This is the Open Write, a place for educators to nurture their writing lives and to advocate for writing poetry in community. We are organizing 30 days of poetry in April for National Poetry Month: Verselove. Pledge here to write one or more poems with us.
Our Hosts: From Aquinas College
Jacob Rottier is from Hudsonville, Michigan and is a sophomore at Aquinas College. He is studying Secondary Education with a focus on Integrated Science. Some of his hobbies are running, lifting, hiking, and coaching wrestling.
Bonfils Matenga, also known as Bon Mate, is originally from Burundi and now lives in Kentwood, Michigan. He’s a sophomore at Aquinas College, pursuing a degree in Secondary Education in Mathematics. Bon enjoys running, listening to music, and immersing himself in the world of religious and philosophical discussions, mostly on YouTube, though he also listens to podcasts from time to time.
Zee Simpson is from Lansing, Michigan and is a sophomore at Aquinas College. She is studying Elementary Education and Communication. Zee loves being a part of the Cross Country and Track teams at Aquinas, going shopping, and playing board games with her family.
Brynn Reams is from Ionia, Michigan and is a junior at Aquinas College. She is studying Elementary Education. Brynn also is on the women’s basketball team at Aquinas. She loves to spend time with family and friends, go camping, and play basketball.
Inspiration
We all feel proud of things that happen to us or happen in our lives. Every time we are proud of something, it brings out emotions such as happiness and excitement. All of us have something that makes us proud in different ways in our lives. For some of us, it might be a personal best in our sports, for others, it might be more academic. Three of us run track and one plays basketball. Each of us feels equally as proud of ourselves when we accomplish a minor or major accomplishment in our sport or life. We hope you can reflect on whatever has happened in your life and be proud of the road you’ve traveled to get where you are.
Process
- A traditional nonet is written in nine lines- from nine syllables to one syllable.
- Today we will be writing in words instead of syllables.
- You can either do 9 to 1 or 1 to 9 words.
- Here are some examples of nonet poems:
- Your nonet poem should reflect something you’re proud of. So you might have your first two lines be:
I
Am Proud
- When thinking about this poem it may be helpful to first list some of the best things in your life before organizing it into a poem
Our Poems
Wrestling Accomplishments by Jacob
I
Am proud
Of my wrestling
Accomplishments in the sport
Getting 112 wins pushing myself
Limits passed every weekend trying to
Better myself and my teammates every chance
I can get, I push forward having my
Eyes on state and standing alone at the top.
Legacy by Bon Mate
I am proud to be first in my family
Fighting for a future that’s mine to build
Chasing dreams and breaking through unknown barriers
Every challenge faced with strong hope
Paving paths for the future
For those after me
A legacy forged
By a
First-gen
I am proud by Zee
I
am proud
of the person
I have become today
My parents taught me to
love, care, be kind, listen, share
And stand up for what I believe
I believe in helping children learn anything
I am proud of myself for becoming a teacher
Dare to be great by Brynn
I
Am proud
Of my family
For shaping me into
The women that I am
Because of them I am resilient
Always striving for greatness and personal growth
I will continue to challenge myself through life
To always be the best, strongest version of myself
Your Turn
Feel free to scroll through the comments below and write your own poem. If you’re feeling stuck feel free to read our poems and brainstorm ideas that you’re proud of. We know that writing doesn’t come easy to everyone so feel free to write anything! If you still feel like you’re having trouble, start by responding to others’ poems to get your thoughts and ideas moving. Thank you for taking the time to write with us this morning! Happy Open Write!
Jacob, Bon, Zee, and Brynn,
Thank you for hosting today. You all have lots of accomplishments to be proud of. As a first generation college student myself, I know how proud I was to earn my degrees and professional accolades. Now that I’m old I realize sometimes what I don’t do merits a self-congratulatory pat on the back, as you’ll see in my poem.
proud I didn’t
I
did not
grab their phone,
drop the dumb device
onto the hard floor, hurl
Apple out a window, lob Galaxy
skyward toward heaven when they said all
my work’s done. I smiled through white teeth,
checked my baser impulses & I’m proud of that.
Glenda Funk
3-19-25
*Today I wrote about cell phone use in class on my blog for TWT SOLSC. It seemed fitting to distill my thoughts into this nonet.
