Thank a Chore

Starting to Stack

Photo by Amy LV   

 

Students - Most years, I write a poem about firewood because I love trees, love wintertime fires, and love stacking logs and bits of wood. You can see 2024's firewood poem in the sidebar now or search it in the search box: "All of this Firewood." 

 

Today's poem thanks a chore, and I challenge you to consider trying this. Thank a chore! It is easy to find ourselves complaining about or dreading chores, but usually, once our bodies get going, it can be possible to find a light in the work, to see how it matters, to make it as good as we can. This is true of anything: our attitude is largely a choice.

 

Did you notice the word soonhere in today's verse? You're right, it isn't a real word. Originally I had written coming days of snow, but then I decided to be more playful. So if you wish, go ahead - smush some words.

 

And the ending meter, all stretched out here? I realize that this breaks the meter I had set up. I might have written soonhere days of snow to keep the meter straight, but instead I stretched out the line breaks and words too - in the soonhere/days/and nights/of endless/twinkling/snow. When we write, we play. Words are swings and slides and bikes and jumpropes....play on!

Margaret is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at Reflections on the Teche with a couple of beautiful original poems inspired by an interesting challenge that I plan to try. Each Poetry Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community. 

This week I wish you the good fun of imagining that a tree or flower or animal or object is thinking or feeling or talking...or all three! Have a playful party in your brain!

xo,

a.

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Personify Something

Gratitude and Her Sunflowers

Photo by Amy LV 

 

Students - In the picture atop this post, you can see my little yellow and blue writing shed. I have named her Gratitude after a line in the poem 'The Place I Want to Get Back To' by Mary Oliver. Usually though, I just call her The Shed. At this time of year, one must push the sunflowers aside to get to Gratitude's door, and I imagine this is why I wrote about sunflowers today. Walking out there to get something yesterday evening, I just stopped and marveled at how VERY TALL these sunflowers are, how MUCH TALLER they are than all other flowers around these parts. So I took their picture....and just got to writing.

At first, I thought I might try drafting at the keyboard. But then, I heard my notebook sigh. So a handwritten poem it was...and both notebook and I were much happier for it. I had no idea of what to write but knew it would begin with the TALLNESS of the sunflowers. I wrote the first line and then just followed wordy breadcrumb to wordy breadcrumb...and there we were. 

It feels playful to imagine human qualities in non-humans....sunflowers are not aunts or uncles, they do not whisper prayers or have toes. But when we write, sunflowers can have toes. Sunflowers can whisper prayers. Sunflowers can be like aunts and uncles. You may consider trying this. Look at an object or plant, or even an animal. Imagine what it might say, think, feel. Jot some of these ideas down, and if one feels particularly interesting to you, write more from it. After all, no one in this whole world thinks about things just the way you do.

When we give non-humans human qualities in our writing, we call this personification.

I did have a writing helper as I worked on today's poem.We have a new little round table, given to us by a friend who no longer wanted it, and I revised outside and Winnie joined me. She was looking out at a garden, but I waved my hands to make her look at me so that you could see her too.

Winnie and the Sunflower Draft

Photo by Amy LV 

Tricia is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at The Miss Rumphius Effect with a delightful poem inspired by the phrase, "It's all my fault" and written from a dog's point of view. Each Poetry Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community. 

This week I wish you the good fun of imagining that a tree or flower or animal or object is thinking or feeling or talking...or all three! Have a playful party in your brain!

xo,

a.

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Give a Suggestion to Your Readers

 

A New Friend

Drawing by Amy LV 

 

Students - I have been away for two months, and it is so good to be here again. If you are starting back to school, welcome back! I wish you a year of new friends and new ideas. Writing is a way to make both.

Last night I woke up when it was still dark and imagined making friends with a word - right away, I knew the word was Cinnamon. Was it because I love this word? Was it because my mom's dog's name is Cinnamon? I will never know for sure. But no matter how this word and idea popped into my mind, I am grateful they did.

