A very special thank you to Jennifer Goyer-Jowett for hosting the March 5-Day Writing Challenge on Ethical ELA. We deeply appreciate your creativity in crafting the inspirations and taking care of our hearts and minds with your words of encouragement.
Looking ahead to next month, please join us in April for the 30-day writing celebration in honor of National Poetry Month. You can sign up here, and invite a friend to do the celebration with you! Our community members will be leading the way with special guests, author-poet-teachers Gae Polisner, Jennifer Jacobson, and Padma Venkatraman.
Inspiration
Haiku forces us to minimalism. Its format pares down verbiage to feature a singular image or pair of images. Even the word haiku has been telescoped from haikai no ku (comic verse) to the shortened version we know. The Japanese hokku originally worked as the introduction to a longer poem by setting the season. This form eventually came to stand on its own. However, haiku has always moved beyond simple. Let’s take a fresh look at the haiku by pairing it both with the imagery found in Japanese word characters and photography.
Process
- Select a Japanese word character (nature characters work best)
- Notice how the lines of the character move and take shape
- Find a photo that reflects the lines of the word character (visually and in meaning)
- Write a haiku (or a series) honoring the nature word
Jennifer’s Poem
Woods (Jennifer Guyor-Jowett)
emerging birch trees
nature’s sentries witnessing
renewal of life
Write
Your Turn
Now, scroll to the comment section below to write your own poem. (This is a public space, so you may use only your first name or initials depending on your privacy preferences.) Not ready? That’s okay. Read the poems already posted for more inspiration. Ponder your own throughout the day. Return later. And, if the prompt does not work for you, that is fine. All writing is welcome. Just write something. Also, please be sure to respond to at least three writers. Oh, and a note about drafting: Since we are writing in short bursts, we all understand (and even welcome) the typos and partial poems that remind us we are human and that writing is always becoming. If you’d like to invite other teachers to write with us, tell them to subscribe.
Windy days occur
Quite often where I’m living
The breeze gives me life
I’ve never been good at poetry or figuring out what it means but I wanted to get started today. Maybe these days will be an inspiration for me to put more dedication. to poetry! Everyone have blessed and fabulous Monday!!!!
Even though I am late to the work, I just want to get started. Thanks for the opportunity.
簌
Petals
New color springs forth
against wind on bare branches
then float on puddles
Sheri,
Thank you for joining us in this space. I love the alliteration in “bare branches” — a whimsical musical tone — that moves us into the “float.” It is such an intricate image — to float on puddles. The color does not get wet in this way, does not touch the water and yet is completely at one with the reflection. Love it. And such clever word-play with “spring.”
Peace,
Sarah
Ah, Jennifer! You had the unexpected honor of guiding us through March 14-18, 2020, days that may live in infamy. Having a poetry place to go to each evening has been such a gift. Your prompts took me through playful sound memories and synesthetic recollections from childhood. You invited me to take on another’s perspective and give her a voice. I revisited my origin story, and tonight I paused to experience “shed hunting” in 17 syllables. THANK you for your encouragement and teacher heart! I’ve loved this week!
Allison
So good to know this, Allison. It certainly has been a much needed calming spot in our week. Thank you for bringing your voice to our days too. You are an integral part of this space.
I agree, Allison. I did NOT pop out of bed at 6:00 a.m. eager this morning because I knew there was no poem challenge. I miss it already. But April will be here soon!
I have an eye for finding 4-leaf clovers, so my son suggested I do some shed hunting, which is searching for dropped deer antlers. I’ve been spending some of this Covid-19 time in the lovely woods, but I haven’t found a shed yet!
枝角
Antler
Which of those nineteen
pen strokes is the shed nestled
in nature’s brown hues?
Allison—-Hugs and hello! Gosh, I am so taken by an image of you ambling through the late winter woods looking for antlers “nestled “ in “brown”… the idea of that “shedding” is a rich image…something sloughed, useful and then not… I really like the poetics of that. Then, the 19 strokes….I went to the characters and was enamored with that whole idea of each individual stroke….your pen strokes today connected us again. Very soothing. Thank you for that. Susie
I love how your Haiku is one thought/sentence! I never thought to write a Haiku like this and this is a great instructional idea for my students. I have enjoyed this week and your writing, Allison, and I never knew what “shed hunting” was since I grew up a city girl!
I love the way the word Antler looks. The T and the L between the N and the E. Poetry right there — good choice. The “shed nestled” is a lovely turn of phrase with consonance in the D that captures the word character, too,
Lovely, dear Allison.
And now I’m wondering which stroke it is as well! Thank you for allowing us to ponder that artistic choice (there must be a stroke dedicated to this). I love that you brought this part of your day to us as well.
I hope the characters are authentic and not “fake news” ?
