Wood Thrush - After Hitting a Window
Photo by Amy LV
Doing OK
Photo by Amy LV
Flown Away!
Photo by Amy LV
Students - Today's poem tells the story I share with a little wood thrush, a story this bird and I lived together just yesterday morning. It is a story with a happy ending, but I at first I could not know how it would end. I was worried about this pretty bird who hit my living room window, worried about this small body so beautiful in its feathers.
My poem above is a poem of address, a poem which speaks directly to someone or something, in this case - a small soft wood thrush. Have you ever found yourself talking to something that cannot talk back to you? Sometimes I talk to keys and socks that I cannot find, asking them to come out and make themselves seen. Sometimes I talk to my kitten. Sometimes I talk to my car. In a poem of address, you can come right out and talk to whatever, whomever you wish.
So many congratulations to the wise and wonderful Jacqueline Woodson, who this week was named by The Poetry Foundation as our new Young People's Poet Laureate. Author of BROWN GIRL DREAMING, THE OTHER SIDE, SHOW WAY, LOCOMOTION, and many more books for young readers, Jackie is a gift to us all. I can't wait to see what she does for poetry...for children...for humanity...in her new position.
It is summertime now, and I wish everyone many beautiful adventures outside. Don't forget, though, to take your notebook with you! You may lalready know that I am collecting ideas for summer notebooking ideas over at my other blog, Sharing Our Notebooks, and I invite you to visit and share your own idea too. It is great fun to learn about all of the ways people find writing and drawing ideas - 66 and counting!
Today I'd like to especially thank third grade teacher Kim Doele and her students from Wealthy Elementary in East Grand Rapids Michigan. These students have shared so many great posts and ideas at Sharing Our Notebooks. Many readers have already told me through Twitter how excited they are to try these students' notebooking ideas.
Below you can find links to these students' specific posts at Sharing Our Notebooks. Big hugs to all of you!
Buffy Silverman is hosting today's Poetry Friday extravaganza over at Buffy's Blog. Head right on over there to join in the poetry fun!
Please share a comment below if you wish.
I've had this happen as well, Amy. It seemed like I was holding my breath for an age, waiting for signs of life. Thank goodness for happy endings! Love how you tell the story in photos as well as poetry.
ReplyDeleteBrowsing through your notebook celebration has been a joy. Wonderful student posts!
I am having my kids write ideas for sharing your notebook too! I'll send them to you as soon as they are ready. I love your poem and am so glad that lovely friend flew off. xo
ReplyDeleteOh, my. I am so glad there was a happy ending. How sweet that you found a box for him to rest and recover in.
ReplyDeleteYour notebook sharing is growing and growing. I love this resource and now with so many students contributing! I wish I were still in school to share these with my kids.
Poor thing - glad he was ok! We had two phoebes slam into our upstairs windows last year and, alas, didn't survive. It was especially sad because we named our daughter, Phoebe, after the ones who come back year after year to make their nest above our front door.
ReplyDeleteSo happy that you posted the varied pics & that he's okay. I don't have that problem now but did at my other house. Poor birds, thinking that they're flying into sky. Love seeing so many notebook/sketching ideas Amy!
ReplyDeleteOh, I hate when that happens. We have such large windows and live in the woods, so birds frequently hit my windows. I always feel terrible when that happens...the cat does too, as he can't get outside to fetch them while they are stunned!
ReplyDeleteHayden's link is incorrect - In case anyone is looking for this poem it is here: http://www.sharingournotebooks.amylv.com/p/try-writing-mask-poem.html
ReplyDeletePoor birdie! Glad he/she recovered!!
ReplyDeleteSo glad your wood thrush's misfortune had a happy ending. We moved our bird feeders closer to the house this year to avoid the glass crashing--that's helped a lot, but wouldn't help your thrush. I love the voice in this poem, especially in the fourth stanza.
ReplyDeleteBy the title, Amy, I thought we were in for This is Just to Say poem like William Carlos Williams' apology for eating the plums! Of course, you are really not to blame for the window looking like sky. I love how the line about the wood thrush's eye following you offers hope that she will recover.
ReplyDeleteYou. Amazing. Inspirational. I don't have to look for a poem idea, there is one right there in every little moment of my life. I could write about the sound of the wind through the open windows this morning...
ReplyDeleteThe notebook post is a national treasure. It will be as fabulous in the fall for my new group of writers as it is this summer!
Amy,
ReplyDeleteYou tell this story so well, through pictures, poetry, and example of an address. I will remember this poetry form well, thanks to you.