Today's poem gives a suggestion to the reader - invite a word to be your friend. It is a bit of advice and a bit of whimsy. And it is also a bit of an idea of how to start a poem. If you're looking to write something new, you might consider giving your readers a smidge of advice. This may be true, practical, real life advice...or it may be playful, imaginary, wee-bit-silly advice. Or it may be a mix of both. You are the writer, so you will decide.

One more writing thought. Please know that I never use AI in any way in my writing. I do not use it to find ideas, to draft, to revise. I do not use AI in my writing at all. The reason for this is that I write for the journey and to grow my thinking and mind more than for any end product. We humans can find all kinds of things - tables, chairs, poems, songs, art ideas, stories, and on and on - inside of our very own human minds. 

If you decide to invite a word to become your friend and write a poem about it, I would very much like to read it. 

Linda is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at TeacherDance with a wise poem of remembrance for this day in history. Each Poetry Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community. 

May you wrap yourself in good, warm, simple words...

xo,

a. 

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Write about a Prize...and a Peek!

Next Project: Cherry Hand Pies

Photo by Amy LV 

 

 

Students - Last week when my husband and I were driving home from the Rochester, NY Public Market, he pulled the car over and said, "Let's stop at this roadside stand. I've always wanted to stop here." Lo and behold...hand pies! There were all kinds of goodies from vegetables to fruits to jams to cookies and big pies and small hand pies baked by the Amish. We each got a glazed blackberry hand pie, and it was one of the best things I have ever eaten. I could not stop talking about all of the times I have loved hand pies (those peach hand pies at a soccer game made by Stacey's mom!) and all of the times I have vowed to try making them. Well, I'm making them now. Above you can see the start of my first attempt. And I'll post a picture of the finish later.

 

Sometimes a moment is so surprisingly sweet that it is better than anything you could plan or imagine, the best kind of prize. Today's memory is sweet for me in many ways. In the pie way, of course, but also in the surprise way. And by writing about it today, I am able to enjoy it yet again...and to share it with you too. I do wish that I could finish baking these hand pies here and pass them out through the screen. Please know that I would if I could.

 

This summer, I recommend paying close attention to small events that bring you unexpected joy. Simple things that when given attention become big things. Then, write about one of these so that you can live it again and again. And others can too. If a memory is tapping at your memory door now, go ahead and write about that one. A prize you didn't know you could win.

 

If we look, we can find a small prize in every day. Let's do that looking.  

And now...a Poetry Peek!

 

Today I am grateful to welcome Teacher Raina Mehlman and her second grade poets from Seely Place Elementary School in Edgemont, NY. For the past several years, I have been fortunate enough to write ekphrastic (poems inspired by art) with the second graders at Seely Place, and I am honored to host these thoughtful poems today. Please notice the students' writing choices around point of view, line breaks, and wordplay. These poems grew from students' impressions and imaginings as they each studied one art postcard (chosen from hundreds) and immersed themselves in a new world. 

 

Click the Lower Right to Enlarge Slideshow

It is wise to consider that art inspires art. So if you are not sure what to write or draw or sing today, follow the lead of these students. Look at art. Listen to music. Read someone else's words. And you, too, will take a journey. Perhaps one of these poems will inspire one of your own. Thank you again, Raina and poets.

Jan is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at Bookseedstudio with a beautiful photograph taken by her daughter and a life-reminder quote. Each Poetry Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.  

I wish you a snippet of wonderful surprise this week. Be open enough to let it find you.

xo,

a.

 

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Become Something New

 

Hummingbird Feeder in the Morning Garden

Photo by Amy LV 

 

Students -  Today's little poem is a sonnet, a word that comes from the Italian word sonetto, a word that means "little song." And a poem is, indeed, a little song, isn't it? Sonnets generally have 14 lines and a strict rhyme form. Not all lines in the poem above have a matching rhyming line as in many sonnets, but I do take much from the form here. And yes, it is about something that happens often in our garden - a hummingbird flies by, and I think it is a bee.