Power 力
God must be our source
Center of power and joy
Ask for all you need
Harmonious 和
Sweet soothing nature
Breezes breathing freedom thoughts
Gratitude prayers
Stacey Joy
There is great spirituality in both of your pieces. A centering. A calmness for thankfulness. I appreciate this right now so thank you for that. I can tell you are drawn to this form. They are like small prayers but bring us so much. Thank you for all of your connections this week, Stacey.
HEY, Stacey — Your “Power” and “Harmon[y]” are giving me a lift this evening. I especially like the feel of those “breezes breathing freedom thoughts.” Good to see your “character” here! Hugs, Susie
Susie is here!
わーい (yay!)
Our spirituality is what keeps us sane at times.
I so needed to “feel” the ideas in your poems tonight. I love the idea of asking for what we need, and feeling gratitude through prayer. Remembering that He is in control. Very uplifting! You are a truly talented writer! Thank you for sharing this week!
I am just stunned by the beauty of the character word alongside the title of each of your poems — these should really replace the emoticons on phones. “Breezes breading freedom thoughts” — this is making me breathe and smile right now. Thank you, friend.
Peace
Perfect tranquility
distant unending calm
peace overflowing
A breath of air, so very needed. I found myself breathing through this, taking in the calm and clarity. Thank you!
This leaves me wanting to say THANK YOU JESUS! ☮️✝️?
You have me smiling, thanks you for your genuine comments.
Melissa, I am glad you are sharing such calming, centering words here. My evenings connecting to my fellow poets have been a balm the past five days.
I love how you incorporated the word “distant”–implications here that I need to be reminded of.
Melissa I really appreaciate your description of peace. It was almost hypnotic, as I read I felt I was drifting into perfect tranquility.
Melissa,
What the world needs now is this “unending calm.” Though distant in physicality, we are close in this space where we benefit from your peace overflowing.
Thank you,
Sarah
Hi Jennifer,
Abundant gratitude for this week of writing with you and our community of writers. I have enjoyed each day and your prompts stretched me in new directions. Thank you!
I am excited about today’s Haiku prompt because it’s one of my FAVORITE poetry forms. I love your haiku because I feel the hope that comes from nature, the protection, and the promises of renewal.
Gratitude, joy, love, and appreciation are pouring from my heart to you!
Thank you! It has been such a joy and you have been a part of that.
I had some cool images but couldn’t get them to copy into this space! The Japanese word for Spring looks like something growing through the roof of a house. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of this group! Such fun!
SPRING
Flowers popping up
Warm and sunny days ahead
Hope for all of us
Judy,
The image of “flowers Popping up” does make me hopeful. Soon!
Yes! Keep the faith! Thanks for all your nice comments! I love this group!
I love “flowers popping up.” That’s starting to happen here and I yearn for it. Thanks for reminding us of the warm and sunny days ahead.
Beautiful images crossed my mind as soon as I read “flowers popping up” and “Hope for all of us.” I am sure we can all use the reminder that we can keep our hope in tomorrow.
Thank you!
I think the word “popping” is perfect here! It is so…determined! The “p” sound recurs in “hope.” Loved this.
Thank you all of you who responded!
I got an image of a little groundhog head popping up to take a look around and take an awakening sunshiny stretch. I guess that’s what flowers do too!
I receive this blessing of hope in the mighty name of Jesus. Thank you Judy for such an inspiring poem.
The “popping up” makes me think of red poppies — a field of them. When I see the word “warm” here, I am brought to images of you and your family — you exude warmth, and we need so much more of that in our world.
Sarah
Thank you so much, Sara! We will see many “warm” days ahead! I am truly enjoying this time with my family and know that my friends on FB are as well! Love to you and yours!
Water (Laura Douglas)
Calming, deep, ancient
Smoothly, flowing, eternal
Winding, fresh, purely
– March 18, 2020
There is a calling to water today. Your words – calming, deep, ancient are needed. I think of rebirth here and cleansing, along with fresh starts.
Love your careful and descriptive word choices – refreshing!
Laura,
How clever to have each adjective in your haiku define and describe water. Love it.
Glenda, you are such a keen reader. I learn from your comments!
I love the cleansing feel of this poem! It’s like that feeling after a shower – uplifting and refreshing.
Laura,
Water….it is so cleansing and yet capable of such power. The movement here embodies it and stimulates us to move our minds and hearts, too — flowing, winding, purely.
Love it,
Sarah
River (Kawa)
Forceful running source
A system for clensing
Refreshing pure mystifying
Wonderful descriptive word choices here – forceful, refreshing, mystifying. I can imagine the sound of it.
I love the idea of how a river can be both cleansing and mystifying. Some nice imagery created in my mind as I read your Haiku!
Ruth,
Your haiku captures the movement of a river, and I love thinking about a river as a system., which evokes order for me.
You have given me (reader!) so much here: River as power, as change agent, as rejuvenation, as mystery. Beautiful!
