For 5 years I’ve been participating in Ethical ELA’s #verselove and #openwrite. This month Sarah Donovan (whose brainchild is Ethical ELA) led us in 3 days of Open Write prompts. One of these prompts was to write a demi-sonnet. This form includes 7 lines with semi-rhymes. One of Sarah’s suggestions was to write about a moment you almost missed.
At the moment I was holding my pen above my notebook I could hear the loud morning call of a wren outside. Writing in May has been hard for me. It’s a busy month as school winds down. This May has been particularly hard as I cleaned my classroom for the last time. My demi-sonnet turned into advice for myself.
I Almost Missed the Call
Morning wren calls my inner critic’s bluff repeating wake up, wake up, wake up. I almost missed its call holding me accountable for my role. Open the blank page, it is enough. Ink seven lines of poetic stuff. Bloom from an imperfect soul.
This weekend was You-Pick Day at the Petite Anse Sunflower Farm. My daughter Martha was visiting with her little family, so we headed out Saturday morning to fill a vase for my book signing. The bright May sun was shining, and, with Martha’s help, we filled a vase of beautiful sunflowers. I love this annual event. Jennifer and Andy welcome visitors with buckets, clippers, bug spray, and conversation.
Sunflowers are living examples of the Fibonacci series, so I feel a fib poem is an appropriate small form. The syllable count is 1, 2, 3, 5, 8. Today on Georgia Heard’s inspiring calendar the prompt is “a letter to a place.”
Let’s celebrate May and warmth and flowers today. Please leave a small poem in the comments and support other writers with encouraging comments. Thanks for being here.
Dear fire red sunflower, Thank you for your face flaming from a stalk of grace.
I’ve been writing small poems this month following Georgia Heard’s Permission to Write Small calendar of prompts. Today the prompt was “the meaning of your name”. I felt an acrostic poem form would be a good choice.
The meaning of my name “Margaret” is pearl. I’ve known this, but I didn’t know why until I did some quick research on pearls. Apparently, the Persian word for pearl is margarita, which is the source of the name Margaret.
Margaret is a pearl— Alchemy of soft tissue Restored over time with Grit, becoming Abiding beauty, Resolving with genuine grace Eternal gem Turning
This beautiful bleeding heart vine was a small single branch when I took it inside for the winter. Last summer it didn’t bloom, but I saved it anyway. I’m learning this about gardening; As long as you see green, don’t give up on a plant. I didn’t give up, but I also didn’t have much hope. And now look! Not only is it thriving, it’s blooming. The blossoms seem to be hiding shamefully under the big leaves.
Google told me the symbolism of the bleeding heart flower is compassion. I think about the simple compassion I gave to this plant. It wasn’t difficult. Compassion should not be hard to give to others. I think it should come naturally.
Write a small poem inspired by the bleeding heart flower. Where are you needing compassion? How is your heart bleeding today?
You Belong
You belong among white flowers where stillness grows heartwings holding you in compassion, acceptance, and love.
Margaret Simon, draft
My poem today is prompted by Georgia Heard’s calendar “Where you belong” and is written in the Shadorma form (3, 5, 3, 3, 7, 5)
Write a small poem in the comments and give encouraging feedback to other writers.
Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for creating an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write and share.
This month I am following Georgia Heard’s calendar of prompts for small poems. I am posting daily on Instagram. But this poem response “A List of Last Times” was a little long for that platform.
As the end of the school year and my retirement approaches, I am experiencing many lasts. Some are easy to let go off, some are harder.
Last List for Closing Out the School Year
Complete SLT “student learning target” Last essays: read, evaluate, give feedback.
Last lesson plans: standard noted opening student work closing Submit for review.
Last Field Trip forms: list students collect money get check from the office.
Last hallway walk (How many steps have I taken on this hall?) my own safe space books, books, books student voices echo a full nest empty (fledglings flown.)
Last month I was writing a poem each day prompted by Ethical ELA. One of the prompts offered by Alexis Ennis invited us to write an ode to peace. This prompt landed on a Sunday when I had time to sit and sip on my back deck overlooking the bayou. In winter when I had to haul pots inside, I cursed my love of tropical flowers, but on this day, I was celebrating their quiet and bright emergence.
As I revised this poem, I asked AI to give it a title. I like the response, go figure, of “Waking in Red.”
