
dead
waiting to be fixed.

by Avalyn, 5th grade

My sister texted me this photo of my mother from the 70’s. I remember this photo and that my mother was pretending to sleep. My perspective writing is from her point of view with memories of a life full of love.

I remember holding Raggedy Ann
pretending to sleep
next to you
after story time.

I remember riding in the backseat
of the Delta 88 because you
got carsick through the curves
of Zion National Park.

I remember roses blooming
on the “island” alongside our cypress tree,
how your father sketched all day
watching our heron fishing.

I remember you
when you come,
I smile and say,
Thank you.

Margaret Simon, draft

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Poetry Friday: Ode to the Satsuma

Posted in Gratitude, Poetry, Poetry Friday, Teaching, tagged #poemsofpresence, Louisiana fruit, ode, satsumas on November 8, 2024| 16 Comments »

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Cathy at Merely Day by Day

With my fifth and sixth grade students, I am reading Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. I’m amazed at the parallels of the Dust Bowl to our current climate crisis in Louisiana, but that is a post for another time. Today I am determined to focus on beauty.

The poem Apple Blossoms was our mentor text. I wrote alongside my students about our favorite fruits. Mine is currently overflowing on a tree in our backyard, the satsuma.

Ode to the Satsuma

after Karen Hesse “Apple Blossoms” Out of the Dust

Not just an orange,
you are the ultimate
citrus,
hanging like golden ornaments
on our tree near the fence
where butterflies play
and spiders web.

Your easy-to-peel goodness
makes anticipation grow
in fall, until by Halloween,
the tree is full, overflowing, drooping, dripping
inviting me to basket
a gift for you
to share juicy sweetness
and smile!

Margaret Simon, draft

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Spiritual Journey and Poetry Friday: World and Joy

Posted in Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged Evie Shockley, Golden Shovel, Inklings challenge, Joy Harjo on November 1, 2024| 20 Comments »

Hosted by Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise

Happy November! This is the first day and first Friday, so it’s time for a new challenge from the Inklings. This month Linda, who is also hosting Spiritual Thursday, selected a poem by Joy Harjo Fall Song. She asked us to respond in some way to the poem. I collected words that pleased me for their sounds: blue, you, divine, mind, behind. I was thinking of my mother’s blue eyes.

Her Eyes Blue like the Sky

(after Joy Harjo “Fall Song”)

All you leave behind
is blue–
blue lace wings–

tinted with night sky.
Your divine sign
forever will be a blue bird.

I cry for more–
more of your soft touch,

the gleam
of love
lighting

from your crystal blue eyes.
Margaret Simon, draft
Linda's One Little Word for 2024 is "World". She has been writing poems all year on a padlet using her word. I admire her dedication to this daily writing. Since she sent out the prompt for Spiritual Journey, I have been noticing that poets often use the word "world". 
I recently read Evie Shockley’s poem “job prescription ” and striked a line for a golden shovel: “poetry may not change the world, but might change you.” I believe in poetry. I want to believe that it could change the world, but I’m satisfied knowing that it has changed me. I am a better person, a better teacher, a better child of God because I breathe in poems every day.

What is poetry?
An acorn that may
or may not become an oak, change
leaves for the
next season of the world.
We read & write, but
are never sure which words might
sprout to change
and inspire the deepest you.
Margaret Simon, draft

Links to other Inklings:

Catherine Flynn
Mary Lee Hahn
Heidi Mordhorst
Molly Hogan
Linda Mitchell

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Poetry Friday: More #WriteOut

Posted in Photography, Poetry Friday, Teaching, Writing, tagged #writeout, Kate Messner, metaphor poem, Private eye on October 25, 2024| 13 Comments »

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link.

These past two weeks I’ve been trying to squeeze in Write Out opportunities for my students. Write Out is an annual event sponsored by the National Writing Project and the National Parks. This year Kate Messner was the Author Ambassador. One of her prompts asked students to take a hula hoop outside and focus on their circle when writing. Because I can’t leave well enough alone, I added paint chips and jewel loupes to the writer’s toolbox.

Our weather has been perfect the last two weeks. Cool mornings. High sun. Warm afternoons. Perfect for writing outside.

The paint chip words were just the thing to add a little twist to the poems my students and I wrote.

