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Posts Tagged ‘Ethical ELA’

Poetry Friday: Another Clutch to Watch Etheree

Posted in Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged , , , on April 17, 2026| 13 Comments »

Heidi is hosting Poetry Friday this week and she shares a video conversation she recorded of Jone MacCulloch, Heidi Mordhorst, and me talking about our teaching artist experience. Please click this link to check it out.

A big thank you to Heidi Mordhorst for hosting today and for taking the time and energy to create a video about our work with students as teaching artists. I learned so much from Jone and Heidi that I hope to add to my repertoire of workshops.

National Poetry Month is moving along in starts and stops for me. One day the words come, the next I look at a page full of senseless scribbles. I am trying to respond daily to the Ethical ELA VerseLove prompts. Yesterday, Stacey Joy of California prompted us to write an etheree. I wrote once again about wood ducks. (I have a whole book of poems about the Wood Duck house) Our first clutch hatched and fledged, so we have another hen coming in. I am endlessly fascinated by them.

Photo by Jeff Wiles on Pexels.com

Anticipating

When
eastern
sunlight gleams
a beam across
greening cypress trees,
another wood duck hen
flies in, wiggles her belly
beginning a new clutch to watch
in hope for new life to lay waiting.
Cycle of birth always a miracle.

Margaret Simon, draft

The Kidlit Progressive Poem took a surprising turn this week with a Poetry Slam! Check out today’s line with Robyn Hood Black.

Tabatha Yeatts has graciously offered to end the poem on April 28th. She had the beginning line and is the creator of the map.

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NPM26: This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Alliteration

Posted in nature, Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , , , on April 8, 2026| 2 Comments »

Rose Cappelli has the line from the Land of Poetry Progressive Poem today. She used her secret favorite devise of alliteration. It’s my favorite, too. As I tell students, it just sounds good.

At Ethical ELA, Luke Bensing prompted us to use alliteration in our first and last lines. The photo today is from my visit to the butterfly exhibit in New Orleans at the Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium. I wrote a septercet, which is a small three lined poem of 7 syllables each.

Purple pops of salvia
nectar-seeking flutter by
season for saving scents

If you wish to write a poem today, please leave it in the comments and respond to other writers with encouragement.

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Slice of Life Tuesday: NPM26: Forgiveness

Posted in Poetry, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged , , on April 7, 2026| 9 Comments »

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

The Kidlit Progressive Poem is moving along through The Land of Poetry. If you’d like to participate, please send me an email. Today’s line is being added by Ruth Hersey at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken Town.

I’ve been in New Orleans all weekend, Monday, and today hanging out with my daughters and their adorable children. Yesterday Aunt Kacky and I took the three kids to the Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium. My favorite experience is always the butterfly exhibit. There are so many different species of butterflies flying everywhere.

Finding time and space for writing doesn’t happen when I’m being Mamére, but that’s OK. I’ve had a wonderful weekend of snuggles and giggles.

Ethical ELA’s poetry prompt yesterday was from Wendy Everard on Forgiveness. I turned to William Carlos Williams’ This is Just to Say.

Have you ever had a person in your life who just knows how to punch your buttons? It annoys me that I can’t just turn around and let it wash over me. My whole body tenses, and I usually say something to distract from my obvious irritation.

This is Just to Say

I have seen
your weakness
and rolled into the muck
of ignorance 

The mirror of doubt
is revealing
so clear and critical 

I should say something kind
but all I muster
is a lie.

Margaret Simon, draft

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SLOC26: Day 21: Mother Acrostic

Posted in Poetry, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged , , on March 22, 2026| 4 Comments »

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

Saturday was the first day of March’s Open Write on Ethical ELA. Anna J. Small Roseboro is leading the prompts around women for National Women’s History Month.

I wrote an acrostic dedicated to my mother, Dot Gibson. I am coming to a place 8 months after her death where I can remember her before Alzheimer’s took her from me.

My mother Dot in the center feeling joy with my brother, left, and “Elvis.”

Dedicated to the church
Open hearted
Teacher

Giving smiles through the doorway
Inviting southern drawl
Best friend
Sympathetic listener
Optimistic
Never leaving me

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Poetry Friday: Open Write

Posted in Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged , , , on February 26, 2026| 32 Comments »

Poetry Friday is here today! Please scroll to inLinkz to post your link.

In addition to Poetry Friday, one of my favorite places to hang out is Ethical ELA during the monthly Open Write. This month we were hosted by Stacey Joy and Seana Hurd Wright.

I am sharing three poems I wrote in response to their prompts.

I Believe in Morning

reflections
bayou glows
heron hunts

chickadee
dee-dee-dees
feeder swings

doodle curls
on my lap
All is well

“Let us open and open without knowing how” Billy Merrell from “Moth” ( found in Dictionary for a Better World)

Like the butterfly in spring, Let
your heart know the us
of the universe: We open
the screen door and
swallowtail flies to the open
skies without
anyone holding on or even knowing
where it was going, just how. 

This week giant swallowtail butterflies hatched from their over winter chrysalises.

St. James Tricube

In this place
veil lifted 
parting kiss

In this place 
holy water 
baby blessed

In this place 
ashes laid 
eternal rest

My home church, St. James Episcopal Church

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!Click here to enter

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Slice of Life: Grandson Kenning

Posted in being mamére, Gratitude, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged , on November 18, 2025| 11 Comments »

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

The December Open Write at Ethical ELA was hosted by Mo Daley. She introduced me to a new poem form that was really fun to write, a kenning. A kenning uses two word phrases to describe someone or something. Mo asked us to think of gratitude at this time of year. Her post (with lots of fun response poems) is here.