So true! Loved this as well!
Ruth,
I love the word Kawa! The force and the mystifying qualities alongside refreshing and cleansing are such powerful juxatpositions!
Peace,
Sarah
Compacted language is not my strength as you all know!
..3
Sun
half the day shining
window to more contentment
framing the good times
There’s a lot of strength in these words, Susan! It is absolutely my window to contentment. I really appreciate how you used framing here.
Susan — You certainly share my sentiment…sun…it really does “fram[e] the good times” for me. I like have a bit of that sunshine today! Thank you! Susie
If I could figure out how to get the Japanese character in there, the poem makes a lot more sense.
So great how you used the word framing in relation to a window of contentment – powerful!
Susan,
I think you’ve done a swell job compacting language in your haiku. I always told students to avoid being verbs when writing haiku, and you have none. I’ve been thinking about windows and framing, too, and wrote a poem yesterday about it. We’re looking out, back, and beyond in this moment.
Glenda, Share your poem?
日
day, sun, sunshine
Was this it? This looked like the window you described in your poem! I love the window/framing idea.
Susan,
I love how we are invited to stretch beyond our typical ways with words in this shared space — and that you embraced it. You could have easily added a dozen haiku stanzas, but you resisted. Love the word contentment in its meaning and appearance here, and in just looking at your poem, the “o” stands out to me as space , as the sun image embedded through the lines.
Peace,
Sarah
Sarah,
I will do what I tell my students to do when I acknowledge some symbolism or something of that sort in their writing . . . pretend you knew what you were doing. I definitely used the “o” repeatedly to look like the sun!! 🙂
Flying
air uplift soaring
see other gorgeous places
decide where to go
Healing
letting go of it
remember good ‘bye ugly
love yourself always
Such uplifting words for today – soaring, letting go, love. Thank you for giving us the chance to embrace these words with your writing today.
Your healing poem speaks volumes in such concise words – bravo! Very moving and truthful.
Seana,
I’m particularly drawn to the images of uplift and soaring in your first haiku and the idea of release in your second haiku.
Hi Seana, air uplift soaring…as I sit outside and believe we will see “other gorgeous places” soon! Very inspiring and hopeful.
Healing happens, great reminder: “letting go of it/remember good ‘bye ugly” and stay focused on love. I love it. I love you! Take care of yourself.
Seana, May I share your “Healing” poem with my students? They need to hear it. Repeatedly.
風 Wind
Gently prying seeds
Apart, fuzzy parachutes
Wishes float away
Love the fuzzy parachutes and the floating away of wishes. Such a gentle image and one I am longing for as we have only a hint of spring.
Trisha — I like that you selected words the float…they read in a wispy sort of way with a sense that I’m exhaling at the end. I like that! Thanks, Susie
“fuzzy parachutes” Love this imagery.
Trisha,
“Fuzzy parachutes” and “float” evoke release and freedom for me. Beautiful images.
Love your fuzzy parachutes. This feels like summer…
Oh! This immediately gave me an image and a metaphor! Loved it!
Dandelions! My favorite as a kid! Yes, I would watch them float away as I made wishes. You brought back a great childhood memory for me. Thanks!
山 Yama
Mountain
Always standing tall
Powerful, formidable
Strength from tiny rocks
Emily — I particularly like the idea of finding “strength from tiny rocks.” Yes, that’s spot-on. Thanks, Susie
I also really appreciate the idea of finding strength in the small things. We are all individually small, but together we make a mighty force. A formidable one!
Love strength from tiny rocks! Much like strength in numbers.
The idea of strength from the smaller rocks, YES! Love it!
Emily,
Like Susie, I also like the image of mountain strength. Mountains are formidable.
Emily, this is perfect and I wish I could have shared it a few weeks ago when my students culminated their Earth Science unit. This is a much needed reminder that mountains are the “strength from tiny rocks” and right about now that’s how I feel, a bunch of tiny rocks.
Beautiful haiku.
Hugs and love, take good care of yourself and your family.
Scanning down (which I try not to do!), I see others have commented on “strength from tiny rocks”–but I have to too! It echos the “takes a village” that we need right now. Thank you.
Joy 喜び
Soft and content now
encompassing my whole soul
you are my joy here
Soft and content. That sounds so good right now. Your second line, encompassing my whole soul, sounds so inviting.
Morgan, your haiku has a lovely gentle SS that evokes peace in “soft, content, soul, joy.” This haiku helps me breathe deeply.
Of course I love your haiku, JOY! Yessss, you bring the joy in each line but I especially love “encompassing my whole soul” because that is what real joy does.
Love it!
This poem envelopes me with hygge (I married a Dane). Light a candle, snuggle in. Feel that joy. Thank you.