Glenda, great summary of all the things you could have done (and were tempted to do). That last line…”checked my baser impulses…” is a wise thing to do!
I hear you, Glenda. I like how you used the tech giants–Apple, window(s), Galaxy. I would smile and, probably, grit my teeth to stay calm.
Thank you classmates for hosting todays open write and keeping the nonets going! here is my go at this:
Recognition
I
Am proud
Of my efforts.
I may fall short
Sometimes or take breaks, some
Longer than needed, but at the
End of the day: I show up
For myself. My efforts may not be consistent,
But they are there, & they won’t be overlooked.
I really like your last line, Aseel. It’s so straightforwardly unapologetic. Thanks for writing today!
Seek,
Showing up is half the battle. As someone who often has seen the fruits of my labor later than others, I assure you the wait makes those accomplishments sweet.
Thank you so much for joining us! I really like your poem!
Aseel, I love the self-love in your poem. Yours is a great example of the truth of humanity. We fall short and make mistakes, but we can be proud to keep showing up.
Jacob, Bon Mate, Zee, and Brynn,
Thank you for this prompt and for hosting!
Children, Leaving their Mark
Four
remarkable kids.
Siblings; so different.
artist, philosopher, musician, activist
each leaving an indelible mark
each heeding a call to service–
to what effect your song, piece, policy?
Wonderings toward a better future, what legacy building
are you crafting, urging us forward towards better days?
This is great, Dave. Your family sounds amazing. I love “wondering toward a better future.”
Dave! I love the intricacy of your nonet, it’s fascinating to think about all of our different stories but then observing them from a sibling/ children/ coworker/ friend group stance and seeing the connections within the different stories.
Dave,
I learned so much about you in these short lines and can only say, well done. This is a hopeful verse and a celebration of the most important thing a parent can do: raise good citizens.
Dave, I really enjoyed your poem. It is very creative and I like how you incorporated the differences in personalities!
Jacob, Bon Mate, Zee, and Brynn, thank you for hosting today! Your prompt made me think about many people and things that deserve pride. The nonet form allows for the prompt you suggested to work both ways: from up to bottom and vice versa.
This is what I have:
Promising Seeds of Tomorrow
Looking at my students’ open smiles and eager souls,
Seeing their desire to become the best teachers,
Allowing them to grapple with tough questions,
Witnessing their giant and tiny victories,
Applauding their daily courage,
Fill me with hope,
Joy, gratitude,
And deep
Pride.
Definitely something to be proud of, Leilya!
I really loved your nonet! As a student hoping to become a teacher it is encouraging to read about how proud you are of your students! Thank you for sharing!
They’re blessed to have you as their teacher! This is why you are the best:
If only every aspiring teacher had this kind of support and encouragement!
There must be something in the air tonight! I’m just leaving a concert and the final song was such a message of positivity, then I read your poem. I think the universe is telling me something. I love the giant and tiny victories.
Leilya,
Bravo for saying the best part of teaching in your poem. Love it!
I really like your nonet! I like that you started with 8 and went down to 1!
Thank you, Jacob, Bon, Zee, and Brynn. The Nonet is a new form for me, and I’m immensely proud of being one of my Nonie’s 27 grandchildren. She was born in 1904 to parents just arrived from Ireland, raised her siblings while working as a maid before raising her own 7 children, and was one of those women of that generation who quietly moved mountains and (pardon my French, as she’d say) kicked a$$ while wearing gloves, her trademark French twist updo, and a hat.
A Nonet for Nonie
Nonie
Was Alice
Once- before seven
Children. Alice did laundry
For nuns in exchange for
Her children’s education; made bread, weighing
Flour in her hands because she was
Legally blind, but did it alone, pinning down
The messy bits like strands into her French twist.
©Mariah M.L. Bauer
03/19/2025
I think it is nice when a form works, and you can contain all you want to say. But I want to know more about this woman, your nonie. I love the line comparing the bread to her French twist.
Thank you for sharing the story of your Nonie Alice with us today, Mariah! She sounds like an incredibly hardworking and caring person. The poem, and especially the final line, allow me to “see” your grandmother.
Mariah! Thank you so much for sharing about Nonie! She sounds like an amazing women! Did you enjoy writing in the nonet form?
