When Spring Speaks in Tricubes

Welcome to Verselove, a place for educators to nurture their writing lives and to advocate for writing poetry in community. We are gathering every day in April to write– no sign-ups, no fees, no commitments. Come and go as you please. All that we ask is that if you write, you respond to others to mirror to them your readerly experiences — beautiful lines, phrases that resonate, ideas stirred. Enjoy. (Learn more here.)

Our Host: Leilya Pitre

Leilya Pitre lives in Ponchatoula, LA, which is known as the Strawberry Capital of the World. She teaches at Southeastern Louisiana University and coordinates the English Education Program. With her students, who are tomorrow’s English teachers, she tries to think of the ways to make learning accessible, enjoyable, and effective. She loves to learn about people, cultures, and rich traditions all over the world. In her free time, she reads, writes, listens to music, visits her children and grandchildren, or travels with her husband. Leilya’s love for poetry is recharged by this community or #VerseLovers.

Inspiration 

Spring is my huge inspiration; it always was. To me, it brings hope. It unfolds in small moments—birds chirping, sun warming us up, tree blossoms, long evening walks with a loved one. It makes me hear more, see more, and do more. It signals a fresh start, an awakening, or a new opportunity.  It feels like the world turns toward me. 

When you think about spring, what’s one that speaks to you?

Process

Let’s try to think about spring in your life using a tricube form. A tricube consists of three stanzas, each with three lines, and each line having three syllables—quick, rhythmic, and focused. It’s easy to remember as 3:3:3.

Begin by answering the question: What does spring mean to you? 

You may jot down your thoughts and then choose your words and lines for the poem, or you may begin crafting a poem right away – whatever works best for you.

Certainly, you don’t have to write about spring or use the suggested form. Just let your pen (or keyboard) take you on a little journey.  

Leilya’s Poems

Here is my tricube: 

Pause—Look—See 

When spring speaks,
Open your heart,
Pause—look—see.

A new leaf,
Soft green stretch,
Breath of light.

A kind friend,
Keen-eyed soul,
Caring heart.

Your Turn

Now, scroll to the comment section below to write your own poem. (This is a public space, so you may choose to 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. 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. Also, please be sure to respond to at least three writers.