Jade 玉
Imperial gem
Almost green with envy yet
The pearl of wisdom
Jolie,
I’m going to cling to this “pearl of wisdom” idea and wear jade I purchased last year in China when life seem less complicated.
Imperial gem captures the richness and significance of jade so well. That “almost” envy is key here – and wisdom can override it. Thank you for bringing us the depth of the stone today!
perfect placement of the word, “yet.”
Oh, I love this. “Almost green with envy…pearl of wisdom” This is such satisfying word play. Lovely.
I so love seeing the character along side the alph of Jade. And it is so lovely how you personify it with envy and wisdom — as opposing yet complementary traits. Indeed, this is human nature, and I am invited to look inward at my tendencies of envy in this moment. Thank you for your wisdom.
Sarah
What a week! I’ve been so out-of-sorts with this elearning transformation — I always wanted to know what those “work-from-home” people do all day. I’m finding out! (It’s weird.)
HOME
Waking up to sit
at desk is
strange and limiting
Jennifer,
I know you will conquer the home work challenge. Love the contrast in “strange and limiting.”
Boy, oh boy, has it been strange and limiting. I feel tied to my computer trying to make that transition too (so much so that my track pad has gone all wonky and wants to do its own thing). The idea of waking up to sit at a desk hits home – I wonder how many of us compose right from our sleep spaces (this happens with me).
Oh, yes…strange days indeed. Well summarized in a few words.
“Limiting” is a great word to describe how we have been challenged in the past few days. “Waking up to sit” has an ironic ring to it…wake up…then SIT.
So good to see you , Jennifer. Love this image of “waking up to sit” as It resonates deeply within me as an oxymoron and paradox of this time in teaching. What we can do with our fingers moving while our bodies are still. Indeed, strange.
Peace,
Sarah
Jennifer,
I cannot begin to tell you how much these five days mean to me. Your daily challenges have had me writing by reaching within to a place I did not know I have. It’s been exhilarating. I have been teaching science for 22 years. Along the way I had a few classes of social studies, computer business, and reading (before reading was combined with ELA). A few weeks ago I began posting some of my poetry on Facebook. Kim Johnson, a dear friend and colleague, read my work and invited me to join her here. I’m blessed she did. I’m growing. I long to write and publish when I retire. Now, I’m asking myself why wait?!?!?!?? Thank you so much for all the encouragement. I cannot wait for April!
Sincerely with a permanent smile upon my face,
Christian Callahan
My haiku for today is below. It’s been so long since I sat in a language arts class. I did remember 5-7-5 :()
Ocean
Endlessly moving
Depth changing within its grasp
Thriving mystery
I am so glad you found this space and we found you. Why wait, indeed! We must pursue what brings us happiness and your writing has brought it to us this week. I love the line “thriving mystery.” It allows us to read it in different ways, as the mystery continues and as a thriving place, a living being. Thank you for sharing this week.
It’s fun to have others in this group to inspire me. I love OCEAN! The mystery
intrigues me.
So glad to find you here this week Jennifer!
Christian,
How lucky are you to have Kim in your close orbit. I’m so happy to see those outside the English teacher world join this group. Science offers extraordinary opportunities to write. There are so many wonderful science-themed books of all genres.
I live the way your haiku captures the “endless mystery” of the ocean. We must be like the water, “endlessly moving.”
“Close orbit” –lovely. How lucky we are to have Sarah draw us into her close orbit with these monthly challenges!
Christian,
I say all the time that this writing group is the air I breathe, and I’m so glad you are sensing it too. This group exercises more than our writing – – it stretches our souls into seeing things from new perspectives. It helps us grow as writers AND as people!
Your Ocean today shares parallels with our world right now, and everything we are experiencing. That depth changing – – the awareness of an undertow, and the sense of an ever-changing current in which we are swept up – and the mysteries it brings. Having grown up on an island, I still remember that after the most ferocious storms, the abundance of seashells that churned up on the shore was magnificent. The idea that beauty comes from the darkest depths is so apparent in nature. That’s how I feel about your writing today – and your journey ahead. The mysteries will bring a wonderment that we didn’t know existed. In the midst of the storms and challenges we face, we are reassured that something good is indeed forthcoming.
[Note: I’ve missed all of you this week. I’m looking forward to regaining my groove. I tried to post my picture but this time it wouldn’t upload. Oh well. Sending love and “stay safe” affection to each of you! Thank heavens we write. Susie]
パンデミック
Pandemic
Our small world stretched thin
‘gainst a race we didn’t choose,
virus on fleet feet.
逆さまに
Upside-down
Confusing world flipped,
whirling, swirling back and forth,
gut-punched, bending, scared.
Anxiety
不安
Frozen, stunned, in place
then on a run for answers,
knowing we’re at risk.
Distancing
距離
Pushing you away
ties lonely knots, saddened heart,
lives still side by side.