What a tribute, Mariah! I know those women who silently moved mountains, too. Your last line is my favorite- so easy to see!
Mariah,
Your intro reminded me of something my grandmother used to say to me: “If ya got it, flaunt it.” She gave me confidence to be myself long before I realized her impact on my life. Your description of your grandmother being Irish and doing laundry for nuns made me think of the book Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan. Have you read it? It’s set in Ireland in the 1980s. Clearly, your grandmother was a strong, hardworking woman.
Jacob, Bon Mate, Zee and Brynn – thank you for today’s challenge, it was fun to play with words to find what I wanted to say within the structure.
one
proud mother
two remarkable daughters
finding meaning along differing
paths – one rearing sons while
pursuing higher education – the other
found her home in Mexico creating
her path along the way – confidence shines
in each girls’ steps – surrounded by friends rich
lives bloom new adventures painted by each unbounded discovery
Jamie, I almost wrote a poem about my daughters too. Children are our pride, and your daughters seem like determined, content, and confident individuals. I love these concluding lines: “surrounded by friends rich / lives bloom new adventures painted by each unbounded discovery.” Thank you!
Jamie, thank you so much for sharing about your daughters! I really liked how you used numbers to tie in the theme of numbers with the nonet form.
Pride Nonet
By Mo Daley 3/19/25
I
Try to
Be humble, but
With a life filled
With riches, it’s difficult sometimes
But if I’m honest with you,
I’m most proud of my family, who
Still spends time with me willingly, even though
They are the ones who know the real me
Mo, anyone in their right mind would spend time with you! Lovely poem!
When it comes to family humble is overrated. I love that they spend time with you willingly even knowing the real you. Authenticity is never overrated.
and they love you unconditionally, Mo! So you should be proud of yourself too
I like a playful tone of your poem. You make writing seem so easy. Thank you!
Mo! I loved your poem about you and your family! The real you is the best you and sometimes only our family truly understands or see that.
I
am proud
that currently I
am keeping my shit
together while watching Dustin Hoffman
and John Malkovich’s final scene together
in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman:
with everything that has happened these past weeks
I will definitely count this in the win column.
____________________________________________
Thank you Jacob, Bon, Zee, and Brynn for your mentor poems and your prompt celebrating pride today! I wasn’t sure what to write until I realized I was surreptitiously blotting my eyes during the ending of the film during my second hour today, and the poem just seemed to write itself, lol.
Great literature representing flawed humans is worth a few spilled tears. Reading your poem makes me wish to see it again. Wondering how the immediate time might frame it differently than I remember. Thanks for sharing your moment.
I’ve read and reread Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman a few times, but I haven’t seen the movie. Most of the times, when the literary work is brought to a screen, I find the movie/film lacking something. You make me want to watch this one. Thank you for sharing, Scott!
Scott that is definitely something to be proud of! I would count this awesome nonet in the win column as well!
Scott,
Keeping one’s shit together is no easy thing. I know the scene and I can never keep my shit together watching it. You should be proud.
Scott,
Keeping your shit together is no small thing these days. I don’t know if I can handle hearing “attention must be paid to such a man” given what happens in that play and the lack of attention being paid in our fucked up country.
Hello Jacob, Bon, Zee, and Brynn! I’m grateful for all of your poems today, and for the prompt to write a nonet of praise.
I wish you all much success on your teaching journeys.
Proud Mom
Freedom
From drugs
And alcohol addiction
My son is sober
Four and a half years
Now he counsels other addicts seeking
Brotherhood, commitment and a substance-free lifestyle
I smile and celebrate success because this could
Have been a poem about a day he relapsed
©Stacey L. Joy, 3/19/25
Thank you, to all of our awesome hosts this month. As always, I hate to see it end. Happy Spring!!
Congratulations!! And great work!
Stacey, so grateful for this poem that allows us to bear witness at recovery lived and felt.
Congratulations to your son. And you. Thank you for sharing this piece of you. I know someone who’s addiction led to her becoming a counselor for other addicts and I always smile thinking about where she landed. And of course there are others. All of those thoughts were conjured in your words for me.
This is beautiful, Stacey. Thank you for sharing and for allowing us to bear witness to this celebration of your son’s sobriety, clarity, and freedom. I bet you’re incredibly proud! It’s such an achievement and gift, and it’s especially lovely that he’s sharing his light with others.
