Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Ethical ELA’

Poetry Friday: Waking in Red

Posted in Books, nature, Poetry Friday, Writing, tagged , , , on May 9, 2025| 13 Comments »

The Poetry Friday Roundup is being gathered by Sarah Grace Tuttle.
Hibiscus
Desert Rose
Calla Lily

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.

Read Full Post »

Poetry Friday: Retire is a Bold Word

Posted in Teaching, Writing, tagged , , , on April 25, 2025| 22 Comments »

Heidi Mordhorst is hosting Poetry Friday at My Juicy Little Universe and she also has the next line for the Kidlit Progressive Poem.

This week we are back from Easter break and in the depths of standardized testing, so it has become an opportunity for me to start the daunting task of cleaning out my classroom for retirement. I’ve been looking through old files and deciding what to keep and what to trash. Most of it is trash, but I look at it anyway. There are some things that are hard to throw away. It’s hitting me hard, I must say. So for two of the poem prompts at Ethical ELA, I wrote about this process. Writing is the way I can let go of some of the pent up feelings. (I don’t want to show them to my students.)

Larin Wade gave the prompt on Wednesday. Ironically she is a first year teacher. She asked us to write about seasons using the etheree form (consists of ten lines of increasing syllable count: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. 10)

Time
reflects
a long life
of commitment
not only to teach
but to nurture children
hold them with loving kindness
allow a safe space for growing.
Retire is a bold, yet daunting word.
One door closes. Will another open?

On Friday, Ashley challenged us with double dactyls. To see the rules (guidelines) for this poem, go to her post here.

Higgledy-piggledy
Filefuls of gibberish
Fill up her trash bin with
Piles of old news

Secretly covering
Years of her mothering
Spilling soft mutterings
long overdue.

And now back to the task at hand. Happy Friday! Four Fridays to go!

I made this collage years ago in a paper workshop.

Read Full Post »

National Poetry Month Day 14: Safe Harbor

Posted in nature, Poetry, Progressive poem, Writing, tagged , , , , , on April 14, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Today’s #verselove prompt is from Padma Venkatraman who wrote Bridge to Home and most recently Safe Harbor. Her books never fail to take me to a new place where I can find a relatable character and beautiful language. What a honor to have her writing a prompt for us based on her latest book. She invited us to write about a safe place.

I am visiting Ridgeland, MS, a few miles from the place I grew up. While my visits here bring forth many emotions, this morning I wanted to find solace in a walk in nature. Even though my hotel is near an outdoor shopping mall, there is a creek nearby with a walking path. The creek is the very same creek that ran behind my childhood home, Purple Creek. I used the poetry form of tanka (haiku with a chorus) which has a syllable count of 5, 7, 5, 7, 7.

The Kidlit Progressive Poem is with Janet today at Donna’s blog, Mainely Write.

Read Full Post »

Poetry Friday: I Remember

Posted in Poetry Friday, Progressive poem, Writing, tagged , , , on April 11, 2025| 14 Comments »

Irene Latham is gathering Poetry Friday today at Live Your Poem

I didn’t want to write about my father today, but I woke up and looked at the clock at 4:44 AM, so there he was. He would tell us that he always woke up at 4:44. He had a thing for double numbers. His birthday was 11/11/33. On this day 4/11/22, he had a stroke and died 11 days later on 4/22/22.

When I opened #Verselove, I saw a prompt that Kim Johnson shared in our poetry session on Wednesday at the Fay B Kaigler Children’s Book Festival. Unfortunately, Kim had a family emergency, so she had to leave on Thursday. She is supposed to be sitting with me as I write this morning. The loneliness has gotten the best of me, so I had to write about my father. As Kim and I said to our session participants, poetry can be healing. It’s a place of vulnerability. Kim’s prompt can be found on Ethical ELA.

 Remember

I remember
the phone call
in the middle of class.
I answered it.
I remember thinking something bad had happened.

I remember I packed a bag
for 3 nights max (I stayed 2 weeks).

I remember the gruff hospitalist
rattling the bed with her pronouncement
of no hope. You stared after her
with anger and fear.