Isolating
隔離する
Finding paths within
ourselves till daily we rise,
then to bend again.
Calm
落ち着いた
Breathe in hard, breathe out
shake down, pull in, find your core
send forth words of care.
by Susie Morice©
You have brought us all the feelings today. It is difficult to choose which one speaks most to me this morning. Pandemic is where I’m currently at. Isolating pops up again and again. I need to work more towards Calm. Thank you for offering us a series today, one that travels our journeys too.
All of them. I’ve missed your voice this week!
OOH, I’m thinking upside-down, too! Also, isolating. I’m not used to being home. I miss my people out there!
Susie,
I’ve missed you. It’s as though your absence created a heart palpitation.
As I wrote my haiku this morning I planned a blog post featuring a series of haiku based on today’s prompt, and even though you beat me to it, I’m still writing g that post for tomorrow.
You’re haiku capture the anxiety of this moment. Love how you remind us to stay calm in the final haiku. “Breathe, shake, pull, find, send, care” are words that move us forward.
Thanks, Glenda — I missed you guys something fierce this week. I glad to be back and connecting with the good words of good people. Say happy and healthy in those Ideeeho mountains! Cyber hugs and virtual elbow bumps to you! Susie
Susie,
Do you have any idea how much you’ve been missed this week? Your masterpiece above has taken us through six stages of realization, reaction, and emotion. You’ve shown us where we are. Which is what your amazing writing always does….I simply love this. It reminds me, in a strange way, of the Kubler-Ross Stages of Grief, where we get smacked in the face and then we recover and emerge as newer, stronger beings who are changed and who learn to hold less important things more loosely. Your writing is so moving.
Thank you, Kim. It felt so out of whack not to be here this week. Now back, I love the fact that you and the writers here have become a constant when that is exactly what comforts right now. Comfort in each other’s words…more lasting and extraordinary in a time when even if you stood here before me, I’d want to but would hesitate to touch your hand. Words…become a different kind of hand. You stay healthy, stay strong, write on, write on, write on! Love, Susie
The Anxiety haiku resonates with me so deeply. I think you have described the internal turmoil so magnificently in so few words. The last line “at risk” makes me think about how although you may know you are at risk, anxiety will still manage to eat at you.
Susie!! I’m so glad you’re back. You have been missed. Will you be going back to the previous days to do those poems? I don’t want to miss any of your work. Your haiku are incredible, as always. How did you get the Japanese characters? I especially love the anxiety one.
Aw, thanks, Susan! You can capture the characters… just “copy” from a translator page… I just Google “English to Japanese” and then type in the word I wanted and the characters are there for me to copy and paste. I will try to go back and read the stuff from earlier this week…not sure if I can catch up though. April is just two weeks away and I want to do that daily challenge if at all possible. It is so invigorating to write with everyone. Thank you so much for the kind words. Hugs to you! Susie
Welcome back Susie, I truly missed you! I love that your poems went from Pandemic to Calm, a necessary reminder that we are in it but we don’t have to BE it, just be calm. “Breathe in hard, breathe out” definitely have to remember this throughout our days.
I loved this in Isolating…
“Finding paths within
ourselves till daily we rise,”
It’s hard to find my inner path because it’s so different from my normal.
All in all, you’ve done it all in one day’s post! That’s what I needed today, to see you here and bringing it 100%.
Love you and stay well and strong!
Thanks, Stacey — I felt good to be back this morning. You’re a dear. Susie
Oh, wow! You have given me a week’s worth of feelings here.
–“Pushing you away
ties lonely knots” –ties lonely knots is a word combo that made me gasp.
–“gut-punched, bending, scared” I read this first as “scarred” and then thought: we are both scared and scarred.
I love how the word “bend” appears twice in your series. It just might be the essential word of these times: We must bend. We are bent. A bend prevents a break.
Susie! I hope things at home are improving and family and friends are on the mend. We have missed you.
This is art. I have not even read yet — I am just looking at the bolded words followed by the characters and then the pattern of lines and line breaks.
And now I am reading — as you move from pandemic to calm, you help us process the shifts and even grief we feel. For me, the isolating resonates deeply as it is a place of comfort for me while at the same time stirring concern for how much I crave it. But you leave me with calm…”find our core/send forth words of care.” Thank you for that. I am strengthening my belly as I think of the word “core.”
Peace,
Sarah
Thank you so much, Sarah. Your thoughtful words really matter.
Hugs, Susie
The Japanese symbol for birds is 鳥. But the symbol you posted, Jennifer, looks like birds in flight. So I wrote about the welcome signs of spring we’re witnessing in Western Michigan.
Thanks for the varied range of writing challenges you gave us. They evoked fond and funny memories some days, thoughtful and heart wrenching observations on other days. Most of all, the writing this week has brought us together when we’ve been advised to stay apart for health reasons. Our poems have brought us together for heart reasons.