Oh my goodness, Stacey – what a powerful and hopeful poem for other moms (and families) struggling with a loved one’s addiction! I rejoice in your son’s overcoming and that he is strengthening others. To have someone who’s “been there” makes all the difference in believing freedom CAN be won. Those final two lines are gut-wrenching. Today we ALL celebrate his success! You have every right to be so proud – it takes incredible strength to do what your son has done.
What a celebration! Congrats! The end does sock quite a punch because we do always have it in the back of ours minds that a relapse is coming.
Freedom isn’t free. It takes hard work and commitment. I feel your pride in what he is doing with his life.
Congrats to both you and your son! Four and a half years of sobriety is amazing, and it’s inspiring that he’s now helping others. You must be so proud!
Stacey, this is a huge accomplishment on your son’s part! I know you are a very proud mama. The fact that your son is now counseling the other addicts brings out the power of his transformation and determination. Bravo to you both as I suspect there is a part of your work in this process of learning and healing. Happy Spring!
Stacey,
This poem made me smile. I understand the pride you have in your son and the strength that you had to have to weather those storms as a parent. That last line is a real gut-punch.
Stacey,
The best kind of win for you and your amazing son. Hugs and love to you, my friend.
My son wanted me to tell you all that he appreciated your kindness! I shared the comments.
Thank
You, grandma,
For teaching me
To tell north from
South, for killing the snake
I did not see until you
Lifted him to his death, for every
bean you snapped and pea you shelled to
feed your loved ones. You fed our very souls.
Katrina, I instantly felt the presence of a loving grandma! How touching. I wish every child had a grandma like yours to honor and cherish.
Katrina, you made me smile and grimace at the snake, and that image of snapping peas. So perfect in each scene of grandma.
I absolutely love this, Katrina. You fit such rich details into this tiny little poem. I feel like I got a real sense of your grandma.
I feel like this is a scene from my own childhood, Katrina – late in his life when my Granddaddy couldn’t manage the hoe anymore, he shot a copperhead dead with his shotgun. Like you, I am so grateful for and proud of my grandparents. Rich memories
Such a beautiful tribute to your grandma! Her strength and love shine through every word. Thank you for sharing such a touching memory
Oh, Katrina, what a sweet tribute to your grandmother. I envy people who knew their grandmothers. I know about mine only from my mother’s stories. I always thought that having a grandmother is such a blessing. Yours surely sounds like it. These lines are priceless:
“for every
bean you snapped and pea you shelled to
feed your loved ones. You fed our very souls.”
Thank you!
Katrina,
First, bravo grandma for killing that snake. I love those final lines. Beautiful. This poem nourishes my soul.
My Father
I
am proud,
of my father.
Work ethic is impressive.
He taught me to persist
Making sacrifices daily for his family.
His quiet strength carries our whole world.
Taught values that make me a better person
His humble strength and kindness inspires me every day
Natalie. I am so grateful to meet your father in this poem. I see that humbleness in you.
I can hear the pride in every line, Natalie – “his quiet strength carries our whole world.” I so understand this! What a beautiful tribute.
Natalie,
I lost my father a few years ago and he was this kind of person. His kindness and sacrifices make me who I am. I hope you tell your father how you feel.
Natalie, thank you for sharing your pride of your father today. “His quiet strength carries our whole world” is such a powerful statement.
Wow this was a beautiful nonet Natalie! I’m happy to have gotten to see a glimpse of your father and what he means to you.
Legacy
I am the first in my family to go
to college. It was the dream my mother
chased for her children but not for
herself. I sit here a university
professor and carry the weight
of her pride and
mine. Proud to
be her
legacy.
Crossroads
I am proudly from line a of storytellers who
whisper from chairs rocking back and forth on
summer nights when the air is heavy
with heat and humidity; the secret,
they say, of the family’s
skill with words is
a pact made
at the
Crossroads.
Melanie, I love this nonet duo. What a lovely way to who two ways of being educated side by side.
I love this pair of poems, Melanie. My heart felt a little tug at your mother pushing her children out in front of herself (as they/we do) so that you could attain the legacy. It is so perfect that the “pact made at the crossroads” is backdropped by whispers over rocking chairs on a hot night.
