March 19, 2011 19th Slice of Life As I have been writing with a poetry group of middle school students, I have an audience that is supportive & that I want to please, but also it's important to model different areas of poetry. Students have personal choice in this group, & try on different poetry 'hats' to seek one they love to wear & that they feel they are good at. I copy the poems so that we can see the poem while the author reads it, & so each of us, at the end of the group, have quite a lot of poems to re-read, to savor, & these are by their classmates! We also share poems by published writers where I am often amazed at the breadth & depth of what they find to bring to the group, & at what they like. It's a lovely experience each year. However, this year I do not have my own classroom anymore, & another teacher has shared some of his students so that I can have a group again. I am grateful! This week we have been examining the rhythm of poetry.
My poem for the Monday meeting:
The Day Before The First Day of Spring
I want
I want
More warmth than a hot bath
gives me
More color than seed catalogs
show me
More light than Edison invented
for me
I want Spring!
I want
I want
Fewer clothes than Winter
allows me
Fewer curtains closing the outdoors
from me
Fewer colds requiring tissues
around me
I want Spring!
I really enjoyed your poem. I loved your use of repetition: I want; more, fewer. Your details were original, I especially liked "more light than Edison invented" and "fewer curtains closing the outdoors'.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with Nora - the repetition of "I want" hints at the tentativeness of these early days in spring. And I like the images you chose to present in your wants.
ReplyDeleteRepetition of "I want" is great...describes my feelings exactly. Green is popping up.
ReplyDeleteI read this out loud with my kids. Now they are marching up to the bathtub chanting "I want Spring! I want Spring!" Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI want more teachers like you who open the door to young poets and invite them right in! Does that count for anything.?
ReplyDeleteBonnie
If your group is on a volunteer basis for the students I'm impressed that there is enough to form such a group. I can honestly say I would never have join such group as a middle schooler. Now my daughter on the other hand-a definite yes.
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