Waking in Red
the corner of my heart slowing for breaths deep and long
on the cypress the cardinal busy on branches by and by
here is the ruby-throated hummer humming a second longer
there the glowing sun rising to light this day
space opens for red bat plant, desert rose, and buckeye
skin warms as I wake with the power of red. Margaret Simon, draft
I am writing a poem a day in May using #poemsofpresence and #smallpoems. Many of them are inspired by flowers. I invite you to join me on Instagram.
If you live nearby, come by Books Along the Teche (our local indie bookstore) for our book signing. Books Along the Teche will take orders for signed books.
“Walking in the woods today, I came upon a fairy door,” wrote my friend Kim in a text. She suggested I use it here for a poetry prompt.
From Wikipedia: “A fairy door is a miniature door, usually set into the base of a tree, behind which may be small spaces where people can leave notes, wishes, or gifts for the fairies.”
An open invitation for imagination. I’m curious about the R on this door. Is it part of an alphabet trail? Is it the first or last initial for the person who made it? Is there a fairy with that initial?
Today I am choosing to write an elfchen. Somehow a fairy door calls for an elfchen poem.
Fairy holds wishes in the forest Delicate balance of presence Oracle
I invite you into this magical forest to let go of concerns and be imaginative. Write a small poem in the comments. Join me on Instagram during the month of May writing #smallpoems, #poemsofpresence. Tag me @margaretgsimon.
Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for creating an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write and share.
The week of Earth Day was a spring break for my grandson Leo. Because he has working parents, he went to his former daycare for the week. We are not sure if that is where he learned about Earth Day, but he came home and wrote in his special journal (the one with the soft cover). Leo is in kindergarten, so he is new to reading and writing, but this grandmother/ teacher/ writer sees the potential of his writing. If nothing else, it will go in the archives of his earliest writing.
My interpretation: “How Do You Help The Earth”
Do not litter. Do not throw trash on the ground. Do not pick the plants. Do not kill the plant. Do not kill the environment. Do not cut the trees because the trees help us breathe.
How do we help the people?
We can help people walk and help people get things if they can’t reach it. We can help do the remote when people can help people keep up the house and we can all help people get ready for a party. We can help people if they have a broken leg. You can help people if they are not tall enough to put up the lights.
How do you share? You can give away something.
Keeping the world good. by Leo, age 6 (kindergarten)
Mary Lee Hahn has the Poetry Friday Round up at A(nother) Year of Reading.
Today is the first Friday in May which means it’s time for another Inklings challenge. This month, Linda Mitchell asked us to consider a line borrowed from poet Whitney Hanson, “In poetry we say…”
I took out an old favorite anthology of poems in my classroom, Poetry Speaks to Children, and created a cento poem using lines from other poems. The process was interesting and fun. You may even recognize some of the lines.
Lines from these poets:
Rita Dove Robert Frost Gwendolyn Brooks Carl Sandburg Lewis Carroll Maxine Kumin W. S. Merwin Jane Yolen William Shakespeare J. R. R. Tolkein Joy Harjo Langston Hughes John Ciardi Nikki Giovanni Sonia Sanchez
The 2025 Kidlit Progressive Poem is complete! See the poem as a whole along with all the participating poets archived here.
To read how other Inklings approached this challenge:
“A world of grief and pain, flowers bloom—even then.” -Kobayashi Issa
Carol’s husband died recently and as she navigates her grief, I am pleased that she still wants to be involved in the wider world of blogging. I love the quote she offered by Issa. I received Georgia Heard’s newsletter in which she invites us to write small. Writing that is small can carry a large load or it can capture a small moment. Here’s Georgia’s May calendar of invitations.
Gardenia power scents the whole kitchen with breaths of grandma’s perfume
Flowers have brightened my daily walks this spring. With the sun rising by the time I head out with Albert, I’ve had more light to walk in. Sunrises, too, delight me. A spiritual journey is a daily practice of presence.
I invite you to write #poemsofpresence this month. I will post daily on Instagram. I will also give myself grace if I miss a day or two. May is about keeping myself grounded as the whirling ending of school presses upon me.
This desert rose thrives at my front door. Another blossoming welcoming spring.
Margaret Simon lives on the Bayou Teche in New Iberia, Louisiana. She is a retired elementary gifted teacher who writes poetry and children's books. Welcome to a space of peace, poetry, and personal reflection. Walk in kindness.
Reflections on the Teche 