Following Amanda Gorman's Lead

 Happy Friday, Poets

It's March, and our friend Kat Apel is hosting Poetry Friday with a shiny new picture book in her cap. Congratulations, Kat! I sincerely hope we get a chance to see A Bird in the Herd (UQP 2020) in US markets. Does anyone know someone that knows someone that can let us ... know?

The SWAGGERs have been trying to keep up with life these days. Teaching and writing sometimes require more minutes than we have to spare. I was thankful Margaret suggested following Amanda Gorman's #agoodtimetowrite by finding words in an existing text to inspire a new poem. See the process explained by Ms. Gorman here--it's simple and fun. Join us!

I listened to Kent State (Scholastic 2020) recently. When I finished the book I made a list of words and chose some from that to create nonets that bookend the cover of Wiles work below. The book is quite an experience to listen to. It touched me deeply and leads me to the final question of my poems. I recommend reading or listening to it.

nonets (c) Linda Mitchell. Book Cover: Wiles, Deborah. “Kent State by Deborah Wiles.” Deborah Wiles, 6 Aug. 2020, deborahwiles.com/kent-state-by-deborah-wiles/.

Peace 

Rocks 

Ring 

Hey– your papers, you dropped peace, rocks, ring. 

They flutter-fell out of your book 

onto the sidewalk, just here. 

Simple, powerful words— 

too weighty to lose. 

These little gems. 

mean so much 

to me. 

You?

Class-Campus-Protest 

Oh? 

Thank you 

I’m writing-- 

History class-- 

The Kent State shootings. 

My head’s still in the book- 

those eyewitness accounts of 

all those kids protesting a war. 

Just like us – but shot on campus 

Does the past really repeat itself?

My SWAGGER pals are taking up the challenge as well!

Molly at Nix the Comfort Zone
Heidi at My Juicy Little Universe
Catherine at Reading to the Core
Margaret at Reflections on the Teche

Heads up -- there's a new poem on Hamish's padlet.