Check It Out

 Funny how when you are not looking a poem taps you on the shoulder and leaves.  It happened to me this week during our teacher in-service.  Last spring, I tried so hard to participate in Elaine’s challenge from  her interview with Janet Wong. The poem, out of my reach and I stopped fussing with it although I had a class try it out.

Our school is working its way toward becoming a “writing workshop” school based on Ralph Fletcher’s work.  So as a staff we are experiencing writing for ourselves more  in staff meetings. (oh, twist my arm, please!)

The prompt this week?  A getting to know you poem: “I come from”.  Staff followed the nudgings to create “I Come From” poems. We will collect the poems, place them in a notebook for our school community to read.

And there it appeared. Well, not exactly.  This pantuom is growth of the poem seed planted earlier this week and revised while sitting through some might boring stuff at the spelling in-service yesterday.

I Come From

I come from a grandfather clock and abandoned violin wrapped in a wool blanket
Santa Ana winds bit my cheeks as autumn’s ring of fire glowed in the night sky.
I come from John and June who combined their names to creat mine
I come from foot fights with my brother during family road trips.

Santa Ana winds bit my cheeks as autumn’s ring of fire glowed in the night sky.
My nickname, “radar ears”, laughter, and “have you practiced the violin?” heard daily.
I come from foot fights with my brother during family road trips and
Gingersnaps, cauliflower-tomato soup-bleu cheese casserole and roast served on Sunday.

My nickname, “radar ears”, laughter, and “have you practiced the violin?” heard daily.
I come from dad’s teaching life, mom’s service to others, the weekend party house
Gingersnaps, cauliflower-tomato soup-bleu cheese casserole and roast served on Sunday.
I come from climbing trees to read, time with my grandmother and aunt, mentors both.

I come from dad’s teaching life, mom’s service to others, the weekend party house
Poetry, photos, family mysteries and the importance of education drummed into me
I come from climbing trees to read, time with my grandmother and aunt, mentors both.
Love, family, laughter, an imagined life-

Poetry, photos, family mysteries and the importance of education drummed into me
I come from a grandfather clock and abandoned violin wrapped in a wool blanket
Love, family, laughter, an imagined life
I come from John and June who combined their names to create mine

More poetry can be found at Charlotte’s Library  today. 

Happy Reading.

MsMac