Wondering and Wandering

#ProgressivePoem #Pathways #NPM #NaPoWriMo #NationalPoetryMonth

April 19, 2022April 18, 2022 Wondering and Wandering9 Comments

Today is my turn to add a line to the 2022 KidLit Progressive Poem. I am writing on location in lovely Princeton, NJ. It is April Vacation week in Massachusetts, so I am tagging along on my husband’s research trip. The University archives have been closed to the public for two very long years, so this is a big week for him!

I brought along a few of my favorite books in the hope that one of them would hold just the right line for my turn, and indeed The Keeper of Wild Words by Brooke Smith does. The moon is beginning to appear in the sky, so I felt like it was time for a shift in the action. With just eleven days/lines to go, perhaps our adventurers should begin their journey home. Just a thought. With that in mind, today I add “The night sky would soon be painted, stars gleaming overhead, a beautiful wild curtain closing on the day.“

2022 Progressive Poem

Where they were going, there were no maps.

Sorry! I don’t want any adventures, thank you. Not today.

Take the adventure, heed the call, now ere the irrevocable moment passes!

We have to go back. I forgot something.

But it’s spring, and the world is puddle-wonderful, so we’ll whistle and dance and set off on our way.

Come with me, and you’ll be in a land of pure imagination.

Wherever you go, take your hopes, pack your dreams, and never forget – it is on our journeys that discoveries are made.

And then it was time for singing.

Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain, paint with all the colors of the wind, freewheeling through an endless diamond sky?

Suddenly, they stopped and realized they weren’t the only ones singing.

Listen, a chattering of monkeys! Let’s smell the dawn and taste the moonlight, we’ll watch it all spread out before us.

The moon is slicing through the sky. We whisper to the tree, tap on the trunk, imagine it feeling our sound.

Clouds of blue-winged swallows, rain from up the mountains,

Green growing all around, and the cool splash of the fountain.

If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden,

a bright, secret, quiet place, and rather sad;

and they stepped out into the middle of it.

Their minds’ libraries and lightning bugs led them on.

The darkwood sings, the elderhist blooms, the sky lightens; listen and you will find your way home.

The night sky would soon be painted, stars gleaming overhead, a beautiful wild curtain closing on the day.

During the month of April, I am writing poem-ish pieces inspired by my frequent walks in the natural world. Trails, paths, signs, and views always intrigue and inspire me. The Progressive Poem and my line, I believe, fit in well with this theme.

Here is a summary of the poem’s lines 1 -19 — the participating poets and where their lines are from. Over to you, Robyn Hood Black!

Irene (The Imaginaries)
Donna (The Hobbit)
Catherine F. (The Wind in The Willows)
Mary Lee (Walk Two Moons)
Buffy Silverman (a bit from e.e. cummings)
Linda Mitchell (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
Kim Johnson (from Maybe by Kobi Yamada)
Rose Cappelli (Sarah, Plain and Tall)
Carol Varsalona (Disney Songs)
Linda Baie (The Other Way to Listen.)
Janet Clare Fagal (line adaptation from Cinnamon by Neil Gaiman)
Jone Rush MacCulloch (line adaptation from The Magical Imperfect by Chris Baron)
Karin Fisher-Golton (M. Singer On the Same Day In March: A Tour of the World’s Weather)
Katherine Paterson (Bridge to Terabithia)
Heidi Mordhorst (Couplet includes 15: The Secret Garden and…
… CS Lewis’ Prince Caspian)
Ruth (The Last Cuentista)
Patricia (The Beatryce Prophecy)
Christie (The Keeper of Wild Words by Brooke Smith)

If you are new to the Progressive Poem, here’s the background! This month, members of the Poetry Friday family are participating in the 10th annual Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem originally organized by author/poet, Irene Latham. Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche took over two years ago as the organizer. Many members of the #PoetryFriday family have signed up to provide a line for the 2022 poem. Participants are borrowing lines from literature and songs. I hope you’ll join us to see what happens. Here’s the itinerary for the poem.