I remember the long days
as you fought, grabbing tubes,
glaring helplessly,
speech stolen by the stroke.

I remember tears and singing,
prayers whispering, silently longing
to bring you back to us.

I remember someone said
the deepest grief comes from the deepest love.
I wasn’t ready to remember.

Margaret Simon, draft

The Kidlit Progressive Poem is with Rose today at Imagine the Possibilities.

Read Full Post »

National Poetry Month Day 8: Mac & Cheese

Posted in Poetry, Solomon House, Writing, tagged , on April 8, 2025| 8 Comments »

Verselove prompt today is with Darius Phelps.

I am drafting a poem each day in April. There is no perfection here. Only my brave self posting even though I know these poems need work. There is a freedom in drafting that cannot be found in revision. Some writers love the revision process. I question myself too much. When I draft, I just write. Critiquing is harder for me. Today’s poem was written in my notes app as I took a walk, got ready for school, arrived in my classroom. Before the day gets away, I wanted to draft it again for a blog post. Work in progress.

Darius Phelps offered a prompt today based on a poem called Good Son by Kyle Liang. Both Kyle and Darius used food references metaphorically to reveal a deep truth. I love when metaphor works in this way. How metaphor can lead us to a deeper meaning.

Macaroni & Cheese

Our first fight was over macaroni & cheese
which ingredients should be added
at what temperature
to achieve the creamiest bowl.

Kraft is the only brand we’d buy,
but you argued that I poured the little flakes
of fake cheese too fast, didn’t stir enough
to fully achieve the milk to cheese ratio.

You don’t have to be good, according to Mary Oliver,
you just have to love what you love.
So we loved each other well.

After long marriage, I wait for you
to offer the spoon to taste your gumbo.
You tell me my spaghetti is always good–
Our edges smoothed like macaroni & cheese.

Margaret Simon, draft

Photo by Cree Payton on Pexels.com
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 with Janice Scully at Salt City Verse.

Read Full Post »

National Poetry Month Day 6: Where I Live

Posted in Poetry, Writing, tagged , , , , on April 6, 2025| 6 Comments »

Today’s #VerseLove prompt is from Stacey Joy. She brought back once again the faithful form Where I’m From, originally from George Ella Lyon. Like Stacey, I’ve written many iterations of this poem over the years. A recent one that I actually liked, I posted here.

Today I used one of Stacey’s alternate suggestions to try, “I live” as a repeated phrase. Again, my results came out kind of corny. I always feel when I try to rhyme that it sounds corny and forced. I’m sharing anyway.

New Iberia, Louisiana April 6, 2025

I live where heat and humidity full bloom around noon.

I live under a canopy of cypress trees
with knees that will full stop a mower’s blade.

I live near bayou brown
watching for wood ducks
coming round.

I live with spiders, roaches, mosquitoes, and gnats.
I’ve learned to let-them-be or smash-them-flat.

I live among neighbors who know me,
who offer mint leaves for tea.

I live in a red state with hearts of blue.
What about you?

Margaret Simon, draft

The Kidlit Progressive Poem is with Buffy today.

Read Full Post »

National Poetry Month: Late Shadorma

Posted in Poetry, Writing, tagged , , , , on April 5, 2025| 4 Comments »

I dropped the ball yesterday with my Inklings writing group. I had given the monthly challenge and forgot about it. Today I am trying to make up for it by combining the Ethical ELA prompt from Bryan Ripley Crandall to write about scars with the form. Shadorma poems have a syllable count of 3, 5, 3, 3, 7, 5.

Virus

weary soul
invisible scars
tenderly
heal in time
slowly becoming new skin
touched by cleansing light
Margaret Simon, draft

To see how the Inklings approached this challenge, here are their links:
Mary Lee Hahn
Heidi Mordhorst
Molly Hogan
Linda Mitchell

The Kidlit Progressive poem is with Denise Krebs today at Dare to Care.


