We departed from our typical routine today of writing in response to a picture prompt.  Today, we listened and watched poems, we discussed them and compared experiencing poetry to reading poetry.

After responding, we brainstormed – everyday ideas that might become the subject of poems.  Then we wrote.  We thought, we talked, we wrote.

Below are the poems I created during each class.  Maybe I’ve been reading a bit too much poetry to the kids lately because I’m finding myself drawn to the rhyming patterns of verse more so than the sprawling free verse style I usually write.  Or maybe, they seem more lighthearted and that’s something I could use a little more of these days.

Either way, here they are in all their first draft glory! 🙂

First Hour

The click-clicking of keyboards,
and kids spinning in chairs,
they’re writing poetry
or wearing blank stares.
“We can write about anything,”
one student asks,
“Uh huh,” I reply
settling into the task.
I watch as they write
Onto screens
they download
their minds,
What it means
Is for others to find.

Second Hour

(Inspired by a conversation I had with Hayden)

The cuddles and snuggles
of soft puppy fur,
The smell of sweet
puppy kisses.
There’s something
stirring within me for sure,
something my heart just misses.
I know in my mind
how insane it would be
to add a dog to our crew.
So for now, I’ll just wish
for squeak toys and a dish
and quietly cry, “Boo Hoo!”

Third Hour

I watch and I wonder what goes through their minds
As they sift and search for a poem there to find.
Some students sit, unwilling to try
Some refuse to stop talking to those nearby.
Others provide a comment or two
“I think this is cheesy, what about you?”
These students of mine, I wish they could see
The potential they have to write beautifully.