I LOVE the mythology of the crossroads! “Whisper from chairs rocking back and forth” is a cinematic image. These two poems work so well as complements.
I love your two nonets Melanie! I love how you shared that you were the first one to go to college in your family, and to become a professor is amazing!
I
feel pride
when she calls
to tell me how
she’s accomplished more, moving up
the competitive ladder of women’s success.
Making cases a better place for indigents,
My daughter, a lawyer, a mother, a force–
Another glass ceiling tile broken down by her competence.
Go, Margaret’s daughter!
This warms my heart:
and
Hello Margaret! I love how you beautifully capture the pride and admiration you feel for your daughter! Making her way into the world and making a difference for others is so inspiring for many. I loved reading and reflecting on this! Thank you!
Margaret, Hurrah for glass ceiling dismantling. I like the image of tiles here.
Oh, what a wonderful feeling to know that you have raised a daughter who will make such a difference fighting for all that is right. Love that last line – – those glass ceilings broken down.
Love! “My daughter, a lawyer, a mother, a FORCE.” We need these women! As Sharon said— “Go Margaret’s daughter!”
I can feel the fierce but loving pride through and through, Margaret. “A force” – she is courageous. and determined. And – that she wants to share her successes with you is deeply moving. I hope you will share this poem with her!
I love the meaning behind your nonet Margaret, and the descriptive words you use in it!
I love this, Margaret! “Another glass ceiling tile broken down by her competence.” Wonderful! Here’s to more breaking glass in her (and society’s) future!
I
am afraid
of the word
pride, a feeling derived
from one’s own achievements, possessions
widely admired, yet consciousness of one’s
own dignity, knowing worthiness of existence, self
respect is a sense of being only I
can nurture in me, a state of being self-celebrated. Loved.
Sarah,
This is a whole life lesson! Thank you! Always teaching us the good stuff!
This is such a tight, insightful little poem, Sarah. I had to reread it a few times to start considering the link between pride and being “SELF-celebrated” and able to love oneself.
One of the many things I admire about you is your humility. I am holding onto this line, “only I can nurture in me.” The responsibility is no one else’s but your own to love and be loved. Thanks for this.
Thank you for articulating the nuance and complexity of this word so well, Sarah! With my self-deprecating nature and my (lapsed) Catholic upbringing — pride goeth before the fall and all that — I was hard pressed to decide on something when I first read and thought about the prompt. My brain went to teaching for 30 years and what an accomplishment that is — and I think it is — but I also think, yeah, it’s what I love to do, so….it reminded me of the students who arrive to school during a snow “storm” (when all the surrounding schools have called off) and they want extra credit for showing up, and I think, you want extra credit for doing what you’re supposed to be doing? No, but thank you for being here, let’s get to work….and I realized that this said more about me and my relationship to “pride” than anything else, so thank you for also grappling with the prompt and for showing us that “grappling”!
I love how you included self-worth in your poem Sarah!
Bon, Zee, Brynn, and Jacob–I am proud of you for hosting today!
future
pre-service
model, discuss, apply
vulnerable, fail, grow, repeat
challenging times, words are hushed
pushing forward to better the world
taking time to better the self, pride
thankful to new generations who are committed to
other young students, diverse learners guided by inclusive pedagogy
Stefani,
“vulnerable, fail, grow, repeat” is such a great snapshot of the process of learning to teach (and the continual process of staying relevant as a teacher). I have the great privilege of supervising pre-service teachers in my current job and it is thoroughly invigorating to watch them grow professionally as the move towards becoming professionalized. This poem captures that feeling.
I love your middle lines Stefani, and the words you chose to use! I also love how you start it with a process that every future educator has to go through!
Dad
dropped out
when his parents
needed his income, taking
a GED and night classes.
Mom earned her associate’s at forty-five.
Married at nineteen, I returned to college
Mom of four, earning associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s.
Alas, too little cash to earn the doctorate degree.
Kelley, so much to be proud of in those who value both education and the reality of finances in the scheme of things. I like that you put the cost into the big picture of things – – there is always a cost analysis to consider, for sure!
I’m glad you saw how proud I am of my parents’ accomplishments. I was worried it wouldn’t come through.