The geese have returned
And so have the dawdling ducks
Now they pair and share
Dawdling ducks – this might be my favorite line of the week. It’s the perfect description of them. I’m so thankful for the return of birds this week (to counter the impending Silent Spring feel we have going now). And pair and share just makes me smile. Thanks for this.
Hi, Anna — I love the birdies! I just filled my feeders. Those robins out there have been “pair[ing] and shar[ing]” for a week now! Whoohoo! Thank you for the uplifting haiku, reminding me that life is quite robust out there! Susie
I love the PAIR/SHARE! You’re making me think…spring! Thank you!
Anna,
This: “Our poems have brought us together for heart reasons.”
“Dawdling ducks” is a fun image. Love the alliteration. “Pair and share” make it seem as though the fucks are in school. This haiku makes me smile.
pair and share! love that
Anna, you remind us that just like birds, our sense of normal will return. Maybe a bit different – like the ducks and geese – but they’ll return. Thank you for that message!
政治
Kanji for politics (administer + cure)
(so many intersections, so many sharp angles))
when the world goes mad
leadership is critical.
where is our leader?
a cure is needed
someone should administer
But who will that be?
We are the leaders.
We must be responsible.
So the world can heal.
Yes! You’ve offered me a new perspective on looking at the word characters – my inclination was to find shapes that reflected what is already there (and yours does that too!), but you have turned my head around on this with the intersections and sharp angles – perfect. You have allowed me to look at this symbol in a NEW way – exactly what should happen. We are the leaders. We must be responsible. So the world can heal. I want to chant these as my mantra going forward.
Gayle, your closing lines remind me of sessions at NCTE-CEL when we, leaders in ELA, have been encouraged to lead from the classroom, to do what we know works regardless of what going on elsewhere, up, down and around. That holds true today, in our current times, where we each have a responsibility to do “the right, kind, compassionate” thing, regardless of what is going on up, down, and around us.
Thanks for the cryptic reminder in these lines.
We are the leaders.
We must be responsible.
So the world can heal.
Gayle,
I wanted to answer the question, “Where is our leader” w/ a single word: Twitter. Indeed, we must take responsibility, too, “so the world can heal.”
Gayle – Over and over I’ve asked the very words you’ve penned in this poem. Indeed the sharp angles…I get the sense that we are jerking our heads this way and that way, stunned that we cannot see the leadership …we see only a fool with no sense that his country is in despair. As we write in this tight community, we each see our strengths and “un- distance” ourselves. As a writing community, we’ve exercised health, compassion, and love…more powerful than all the empty politics of a country on bruised knees. Thank you for your voice … it helps me more than you know. Susie
Jennifer,
‘Preciate your service to our community these past five days. Thank you for being a constant presence here, for acknowledging each person’s uniqueness in your generous comments, for guiding our creative spirits w/ both fun and challenging prompts.
I love the image of a sentry as a birch tree in your poem. We have a clump birch in our front yard. I love that tree. Gorgeous photo accompanying your poem.
Thank you! This has been a steadfast space for beauty this week. I can picture your birch guarding over your home!
Good morning, everyone! A reminder to you that love is contagious always and that each of you holds a beautiful note in your hearts.
I wanted to thank every one of you for participating in this 5 day journey this month. This space has been an escape for me, and I hope for you too. It felt like a normal amidst the fiercesome/fearsome life we are in. In doing the preplanning for writing, I could never have imagined this current world. I deliberately placed the more challenging/thought-bending prompts at the beginning and left an easier, shorter piece for the end, thinking to help give a breather to those bogged further as the week progressed. Hopefully, today’s nominal synonym count allows us to remember love and heart notes and strength that we find in each other and in the natural world around us. Peace and hugs.
Jennifer-it has been such a pleasure meeting you this week. You have challenged me to stretch my thinking (especially the first two!) and provided a respite from the world and its problems. Thank you, and looking forward to talking to you again in April!
Thanks Gayle, I feel the same!
Ditto! (Is that short enough?) 🙂
🙂
Haha! I just tried to reply with the above and it told me the “input is too short”
Thank you for helping us grow this week, Jennifer!
Thank you too, Kim! It’s been great “seeing” everyone through their words.
the gnarl of the sycamore’s
tempest-sliced phloem
exposes heart scars in roots
So powerful, Sarah! Each word carefully chosen, working hard to deliver the texture and image (gnarl, phloem, scars). I can’t pick a favorite line. Tempest-sliced and exposing heart scars fight for favor over the sycamore’s gnarl. I’m paying more attention to the sound and feel of words since our first day and yours are aurally beautiful.
