The Reticulated Pi-thon: Poetry

Showing posts with label Poetry. Show all posts

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Poetry Month Finishes With A Flurry of Poetry

On Tuesday afternoon, on the final day of National Poetry Month, Jennifer Swift's 8th graders came to the library to create their own edge poems. Several students created more than one poem, and Jennifer participated as well. In all, 25 poems were 'written' during the visit. Two winners and two runners up were chosen from the group. Thanks to all students and teachers who contributed to a wonderful Month of Poetry.

Winner - "Hitler" by Jordy


Winner - "9/11" by Daywe

Runner Up: "The She" by Zach

Runner Up - "Realization" by William

"Killing Secrets" by Nailah

"Lost Flight" by Nailah

"Skeletons in My Family Closet" by Jada

"When the Night Comes" by Jada

"Wonder" by Zach

"Torn" by Emery

"Misery" by Carly

"No One Has Answers" by Jada

"Not What It Seems" by Ryan

"Rebel" by Camille

"Rebel" by Daywe

"Shadow Talk" by Griffin

"Teacher" by Charlotte

"The Story of Women's Past" by Jada

"Awaken" by Nick

"Bastard Born" by Alice

"Black Warrior" by Daywe

"Crumbling" by Griffin

"Forced Out" by Hope

"Teaching Middle School" by Jennifer Swift


*"Becoming Mama" by Jennifer Swift*

Thank you for reading our poetry! I hope you've enjoyed the junior high poetry month work. Do you have a favorite?

ps - May is Mystery Month.

Friday, April 25, 2014

More Poetry on the Edge
from Bonnie & Uri's Class

Last Friday, a group from Bonnie & Uri's homebase came to the library to create their own Edge Poems. At the end of the period, poems by Keb and Margot were voted the top two of the group. Well done, class! All of the poems are on display in the Library through the beginning of next week.

"After the War" by Vinay

"Broken Pieces" by Laney

"Champion" by Lulu

"Death" by Stella

"Enchanted" by Haley

"Forever Free" by Tom H.

"Hopes and Fears" by Lindsay

"I'm Not Scared" by Margot

"Me and Them" by Olive

"Regret" by Stella

"Silence" by Haley

"The Different Ones" by Stella

"The End" by Erin Rose

"Twisted" by Alison

Untitled Poem by Keb

"What A Wonderful World" by Matthew

"Lost" by Joanie

Thursday, April 24, 2014

What's in My Pocket?
Hint -- It's Poem in Your Pocket Day!

Way back in the spring of 1998, I tore a page out of The New Yorker. That same page is still magneted to my refrigerator, and this remains one of my favorite poems. Because it's spring, because they're daffodils, because inside each of us, still, is a gleeful child just waiting for something to make us clap with joy!

Today is Poem in Your Pocket Day, sponsored by the Academy of American Poets.

I have another favorite, and I probably like it for many of the same reasons I like "48 Big Daffodils" -- because the little things matter a lot. This poem was an assigned essay topic in my 10th grade American lit class, lo these many years ago, and I still have it memorized. Do you know it?

Dust of Snow

The way a crow
Shook down on me
A dust of snow
From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.

-- Robert Frost

What poem will you share with the world today??

Thursday, April 10, 2014

April Is The Edgiest Month --
(Edge Poetry, That Is)

Yes, National Poetry month has come again, and the library is sponsoring a couple of different activities in celebration. First is the return of Poetry on the Edge, featuring student and faculty "found poetry," written with titles on book spines. Junior high classes are scheduling time to come to the library, browse for ideas, and create their own "edge poems" from our collection. Greg's 7th graders came on Monday, and next week Jennifer's 8th graders plan to come. The poetry is on display in the library, and will soon expand to the display cabinets in both the high school and the junior high commons!

Another poetry celebration is the return of Pocket Poems. Every day or so, I'll be posting a poem somewhere on campus in a lift-up "pocket." Inspired by "Poem in Your Pocket" Day (April 24, 2014 - we may do this as well!), many of the pocket poems are favorites submitted by teachers.

Send in Your Poems! - If you're inspired, create an edge poem from your own book collection, take a photo and send it to me (with a title). and your photographed poem will go on display as well. And if you'd like to suggest a pocket poem, email me or add it in the comments. I hope you will!

Edge poetry by Greg's 7th graders. Click the photo for a larger image of each poem.