Read Full Post »

This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Mural Art

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Progressive poem, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged , , , on April 2, 2025| 18 Comments »

Mural in process at The Southern Linen Company, New Iberia, Louisiana

I was running late for a lunch date with friends, but I had to stop. The artists, Hannah Gumbo and Terez Molitor, were hard at work painting this bright and cheerful mural. A little while later, they stopped for lunch at the same cafe. I was able to get their names and thank them for their tireless work on the mural. They both lit up. Creating this art brought them joy. And now it will bring joy to passers-by. Public art is for everyone!

Can you write a small poem inspired by this photo? Join us in the comments. After you write, be sure to stop back by to leave some comment love on other writers’ poems. Together we are creating art with words.

At Ethical ELA Verselove, Leilya inspires us to write a tricube poem. This form is 3 stanzas of 3 lines with 3 syllables each.

Mural Art

In spring, red
dances with
yellow light.

Buds become
butterfly,
bee feeders.

Painted walls
fill my heart
with delight.
Margaret Simon, draft

The Kidlit Progressive Poem is with Tricia today.

Read Full Post »

Slice of Life Day 21: Poetry Friday: The Way to Breathe

Posted in nature, Poetry, Poetry Friday, Slice of Life, Writing, tagged , , , on March 21, 2025| 19 Comments »

Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for creating an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write and share.
Sun dappled live oak on Bayou Teche

EnneaThought® for the Day

Type Four EnneaThought®

“Are you still yearning for your ideal life? Appreciate the small daily pleasures, kind words, and heartfelt exchanges that are already present. You’re already more appreciated than you may think.”

I am a type four on the Enneagram. I’m the one who cries, who ponders over the past, and who turns to romanticism. Daily the message for me is to be present. Be still and know…

Recently I have felt rushed and busy. I try to take some time or myself in walks and in writing time. What space can I give to just being in the moment? How can I slow down to breathe and be present?

In poetry, I find a place to be present. When I write with specificity and imagery, I feel present. I also like the comfort of anaphora, a phrase that leads to a new thought. This poem I wrote in response to a prompt on Ethical ELA here from Sarah Donovan. She used the mentor poem “A Place to Breathe” by Christine Hartman Derr from a free Ethical ELA anthology Just YA.

There’s a Way to Breathe Today

It’s the way the sun
dapples the oak tree
with a halo of light.

It’s the way the cypress
needles pop out like
green leprechauns.

It’s the way a bayou
runs through and around
a town of ancestry.

It’s the way I sit
at my table with coffee
and a pen.
Margaret Simon, draft

I hope you find a little corner to breathe in today. Find stillness. Find peace. Write about it.

Don’t forget to sign up for a place in the Kidlit Progressive Poem.

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Rose Capelli at Imagine the Possibilities.

Read Full Post »

Slice of Life Day 18: Zooming with Kim

Posted in Slice of Life, Writing, tagged , , on March 18, 2025| 5 Comments »

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

“How did we meet, Kim?”

She knew right away. “I first knew you from your writing,” she said. “We met face to face when I was in the elevator at NCTE with my boot on because I had a broken foot.”

It all flooded back to me. Anaheim, California. NCTE 2022. I had been writing beside Kim and others at Ethical ELA, and this was our first in-person conference since 2019. I remember when we gathered on and around a bench in the convention center to write together. I remember going to the Slicer dinner and Kim had hobbled her way there, but we insisted she get an Uber back to her hotel.

On the Zoom call, we did not talk about all of this. We were recording our session for the Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival coming up in April in Hattiesburg, MS. The recording went well as we easily talked with each other about writing poetry, how writing with others can be validating, healing, and can lead to a connection with another person. Kim knows me better than many of my face to face friends because we write. Writing creates an intimate connection. It helps that we both have dogs and grandkids and live in the south. Kim’s Georgian accent makes me feel right at home.

While we were recording our session, we took the opportunity to share the Ethical ELA site. This is the week of the Open Write which happens for five days each month. Different community members offer a prompt. We opened up the webpage and scrolled to find Kim’s poem pretty close to my poem of the day. Another thing we share is we are early morning writers.

If you are looking for a safe place to write and share poetry, try Ethical ELA. At first it may seem intimidating, but, believe me, the community of writers is worth the risk. Today is the last day of Open Write and the prompt is from Katrina Morris, a Dictionary Poem. Join us?!

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »