metaphor poem | Reflections on the Teche

Posts Tagged ‘metaphor poem’

This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Shadow Triptych

Posted in Photography, Poetry, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged Mary Lee Hahn, metaphor poem, shadows, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, triptych on August 6, 2025| 11 Comments »

On Poetry Friday, Mary Lee used this photo she took of herself with her brother and her nephew to inspire a triptych poem. I am reposting here with permission.

A triptych poem follows the guidelines similar to a triptych painting with three distinct panels tied together by color and theme. Here is a copy of Mary Lee’s poem about the photo.

I’ve been taking a course with Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. Last week she shared a poem by Matthew Rohrer, “There is Absolutely Nothing Lonelier”. I borrowed his first line to write my photo poem today.

There is nothing more hopeful
than summer shadows
following a path—
reaching long, like stilts
on festival clowns.
I wonder if my shadow
would fit in; it’s certainly tall enough.
Shadows still to welcome all.
Margaret Simon, draft

Please join me in writing today to this photo. Leave a small poem in the comments and offer encouragement to each other.

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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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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Boo!

Posted in Photography, Poetry, Teaching, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #writeout, Halloween, metaphor poem, Spanish moss, This Photo Wants to be a Poem on October 23, 2024| 19 Comments »

If you have a tree covered in moss, then you must hang a ghost there.

I’ve taken a number of pictures of Halloween decorations thinking about the photo for this week. This one is the winner. In my neck of the woods (South Louisiana), moss covered trees are common. My husband grew up calling it “spooky moss”. It is the common Spanish moss, and on some trees, the stuff practically takes over the tree, even though I’ve read that moss is a bromeliad in the pineapple family and does not harm the tree.

“Many homeowners think that Spanish moss kills their trees. This is not the case because the moss is not parasitic. The only thing Spanish moss uses trees for is support.” University of Florida.

Yesterday as we were writing metaphors for artifacts in nature (#WriteOut), Avalyn created this form:
The (A, An) object in nature
is/is like …
describe how it is like
end with a connection to life

I tried the form when writing about milkweed seeds. I combined it with a prompt from Ethical ELA to write with words from paint chips here.

A milkweed seed
is a great white egret
showing off its lacy wings
to the mirrored pool in the sky.
Margaret Simon, draft

Spanish moss
are stalactites
hanging on a crepe myrtle
hosting ghostly terrormites.
Margaret Simon, draft

Now it’s your turn. You can try Avalyn’s form or use your own. Please encourage other writers with your responses. Happy Halloween!

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