Hi, Sarah — I love th sycamore — one of my very favorite trees. I love the “heart scars in roots”!! OOooo, such a good line…mixing heart scars and roots…oh yes. Thanks! Susie
WOW!!!
exposes heart scars in the roots
That also is what poetry does for some of us. Childhood pains we thought were gone come out in our poems. I didn’t realize how much I resented my parents for celebrating June 20 as their anniversary instead of my birthday until I wrote that poem this week. Both of them are gone now, but I still have to forgive them. Wow! the provocative power of poetry writing!
Awww, poor sycamore. It’s so sad when our tree friends suffer.
I love the word choice that blends together so beautifully – gnarl, tempest-sliced, phloem, scars – – it’s conjuring, for me, the image of those whose pain and sufferings have made them stronger and granted them a more merciful heart for others.
Heart scars! ? wow wow wow. I love the simplicity of your haiku and even though it’s only a few words long, I can imagine a towering sycamore as I read.
Each day I gaze at the mountains. These days I’m grateful to live in a rural state and know I can escape to the mountains. Our home is three hours from Yellowstone, Jackson Hole, and Sun Valley. This is why I chose the Japanese character for mountain. It immediately reminded me of the Tetons, which are visible from both Idaho and Wyoming.
山
Yama
Three peaks sunward tilt
Pristine lakes, alpine terrain
Les trios Tetons
—Glenda Funk
Glenda, your poem makes me long for adventure and travel. The beautiful symbol matches your beautiful words.
Thanks for your kind words this week!
Lucky you to live in one of the most beautiful spots in our land. These mountains are among my favorite memories. You’ve captured them with your word choices (pristine, alpine, peaks tilting). If you tilt your poem sideways, we have the mountainous shape as well. Spend some time looking at those mountains for me.
Hi, Glenda — Yes, I need me some mountains this morning! That’s the soothing image…alpine…sunward tilt. It sure helps shake off the cold rain here in STL. Thanks, Susie
Glenda,
Beautifully etched in my mind. I can see the mountains standing tall and glorious with an inviting canvas of lakes and terrain before me.
Christian 🙂
We are absolutely kindred spirits – – I went back and forth between mountains and fire, and while I was closer to mountains, I picked fire because of the image of the K for my name. I thought this one looked like an E taking a nap, which would have also worked fine for me with this mountainous quarantine snacking belly when I lie down. I think it’s neat that your trio of Tetons fits the image of the Japanese character you selected. How sheerly stunning that they tilt sunward – – and I can see those pristine lakes sparkling as the sun hits it, with the alpine terrain giving a flash of perhaps a snowdrift here and there. Lovely as always, Glenda!
We’ve selected the same word! I love the tribute to the “les trios tetons”. Although it is raining here, I felt a warm sensation on my cheek as I read your first line. Thank you for sharing!
Glenda,
What a beauty! I would love to see what you see, I’m just looking at dirty cars right now. LOL. “Three peaks sunward tilt” pulls me because I love the sun too. I think my soul leans towards the sun. Thank you for these new images I can hold and savor today.
Hugs!
Thank you for the wonderful prompts this week! I chose the symbol for sheep:
Fences built around
Constraint of energy caged
Flicks, fluffy, tender.
Tammy,
“Flicks, fluffy” is fabulous alliteration. Love seeing sheep in fields.
We are all feeling your piece in a big way – the fences constraining energy. Your soft reminder at the end is a soothing balm. I have been following Suzanna Crampton (@zwartblesIE) on twitter for my daily dose of farm life (sheep!). She lives in Ireland where spring is abounding and lambs are bounding!
I read your poem as a metaphor for life right now. Your last line encourages me to make the best of being fenced in.
I did, too. It hard for me to imagine what this would have been like for our family when all three children still lived at home!
Tammy — Sheep…this rings a delightful bell for me… I love my inner sheep images (I’ve spent quite a bit of time over the years in Yorkshire, UK) the “flicks, fluffy, tender”… these are critters your brought back to me this morning. The stone fences came to mind immediately… I miss those spring lambs. Thank you! Susie
Tammy,
This is beautiful. I love sheep and I love that god refers to us as his. Yesterday, I bought a sheep flower planter for my condo at the beach. I told the girls it was to remind us we are God’s sheep and we were in his hands through it all.
Christian
Tammy,
As a young child, if we went to the zoo and got to go inside with the sheep, my mother would literally have to drag me out. I ABSOLUTELY ADORE SHEEP. So of course, I adore your haiku. “Flicks, fluffy, tender” is a warm fuzzy in my heart!
?
Jennifer, thanks for a terrific week of prompts. I admit I’m running behind and hope to jump on days 4 & 5 today, but I’ve enjoyed being pushed out of my comfort zone. I love a good haiku. I was drawn to the Japanese symbol for moon, which reminded me of an eighth note, which is also called a quaver.
The moon shines on us
returning dependably
although it quavers
Busily looking up the wonderful quaver, eighth note moon right now. You use the word quaver so beautifully in this piece. I love that we have the dependability of nature. No hurry on working through these prompts. Take them as they speak to you and you feel the need.
