This is poem #2 in Story Poem Week, a week during which each of my poems will tell a little story. This one is a bit more evil than my usual offerings.
Students - once again, I'm struck by noticing how poems come like dreams. I am sure that this one is a combination many things. A couple of weeks ago, I read an essay by a third grader about the importance of not murdering spiders. I'm sure that I also thought about the picture book HEY LITTLE ANT by Phillip and Hannah Hoose. I brushed a spider from a friend's shoulder yesterday and we find spiders in our old home daily.
To write these story poems, I find myself asking that question again..."What if...?" Today I asked, "What if gigantic spiders really DID come after the children who hurt them?" These story poems are fun to write because your imagination can run like a wild horse through a violet evening.
Teachers and Parents - This thought of killing small creatures reminds me of one of my favorite poems, "For a Five Year Old" by Fleur Adcock. Her words are a reminder to be more present, be more kind, be more who I wish to be.
Teachers and Parents - This thought of killing small creatures reminds me of one of my favorite poems, "For a Five Year Old" by Fleur Adcock. Her words are a reminder to be more present, be more kind, be more who I wish to be.
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Attack of the Spider Sisters. I love how the poem blurs the line between real and make believe.
ReplyDeleteA few months ago, when it was much too cold for her to survive outside, I brought a Sister Spider that I found in the school hallway to my classroom and put her in the geranium pots to live in comfort for the rest of the winter.
ReplyDeleteOne day during indoor recess, there was a lot of screaming and commotion over by the window and I learned that some "well-meaning" girls had killed the friend I had gone to such lengths to save. They were INCREDULOUS that I not only knew about that spider, but that I had saved her and put her there. They couldn't BELIEVE how upset I was that they had killed her for no good reason other than that's what you (you meaning their adult role models at home) do when you find a spider inside.
I'm going to put this poem up on the smartboard tomorrow morning and I hope it gives those spider murders nightmares! NIGHTMARES I say! Muhwaaa haaa haaa...
murderers, not murders
ReplyDeleteshould have re-read and edited one more time
Thank you Barry and Mary Lee! It's fun to explore the dark side...and Mary Lee, you make me laugh!! A.
ReplyDeleteToby, Thank you for your thoughts about my poems. It's fun to be a sister spider for a few lines! You reminded me of a poem I love that connects in a small way to today's post and I just added it up there. Thank you! A.
ReplyDeleteI love your poems - I'll be following your blog -- and sharing your poems with my daughters!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this gift of poetry that you share. Can I share it with my students?
ReplyDeleteBrian
Dear Amy LV
ReplyDeleteHow nice that words Hannah and I wrote so long ago have infiltrated your dreams and helped give rise to such an awesome poem!
Phillip Hoose
Andrea, Welcome...and many thanks! I hope you will stay in touch...I'd love to feature your class and/or daughters' work if they like to write poems. :) A.
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Brian, Hi there, blogging friend! Yes, these poems are written for classroom use - however you see fit!
A.
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Phillip, What fun that you found this post. Your book is one of my favorites, and I carry it around often to schools. I guess it had to creep into a poem at some point. Thank you for bringing it into the world! A.