Kelly,
I like how you begin your educational journey with your Dad’s sacrifice. Your pride in your parents and their sacrifice resonates with me. My mother also left school and home at fifteen to contribute income to her family. I cannot imagine doing that at such a young age. My Mom was always proud of my brother and my educational achievements. No doubt your parents were proud of your achievements.
My mom and stepdad were. Dad died before I went back to school. My dad was adopted when he was 14, by the family that had fostered him since age 2, so he felt a great deal of gratitude to them and was quite willing to leave school to help them out, but he never stopped learning.
Hello Kelley! Your family’s education journey is very relatable to me. It’s incredibly inspiring how you worked to get multiple degrees as a mom of four!!! I love this!
Thank you. I hope it impacted my kids as well since they have all followed my non-traditional timeline for education. So far, daughter 1 has her associate’s, daughter 2 has her bachelor’s, daughter 3 has multiple certifications, and my son just became a senior chief in the Navy.
Generational accomplishment! You all have so much to be proud of, Kelley. This little poem holds so much.
Thank you.
I love how you were able to make it about your parents Kelley! Super cool thing to be proud of and a great poem!
Many thanks.
Jacob, Bon Mate, Zee and Bryn,
Thank you so much for hosting us today and focusing us on pride.
This are some of my favorite lines:
Jacob’s
Bon Mate’s
Zee’s
Brynn’s
———————————————————
Balm
Each day since April second, I have stopped to
Write a poem, busy with school, calendar oblivious
I forgot to start when April began
I wrote in the too long
Days of my mother’s dying
Then mired in grief
Anchored in words
I wrote
Reflecting
Wow Sharon. Gorgeous. Words as a balm. My mother died on April 24, 1994. I was a freshman in college at the time. I used to say that words saved me— and they did. Poetry and art. You capture it here. Thinking of you during those “too long days” of grief.
“Anchored in words” – the healing power of writing, the clarity of mind that writing brings even in the mire of grief, “in the too long days of my mother’s dying”and afterward. Whew. Searing acknowledgement, Sharon. We forget that writing is sometimes a lifeline – you show us that here, even with your simple, beautiful title.
I love your poem Sharon! I recently lost my grandpa and have been making sure to be writing every day just to get my thoughts out on paper.
I really enjoyed reading this, thank you. It reminded me during a time when I went through grief and these words in your nonet: “Each day, stopped, busy, oblivious, forgot, too long days, mired, anchored, reflecting” I feel perfectly encapsulates grief, the unexpected change and quick turnaround yet days feeling at pause. I still can’t get my mind over it. Thank you for sharing.
EGO of a WOMBAT
I am
Proud to be,
of expanding Creativity,
All around me, to be, to see,
the key of longevity,
in my mentality,
my reality,
sobriety,
Clarity,
to be
me.
I love how you switched up the pattern. I’m proud of you too.
Hello Clayton! There is a freedom that comes from valuing creativity and self-expression. Your words’ flow shows the happiness you feel by being real and genuine.
I love that you are playing with the standards of the poem’s form to address life changes that involve breaking patterns. Clarity is magical and you should be proud. Keep disrupting!
Silly poem…but not! “sobriety/clarity” are sensible truths.
Okay. True confessions. I had to look up “wombat” after reading the poem. Then, I got a double kick out of your choice to use the 123454321 layout. Clever, clever, clever, Clayton!
I love your poem Clayton, and especially the change in format!
Resilient Brynn, Caring Zee, Forging Bon Mate, Gutsy Jacob,
Thank you for hosting today. Thanks for the prompt that you provided. It was fun considering things I’ve been proud of in this life.
I
am proud
that when my
daughters were toddlers, I
read a book called: Is
the Homosexual My Neighbor?: A Positive
Christian Response. Living in a negatively responding
Christian world, I wanted empathy, especially for them.
Yes, I learned. The answer’s yes, a thousand times.
Denise,
I love this simple act of reading to push against
I love how you include the full title and the exuberance of your ending:
Amen! The world has changed so much for what is was. Christians have ever been asked to love their neighbor. Thank you for the reminder.
Not sure how from what it came out for what is. Sorry about that.
Denise, what a way to teach your daughters to respect all people and love them as they are – whether they make the same choices or different ones from us. I love your approach to teaching them.