Mo,
I miss you when you’re not here. I hope you know that. Love the play on words in your haiku’s use of “quaver.”
Love that you used the moon – I have a special love for the moon myself!
Hi, Mo — I’ve been away as well…I’m in catch up mode… well, maybe I can’t catch up, but I’m jumping back in and so glad to see you. And what a good image of MOON! I love the dependability and the “quaver” which feels like my world right now. It’s there but it quavers…till I start to hold still. Thank you for a lovely haiku! Susie
Mo, how clever that you chose quaver for the moon. Our world is indeed quavering right now, but these words of comfort and perspective give us all a place of calm.
Jennifer, I want to thank you for your respite this week as our news changes so rapidly and so ominously. I didn’t do every day but will be coming back in the days to come as I find my solace in writing. Thanks!
Thank you, Margaret! I like to take things at my own pace too. It gives you a chance to live in a space a bit longer. Take care of yourself!
川
river
Kawaakari is the Japanese word for the gleam of last light on a river’s surface at dusk.
My poem:
Last light of first day
glows like any other yet
gleam lingers longer
Thank you so much for sharing Kawaakari – what a beautiful word for a beautiful moment. I want that idea to linger longer, as you piece suggests. There is triumph in that moment.
Margaret, your poem does just what I think a haiku should. It creates a beautiful image and such a peaceful feeling. The repetition of the L sound lulls me into serenity.
Margaret,
The alliterative /l/ in “last, light, lingers, longer” offers a comforting lulling in this stressful moment.
I love the flow is this piece
last and first work well together in the first line. And, I like the word “longer” as a last word.
I love everything about this – the flow, the sounds, the mood. I keep thinking about the “first day.” A day of birth, a day of a new job, our first day out of self-quarantine – – whatever is a beautiful first day of anything, that gleam lingers longer!
How beautiful! I love this as an activity for kids! I could play with characters all day. Here is mine.
日の出 sunrise
my quiet dark house
sun sleeping soundly — snoring
birdsong awakens
Jennifer, thank you so much for leading the writing days this month. I’ve seen you as a writer and a leader and it’s very neat to see the modeling and mentor text. I hope you feel the appreciation that this little box on my screen tries to express. I’ve so enjoyed this week–especially with all the intrusive news and change in schedule for my family.
My house is the same right now – a testament to how writing connects us even virtually. Your words are a beautiful respite this morning. Morning birdsong is a favorite, especially in spring. Thank you for sharing your appreciation! It means a lot! I’ve enjoyed the last few days immensely.
Spring birdsong is such a joy to hear. As the world seems to crumble, I will walk and love the sounds of nature.
Linda,
Your character choice really does look like a house sleeping. How brilliant. Love that middle line w/ its sleeping sounds replicated in alliteration.
Linda — This really captures sunrise for me. Those precious early hours and “quiet dark” gives way to “birdsong.” I like the notion of the “sun sleeping soundly” and even “snoring.” Made me smile at that idea. Lovely! Thank you, Susie
Linda, looking closely at the image on the right, I see a toddler getting up in the morning, flexing his muscles and getting ready for the day! I’d been the one snoring; he’d been the birdsong who awakens me. He passed away in 2006, but your poem awakens fond memories for me. Thank you.
Linda, the comfort and coziness of your Haiku are nurturing today. I do love the idea that despite our present circumstances, we are able to awaken to birdsong rather than an alarm clock for a brief period of time. Unless, of course, you wake up to dog kisses……which is still not an alarm! Beautiful.
Linda, I feel the tranquility of your dark house in the morning. Such beauty comes through with so few words.
I chose the Japanese character for fire, which looks like a K with a wayward eyelash off to the side of its backbone.
flames licking upward
providing warmth on cold days
and light on dark nights
Warmth and light are much needed elements – I can visualize this perfectly (as well as your description of the Japanese character).
Yes! The provision and generosity of fire…we need it still.
Love “flames licking” and how you turned to the comfort of fire rather than the danger.
Kim,
The duality of fire in your poem has a yin/yang quality I’m trying to hold on to in this odd moment in which we live. I’m wrapped in the warmth of that second line. Love the images of warmth and light.
Hi, Kim — Glad to see you’re on FIRE this morning! I love “licking” flames that are able to do such remarkable things…aah, the power of flames to warm and also to light the dark. Simple (like haiku itself) but gigantic. Quite perfect. Hugs to you, Susie
Thanks, Kim. Light and warmth are what we need literally and figuratively. You metaphorically poem invites us to be both.
My favorite part is in the description, “a wayward eyelash.” Excellent.
Hi Kim,
Ahhh the warmth of fire and your haiku, much needed right now. I love it. Take care and stay warm!