The Sunrise Story

I don't feel like writing today but here I am, I show up I've missed many days I feel like I've failed, still I show up I've learned that life is messy, unexpected, hard, and beautiful... and the only thing I must do is this… I show up. Sharing an original poem everyday in the month of April. Happy National Poetry Month!

I was struggling to write poetry this morning. I didn't want to. I wanted to give up and stop...and then I got to school.  I was greeted with Amy saying, "I need you to read this. I need a good ending. It needs...something. What do you think?" I read her poem, "Sky"  and we brainstormed some ideas. I suggested repeating the first line at the end. She scrunched up her face. I love a writer who is really the boss of her own writing. I asked her what she wanted her reader to feel as the poem ended. She said, "Not too happy, but not too sad." I suggested a few lines and she came up with her own (which was better than any of my suggestions)! This encounter was followed by a found poem written by Isabel from lines in the book she's reading, Sure Signs of Crazy . Isabel borrowed lines from the book and arranged them into a powerful poem. You can read it here . I shared the poem with the amazing Karen Harrington , the author of Sure Signs of Crazy, on ...

We are writing daily in sixth grade. I am so proud of my students. They show up everyday. They write. They share their writing. They live like writers too.  Yesterday, I challenged my students to live like writers and listen for good lines at lunch. When they came back from lunch, one student wrote a hilarious slice of life about a mini-food fight. My favorite line, "I look up and there is a dangerous smile on her face." My favorite part of this experience is how this student was laughing while she was writing her slice. She kept cracking up. She is living like a writer. She is paying attention and using everyday experiences in her writing! I got to see the words of Robert Frost come to life in front of me!  We are currently practicing our weekly slice of life blogging while we are continuing with our poetry writing. I have more than twenty students who are participating in our poetry challenge. These students show up everyday and write and post a poem.  Next we...

Sharing an original poem everyday in the month of April. Happy National Poetry Month! I spent Sunday (well, much of the weekend, cleaning and organizing). I didn't post a poem, but here's my Sunday poem, today!  All day cleaning... Music eases the boredom and monotony of cleaning. Singing like I’m on the Broadway stage makes the time zoom and suddenly I’m done and everything is clean. My second poem is a haiku for Monday, calling for some sunshine... Rainy Mondays are slower and it’s hard to start Sunshine! Where are you?

Thank you to Ruth Ayres for providing this space to share our celebrations. Please join us and share your own! Today I celebrate the luxury I have to "introvert". These past few weeks have felt  non-stop...no quiet. These weeks have been filled with lots of good things, but I'm yearning for some introverting time. This weekend is my quiet time. I'll breathe. I'll walk. I'll eat. I'll rest. I'll do. I'll be... all in quiet This sounds heavenly to me. Enjoy your weekend and remember to take some time to care for yourself. I'm reminded of what I learned from flying on airplanes...

Sharing an original poem everyday in the month of April. Happy National Poetry Month! He just walked in… the front door just like everyone else Shouldn’t poets have a special entrance? A yellow brick road… A red carpet… A secret passage... Shouldn’t there be fanfare?   Trumpets… Red carpet… People cheering… Instead he quietly walks in the front door like you like me. Poets deserve swanky entrances with lots of Pomp and Circumstance like a King or a Queen… Because poets make magic from words, they make words dance cry shout laugh They make words enchanted. My Magical Power Every morning we wait for announcements, so we can begin our day. I confess… my impatience! I want to start, so I refuse to wait. As soon as I start to speak, it’s magic! Every. Single. Time. The announcements begin, at that exact moment when I begin to speak. My students laugh, every...

Sharing an original poem everyday in the month of April. Happy National Poetry Month! Life zooms Too fast I must Remember to Slow down... To stop. Look around Allow my Eyes to wander Breath to steady Mind to focus on Delights everywhere

Sharing an original poem everyday in the month of April. Happy National Poetry Month! So much swishing around in my head… Did I finish…? When will I…? I have to ....! Oh no, I forgot…! Too much swirling and gushing around inside my brain! I want to turn it off just for a moment. Silence. Breathe. In. Out. In. Out. Now, what needs to get done? First, Next, After that I will, All of the swirls and gushes fall into place and finally I feel better.

Sharing an original poem everyday in the month of April. Happy National Poetry Month! Good Morning, Monday! I wish you would stay away For just one more day.

Sharing an original poem everyday in the month of April. Happy National Poetry Month! I spent Saturday at the Claggett Center  for the Courage to Teach and Lead Retreat . I found out about this opportunity late on Friday and I was able to participate for the day. It was amazing. Here's a found poem from my day. These words and lines are words I heard and wrote throughout my time with the amazing teachers and leaders at this spectacular location... Words carry power bring meaning bear our history and experiences Let’s respond with silence a kind heart faith. Listen to what’s being said behind the words… Listen with compassion instead of fear and anger. Dig beyond the Words. Words I will carry with me from this day… Prayer is a conversation Moments of wonder in life Always start with the gratitude What is sacred? Transformational, spiritual change What in our lives do we bow to? Showing gratitude Being v...