Yes. Our neighbor is every human on the planet. Matthew 7:12 is so clear and so simple…I love how you always write with your whole heart, Denise.
Now that’s fantastic parenting and your poem is beautiful.
Your daughters are very lucky to have you as a guide
My pastor recommended that book to me. It opened my whole world. I’d forgotten about it. Thanks for the reminder.
Reading opens minds and in your family’s case, opened hearts.
Thanks for confirming the power and fear of reading!
Thank you for your response Denise! I love that you read your daughters that book and gave all of us a reminder to love everyone even when it’s hard!
Thanks so much, Jacob, Bon Mate, Zee, and Bryn, for offering us a chance to brag about something. I chose my kids, now adults! I also can brag that I live in the same town where you attend college! So proud to join you here!
Nonette on Our Three
We
Are proud
Our three children
Chose different school sports
Cheerleading, basketball, swimming and diving
Then followed distinctly different career paths
Navy chef, professional musicians’ instructor, telecommunications analyst
Independent, bringing joy, sharing, providing service to others
Making us proud they are champs in their crowd.
Anna, these three sound like successful and beautiful humans! I love that 8th line especially, which includes such important qualities: “Independent, bringing joy, sharing, providing service to others”
What a wonderful celebration of your kids!
is fantastic.
Love that family portrait. My goodness, what a crew to be proud of. I’m proud of you all too!
I love your poem Anna! I love how descriptive you were in your 8th line about your children!
Thank you all so much for hosting us today – and to the hosts of each day this month. I love a nonet and am sure that of all the topics I could have chosen today, my grandchildren are my greatest pride. I daydream about them at work – and look forward to the days of retirement when I can spend more time with them.
Proud Nana Nonet
I’m proud of my seven grandchildren
days steeped in workday retirement
daydreams to spend time with them ~
rocking, reading, playground
visits, traveling,
loving them up
proud nana
full time
fun
Here’s to living your best Nana life, Kim…nothing on Earth can compare! I love “loving them up” – Southern phrasing for sure, and familiar to my ears. Those seven grandchildren are blessed beyond measure to have you – Royal Meadow Fortress Haiku Queen Wordsmith Extraordinaire – for their precious Nana.
I love the way your love for them oozes out of this poem. I too am a proud Nana of 6 amazing grands who give me a reason to exercise, eat right, and pray for a safer world where they can be who they want to be.
Kim, I like how your busy cubicle-filled days start out in the longer lines in this poem and then, the daydreams are all distilled to “fun.” How exciting to consider more time with them. In the meantime, I know you already spend time “loving them up” Sweet thoughts!
Grands are the best. I can feel your love in every line of the poem. I have 16, including my two angels and four steps, but all sixteen are mine.
I love your poem Kim! I think it’s amazing that you were able to make readers feel the love you have for your grandchildren!
Kim! Ugh I’m only a college student but I love children!! I’ve always thought about my future my future babies insha’Allah but I have never thought about my connection to their kids (my grand babies) and honestly this makes me even more impatient but i definitely connect with your nonet and can’t wait for this with my future family insha’Allah.
ooooh this prompt is fun! Thank you Jacob, Bon Mate, Zee and Brynn. I wish you every success as you join our profession. I love a poem that surprises me. This one did.
April is School Library Month
If
I were
in a parade
I’d be up front
marching with cardiganned school librarians
passing out books, bookmarks and stickers
to people cheering for learning and reading
Babies to grandparents, wealthy or not, anyone with
hearts and hands willing to read a new book
Love, love , love this, Linda! Your passion and pride for your work ring forth and furthermore, your voice rallies others for the cause of literacy. And, I might add, to the love of books and reading…which is where the story begins. Your imagery is so vibrant. Can I be your assistant in this parade??
This warms my heart and makes me wish there were book parades everywhere, all across the nation. That’s what the world needs right about now, born of your imagination and your desire to get everyone reading.
Hooray for School Librarians, libraries and books! I love that the “cardiganned school librarians” will be leading this parade. And everyone is invited–no money needed in a library. Thanks for writing it!
I would love to march along with you, Linda.
Your poem is making me happy, picturing you “up front” and
crowds of
Love it!
Thank you for this joyous celebration!