The kenning is supposed to be a riddle, so the title should not give away the topic. But I am giving it away with the title of my post as well as a photo of the cutest baby ever. Sam’s sister has nicknamed him “Lammy” which is short for “Sammy-Lamby-Ding-Dong.”

Number 5 Caboose

He’s a
toothless grinner
sniff-snorter
milk-spitter
diaper-wetter
perfume magnet
pumpkin-carrot
Lambi-lambi
Ding-Dong
cuddle-coaxing
daytime napping
love absorbing
new cousin

Sam, 4 months.

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Poetry Friday: Inklings Challenge

Posted in Poetry, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged , on November 7, 2025| 23 Comments »

Poetry Friday is being gathered today by Laura Purdie Salas.

It’s the first Friday of the month and time for the Inklings Challenge. This month’s prompt is from Linda Mitchell who challenged us to respond to Ethical ELA’s September 2025 Open Write by Kelsey Bigelow: “What is the happiest thing you’ve ever tasted?”

This was a lucky break for me because I already had a draft written, so with my Inklings thoughtful comments, I revised and have a poem to offer today.

My husband was born and raised in Cajun country where they ask, “Who’s your mama? Are you catholic? And can you make a roux?”

I don’t have to learn to make a roux because when it comes time to make a gumbo, Jeff is the best! Just last weekend when the air finally turned cool enough, he made the first gumbo of the season. Around here, when the cold front comes in, the weather man announces, “It’s gumbo weather!”

For our family, Black Friday is the day for making turkey and sausage gumbo. This year we may skip the Thanksgiving and go straight to the gumbo. Making gumbo takes two days. On the first day, you make the stock and the next day combine the stock with the roux. It’s a slow process. It takes patience and dedication.

Black Friday Gumbo

The happiest thing I’ve ever tasted
is your gumbo,
A slow stew on Thanksgiving night
in a stock pot of left-over turkey bones, 
the trinity of bell pepper, onions, and celery.

Scented steam perfumes the kitchen.
Friday morning chill is heated by oil and flour
you stir for what seems like an hour
waiting for the brown of peanut butter.

Hunched and humming, listening to the game,
you stand taller
and hand me a spoon to taste.
Our love is certain in this simple touch

of lips to wooden spoon. 
That first sip tingles on the back of my throat
like our first kiss, longing and true.

Margaret Simon, draft

To see how other Inklings approached this prompt:

Mary Lee
Linda
Heidi
Catherine
Molly

Laurie Patterson, Getty Images

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Poetry Friday: Silk Scarves

Posted in Gratitude, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged , , , , , on July 25, 2025| 15 Comments »

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Marcie Flinchum Atkins at her blog.

My mother died a few weeks ago. It was expected. She suffered for years with Alzheimer’s. My grief for her loss has happened over time. I feel relief now that she is no longer suffering. Nevertheless, we had to clean out her room at the memory care home where she’s been for two years. Many of her clothes were soiled and worn. Most of them were trashed. Some we gave away. I was grateful for my husband who was with me. He hauled the trash bags to the dumpster.

When I came upon a hanger of silk scarves, I couldn’t bear to give them away. I don’t even know why they were still there. So while Jeff was taking out the trash, I tucked them away in a box to bring home. I wore one to a funeral last weekend and felt comforted.

My mother’s silk scarves

Silk Scarves

I saved her silk scarves,
each one a bright
replica of art.
I couldn’t bear to place
such brightness
into a black trash bag.

We worked quickly
making choices to give away
or throw away. Why?
I asked myself
did these scarves call to me?

I remember when appearances
were important to my mother.
She never left the house without
coordinating clothes, make-up, jewelry.
The end erased who she had been.

Lord knows I don’t need
any more scarves. 
Tiffany stained glass (butterflies) 
will soften my neck
above the black dress.

Margaret Simon, draft

This poem was written in response to an Ethical ELA Open Write prompt found here.

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Slice of Life: What is Normal?

Posted in Poetry, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged , , , , on June 24, 2025| 9 Comments »

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

This past weekend was the Open Write at Ethical ELA. I am trying to write a poem every day, but it sure helps to have a good prompt. On Sunday, Tammi Belko led us to write in response to the question “What is normal?” You can see her full prompt here.

I was spending the morning with two of my grandchildren. As I sat with my tablet and notebook pondering her prompt, my grands Leo and Stella were drawing. Leo, age 6, has always loved drawing. Now he is old enough to add words to his drawings. Stella, his sister age 4, is following in his footsteps. Her drawings tell stories.

Super Dino-Force by Leo
“The monster was walking in the forest. In the ocean, the whale was splashing.” By Stella

Kid-Time Normal

All they need
is a marker
and paper—
Imagination soars…
Dinosaurs
with super powers,
Bad guys
with two robot arms,
Magical crystal charms…
Transformed
Transfixed
Time stops
on paper.

Margaret Simon, draft

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Poetry Friday: Demi-Sonnet

Posted in Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged , , on May 23, 2025| 14 Comments »

Poetry Friday is gathered today by Michelle Kogan.

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.

Margaret Simon, draft

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