 

Have you ever wished to become something other than yourself for a day...or just an hour? Have you ever felt that you HAVE been something different than yourself? Here are a few writing paths you might wish to explore this week, or this summer.

 

• Think of something you would like to be for a short bit of time. Write about this imagined life.
• Think of something you feel you have actually been before (maybe you haven't been it, but it FEELS like you have been it). Write your memories. 
• Do something active away from screens. Do this activity a bit each day. You will find that thoughts of the activity will become a part of your thinking and a part of your soul. Each day, I visit my messy gardens and pull some weeds or move a plant, and each day those plants become part of me. I began knowing nothing about gardening, and each day I learn a little bit. Remember that you do not need to know a lot about something to begin. And summer is a perfect time for new learnings.

If you would like to learn more about the sonnet form, visit The Poetry Foundation HERE. 

Buffy is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at Buffy Silverman with some gardening goodness (and hardship) that inspired her gray tree frog poem titled "Queen of the Prairie." Each Poetry Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.  

Become something new! Become what you are! You are the only you that ever will be!

xo,

a.

 

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Garden Magic...and a Poetry Peek

Foxgloves

Photo by Amy LV

 

Close Up of Foxgloves

Photo by Amy LV

 

 

Students -  The flowers are taking their turn on the stage of my garden, and two foxgloves are here! Today's poem is a poem I feel I must have written before, I so often daydream about foxes sticking their paws into flowers. I also found this in my baby book this morning. Could it be that this question from a second grade assignment has remained in my mind for all of these years?

 

 

Second Grade Work

Photo by Amy LV 

This week, I encourage you to consider blending a bit of reality with a bit of magic. The natural world offers us many beauties and surprises and wonders, and by stretching our imaginations, we can make up stories that may not be real, but may bring us a lot of joy. And you, like me, might wish to repeat words throughout your poem. Sometimes repetition can bring us comfort.

 

And now...a Poetry Peek! 

 

Today I welcome a young writer named Liav. His grandfather, Gerard Sarnat, wrote to ask if Liav might share his piece here, so we offer you this happy imagined November moment on this day in early June. Liav, too, blends his reality with his imagination in his writing about a turkey.

Thank you to Liav and Gerard for this smile of a piece today.

Mona is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at Mona Voelkel with her poem "Sandcastle" along with some other joyful writing thoughts. Each Poetry Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.  

May you find magic in the week ahead....

xo,

a.

 

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If you are under 13 years old, please only comment 

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Describe a Place

 

Three Bathtubs in Monroe, Utah

Photo by Amy LV 

 

 

 

Students - This past week, my husband and I visited our daughter and her boyfriend in Utah, and I saw my first desert and soaked in my first hot spring. While there were actually five bathtubs and two soaking tubs where we soaked (and yes, we did soak in each one), this picture of three bathtubs sticks with me. It was so strange and cool, so surprising. It makes me think about all of the many things in this world that have surprised me in the past, will surprise me in the future, and that I will never experience at all.

 

We don't travel a lot, so many of my surprises are right here at home: a new-to-me plant, an exceptionally beautiful sky, a morning of glitter-snow.  Today, consider looking around where you live, remembering places you have visited, strolling through books of places you have never been...and choose one small place and time to describe in your poem. Perhaps you, like, me, will come to a new idea as you write about a place. I realize that my imagination can always always grow.

Did you notice that I repeated the last line of my poem? I did this because I am honestly still marveling about this new picture (three bathtubs on a red hill) that now forever lives in my mind. 

Mary Lee is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at A(Nother)Year of Reading with a delicious poetry potluck for these early early summer days. Each Poetry Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.  

I wish you delight!

xo,

a.

 

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If you are under 13 years old, please only comment 

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