Yessss!!! I would be right up front with you!
Linda, I love the way this poem marches right up to the reader with the opening lines, “If / I were / in a parade / I’d be up front.” This spirit is so true of good librarians and reminds me of our own school librarian, who brings posters to our classrooms and asks for our input on literacy campaigns. Thank you!
I love the description you had in your poem Linda! I could picture everything you said in your poem!
Jacob, Bon, Zee, and Brynn: Thank you for the invitation and inspiration today, and for your rich nonets. Your lines here stand as beacons of encouragement to others, to set goals, to overcome, to chase one’s dreams. I feel proud for each of you, reading your poems. Each of you is a gift to us today – and to the future.
So, a confession: I hard a hard time breaking away from syllable counting! I will say, however, that using words instead offers much more freedom. Thank you again for sharing with us and guiding us with your poems. Oh, and for “permission” to be proud.
Just This Once, I’ll Say It
I
am proud
of my writing
although it isn’t perfect
and doesn’t have to be…
it is always stirring inside me
waiting to be born, and I’m reborn
with the crystallization of every word from ideas
—this is me, living life exponentially, when I write
Yes, ma’am! And, I’m proud of your writing too. There is truth in it that resonates with me and inspires me to also write.
Amen! That is certainly you, Fran – – reborn, rediscovering, crystallizing…..living life exponentially. I love this process of writing without expectation of perfection, just sheerly out of habit for the passion of it. I often tap my fingers in syllable counts, and I often write on my leg or a surface with my finger, sometimes probably looking a lot like I have some kind of neurological issue happening. It’s the writing that gets in and has to come out even when I’m not holding a pen. That’s how I relate to “it is always stirring inside me.” Yes, yes.
Fran, yes, indeed. I’m glad you said it, even “just this once.” “Living life exponentially, when I write” is something I am pondering over here. It’s a big claim, and yet, I’m thinking about it as truth for me too. Beautiful, my friend.
Fran,
As someone who reads your poems here, I encourage you to say it more than once!
I absolutely love your last line:
I like the close linking of your identity and your writing and am intrigued by the idea of how writing allows us to live our lives exponentially. I might have to steal that as a poem prompt—which is evidence to prove your point about poetry’s expansive qualities.
We all love your writing, Fran! I appreciate you being proud of yourself! We sometimes forget that it’s perfectly fine to celebrate US!
Fran, your opening lines, “I / am proud / of my writing” is something we all need to tell ourselves. Maybe, when we see the artist/magic/writer in ourselves, we can see it in others too.
Thank you for your poem Fran! I love your 3rd and 4th lines. “Although it isn’t perfect / and it doesn’t have to be…” I feel like it’s something that people don’t realize, and I’m so glad you were able to put it into words!
Perfect, Fran! And I love the line “–this is me, living life exponentially, when I write”! (And, not that you need my — or this community’s — permission, lol, but, please, say and feel this pride more often! You are so so good and that celebration bears repeating, often!
)
Thank you so much for hosting us today! The future is in great hands with you four. I love the prompt and each of your creations.
Offspring
girls
and two boys
fruit of my womb
every combination of them works.…
girls, boys, oldest-youngest, middle, similarities
they love—life, us, and each other
differences exist, miles separate, bonds unite, memories cement,
my legacy— them—is all I need for remembrance
~Susan Ahlbrand
19 March 2025
Yes! This is beautiful…the best part is “every combination of them works…” This is what I’m beginning to see in my four of two girls and two boys. It is good. So good. I see myself in this poem.
The ties that bind…the greatest of which is love. I celebrate your family – well-placed pride, Susan! Your last line is my favorite – yes, our children are our legacy. As well as our life’s great work, and our treasure,
Susan, I love that every combination of the fruit of your womb works. I chuckle because I understand it this way: we have one that we always, just between their dad and I, referred to as “the ingredient.” Like vinegar in baking soda. I’m glad yours all work in every combination.
Susan, what a beautiful tribute to the “fruit of your womb”
I love “every combination of them works.…” and “they love–life, us, and each other” What could be better?
Susan,
Awww, so loving. Thank you for sharing your darlings with us.
I love your poem Susan! I like in your last line that you said, “my legacy-them-is all I need.” I totally agree that the parents legacy is passed down to their kids!