Posts
We've arrived at the last Friday of the first month....how are those resolutions holding up? My relationship with "at ease" is growing. This week, DeoWriter hosts the Poetry-Friday Round Up. Thank you, Jone!
I enjoyed a week of writing prompts from Ethical ELA with guest, Stacey Joy (@Joyteamstars). The week of writing from these exercises is intense. It's a little hard for me to keep up. In fact, on Day 5 I fell asleep drafting my poem and woke up dazed in the early hours in a downstairs chair. Ha!
Nevertheless, I'm amazed at the poems teacher-writers are able to produce quickly. Stacey Joy's prompts helped me connect with memories and write in new ways.
Day 5 Challenge was 'Call of Words'
My Response:
Word List gathered from, Telling My Father, by James Crews, a poem featured on The Slowdown on the day of the challenge.
found
crow
tab
reek
eyeliner
smiled
storm door
waiting
orange juice
patch
sunlight
Linda's Poem (still untitled)
I found a poem
early this morning
drinking coffee
at the kitchen table.
It was stirring in sugar
watching through the window
at crows perched on power lines
squabbling over night news
from opposite sides of the street.
The written page was eyeliner streaked
after a long night.
Quietly, I grabbed orange juice
from the fridge. Stepped through
the storm door
onto the porch
leaving poem
to write us
some sunlight.
(c) Linda Mitchell
 |
| Patch of sunlight taken by Linda |
Any poem that includes crows is a favorite, Linda. You're captured this moment so sweetly, a "my time" poem. I love about the eyeliner along with "leaving poem/to write us/some sunlight." Fun that you're doing this new challenge, too! I'll look forward to more!
ReplyDeleteA new challenge and a new way of looking at a subject. "I found a poem" - the muse joined you. "Leaving poem to write us some sunlight" and sunlight found you. I like this format and waiting to see what you title this poem. I am leaving for Reston this Saturday and heading home on Thursday. We are helping to take care of Aurora who still wants to breast feed every 2 hours. My daughter is exhausted so there may not be time to even give you a call.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your grandbaby time. I have a college kid coming home from an apprenticeship with two friends who will be in and out, doing laundry, needing shopping and getting back to school. Not sure I'll even be able to catch a phone call. x
DeleteLinda, I arrived home without a minute to spar during our trip to Virginia. Off to read SJT posts and ready to write the PF post.
DeleteLovely poem, Linda! Especially like the ending. :)
ReplyDeleteYour poetry muse must like the early morning hours--you've painted such a vivid, peaceful picture. I felt I was right there sipping coffee with you both.
ReplyDeleteSurely this isn't the first time you fell asleep writing a poem, Linda. I do so frequently... I think it actually helps loosen my tightly-wound brain. :) Thanks for the poetry-shine today!
ReplyDeleteLinda, this is FABULOUS! Made me think of Billy Collins' "Monday," even though the form/structure is very different. (http://poetry-fromthehart.blogspot.com/2011/06/monday-billy-collins.html) I love it!
ReplyDeleteI love "ten words" prompts and this is inspired! You take the first line as the title and start the poem with "early one morning..."
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful, Linda. ❤️ (the only thing that would have made it any better would have been "Tab" in it ;-))
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOops! I accidently deleted my comment. Your poem is so clever and fun to read. You did an beautiful job with this poem, and I'm inspired ot use these words to write one of my own!
ReplyDeleteLinda: I love your rich language (perched, squabbling), the word play of stirring in sugar, and that the poem takes on a life of its own. They do, don't they? Thanks so much for this post!
ReplyDeleteWhat a delight! The specific details bring that coffee-drinking poem to life! I also love the end lines.
ReplyDeleteI love your poem and admire your willingness to take on the challenges of writing with Ethical ELA. I am amazed at the poetry produced. Your phrase, "leaving poem to write us some sunlight" is exquisite. Thanks for including the pic too. Sunlight has been a rare commodity for us in January. I'm hoping February will be better.
ReplyDeleteI loved this poem on The Slowdown! It's so fun to see how you wove words and phrases into an almost-response poem. Almost kind of from the father's point of view.
ReplyDeleteThanks for turning me on to Ethical ELA. I couldn't keep up, either, but I took some of the prompts to my students with great success. I try to catch The Slowdown as often as I can. Gathering words from other poets makes me feel more confident in my own creation. I love how the poem becomes personified in your poem. The words you gathered, like eyeliner, guided your hand freely.
ReplyDeleteI love this! Great work!
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful, Linda! I love the personification.
ReplyDeleteI will get to the poems from Ethical ELA. I love them and must make time. I loved this line:
ReplyDelete"The written page was eyeliner streaked
after a long night."