Purple flowers are
community of the grass,
some clustered
some isolated
in the sea glass waves.

by Adelyn, 6th grade

The grass has a shine
from the blazing sun
spitting out embers
like a swarm of yellow jackets.

by James, 4th grade

Looking through the jewel loupes helped us see intricate designs and stretched our metaphorical thinking. I love using the jewel loupe with my camera lens on my phone.

**Circle of Grass**
The blades of grass
are a **kaleidoscope**
reflecting **after the fire**
in a **tangerine dream.**
by *Margaret Simon, draft*

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Poetry Friday: #WriteOut Field Trip

Posted in Poetry Friday, Teaching, Writing, tagged #NWP, #writeout, Bayou Teche Museum, writing field trip on October 18, 2024| 16 Comments »

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Matt Forrest Esenwine at Radio, Rhythm, and Rhyme.

What a wonderful first week of NWP’s Write Out! On Tuesday, our schools were on fall break, but two other teachers and I decided to create a Write Out Field Trip. Twenty-seven kids attended from K-8th grade. Our local Bayou Teche Museum graciously opened its doors for us. We wrote at 4 different places, the museum, a sculpture garden, Bayou Teche kayak dock, and Church Alley.

Because he was on fall break, too, my grandson Leo joined us. He is at the earliest stages of reading and writing. He loves to draw, but by our third stop, he wanted to be a writer.

I am a brave dragon.
I breathe fire.
I am a poisonous dragon.
by Leo, Kindergarten

A proud Mamére moment!

My colleague Beth’s granddaughter, 4th grade, wanted to read all her poems at the read around. Here’s her notebook with a poem about a museum exhibit of a shipwreck.

The Sea at Night

After the storm, the ship debris
sunk and broke shells, rocks, and bones.
They littered the ocean
one piece at a time, broken glass
ship parts and harbor bells.
Yet at night there’s still life–
the movement of the water, giant but
yet still. All the light is gone
but the sea lights it up.
Nothing as beautiful as
the sea at night.
by Annie, 4th grade

You can participate in Write Out by joining here.

Much appreciation for the Bayou Teche Museum and ADK Sorority Classroom Grant.

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Poetry Friday: Pythagorean Puppy

Posted in Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged Inklings challenge, Pythagorean Poem, Shari Green on October 4, 2024| 10 Comments »

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Tabatha Yeats at The Opposite of Indifference.

Albert (Al-Bear) with a stick, 7 months.

The Pythagorean poem is another modern poetic invention using a mathematical pattern. Shari Green shared the form with Laura Shovan who shared the form with me and other PF folks. I challenged the Inklings to write one for our monthly challenge before trying one myself. It’s not as easy as it looks.

Like the Pythagorean theorem of geometry, the word count is based on a right triangle. Shari’s instructions:

Here’s the math background: Pythagoras’ theorem is a2 + b2 = c2. One possible “triple” is 3, 4, 5.

3×3 + 4×4 = 5×5

9 + 16 = 25

Using the triple, the poetic form works like this:

1st stanza: 3 lines of 3 words each

2nd stanza: 4 lines of 4 words each

3rd stanza: 5 lines of 5 words each*

* The third stanza must be composed of all the words found in stanzas one and two (in any order; variations okay). The third stanza should be a progression of sorts, a product of the first two in thought or theme or meaning.

The trickery comes when writing the third stanza. I wrote one about butterflies here. As I tried to write another one, I thought I should have saved that first one for this post. I chose another topic close to my heart, my puppy golden doodle “Albert (Albear)” Albert has been with us for almost 4 months, and he’s really doing well about most things, but he has an annoying habit of barking at us when we eat dinner. As we take our daily walks, he loves to pick up a stick and prance like the prince he is. My poem takes words from Mark Doty’s Golden Retrievals.

I hope you will try the form and tag Shari Green and me. Honestly, I haven’t tried it with my students yet. They are getting their feet wet with cinquains and fib poems.

Pythagorean Puppy

after Mark Doty

Walk? Trot? You
catch a stick–
Joy! A Treasure!

Tumbling leaf chase…on!
You prance with pride,
Show off your bark–
Bow wow, bow wow!

Your bark tumbles with you.
Bow shows pride. Wow!
You catch a leaf, Wow!
Bow a stick. Trot treasure, walk
on! You prance off. Joy!
(c) Margaret Simon