2022 Progressive Poem Itinerary:

April 1 Irene at Live Your Poem
2 Donna Smith at Mainly Write
3 Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core
4 Mary Lee at A(nother) Year of Reading
5 Buffy at Buffy Silverman
6 Linda at A Word Edgewise
7 Kim Johnson at Common Threads
8 Rose Cappelli at Imagine the Possibilities
9 Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link
10 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
11 Janet Fagel at Reflections on the Teche
12 Jone at Jone Rush MacCulloch
13 Karin Fisher-Golton at Still in Awe
14 Denise Krebs at Dare to Care
15 Carol Labuzzetta @ The Apples in my Orchard
16 Heidi Mordhorst at My Juicy Little Universe
17 Ruth at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken Town
18 Patricia at Reverie
19 Christie at Wondering and Wandering
20 Robyn Hood Black at Life on the Deckle Edge
21 Kevin at Dog Trax
22 Margaret at Reflections on the Teche
23 Leigh Anne at A Day in the Life
24 Marcie Atkins
25 Marilyn Garcia
26 JoAnn Early Macken
27 Janice at Salt City Verse
28 Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference
29 Karen Eastlund at Karen’s Got a Blog
30 Michelle Kogan Painting, Illustration, & Writing

awake and arise #Pathways #NPM #NaPoWriMo #NationalPoetryMonth

April 18, 2022 Wondering and WanderingLeave a comment

During the month of April, I will write poem-ish pieces inspired by my frequent walks in the natural world. Trails, paths, signs, and views always intrigue and inspire me. I have left my challenge open so that the poems may take any form — haiku, free verse, borrowed line, blackout — and who knows which direction they will go in or how often they will appear.

A peek at my process —

I’m visiting Princeton, NJ this week during my April Vacation. Despite slightly chilly temperatures here at the moment, spring has sprung into action a few weeks ahead of us in New England. Everywhere we go, early bulbs and flowering tree buds greet us. Winter seems a distant memory here. I’ve borrowed (or lifted) a line for my haiku — “nature gently seems to say” — from an unpublished poem, The Iris Garden, by my two-greats aunt Mildred.

And introducing…

This month, members of the Poetry Friday family are participating in the 10th annual Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem originally organized by author/poet, Irene Latham. Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche took over two years ago as the organizer. Many members of the #PoetryFriday family have signed up to provide a line for the 2022 poem. Today, Patricia Franz takes over at her blog, Reverie. Participants are borrowing lines from literature and songs. I’m excited to provide the 19th line tomorrow. I hope you’ll join us to see what happens. An adventure has begun! Here’s the itinerary for the poem.

2022 Progressive Poem Itinerary:

Woods Walk and a young poet’s debut #Pathways #NPM #NaPoWriMo #NationalPoetryMonth #PoetryFriday

April 15, 2022April 15, 2022 Wondering and Wandering16 Comments

It’s Poetry Friday! Matt Forrest Esenwine at Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme is our host for this the third Friday of National Poetry Month. He’s got a super interview with one of my favorite all-things-nature poets/ authors, Leslie Bulion. Her new collection Serengeti: Plains of Grass sounds terrific!

Woods Walk

A peek at my process —

Today’s poetic technique, which I learned from one of my poetic mentors, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, is letting your title open the door. As Amy notes, the words in the title need not appear again in the text, but (hopefully) guide the reader in to take a closer look. My subject is, once again, vernal pools. (A bigger future project will, fingers crossed, put my vp collection to good use!) Vernal Pools experience quite a journey throughout the year before they spring back to life in late March.

Before I go, I would also like to introduce you to another of my budding Kindergarten poets, D. Here is his tennis haiku.

tennis racquet swing

hit the ball over the net

get a point you win

To truly appreciate the fabulousness of this poem, you must understand D. School is tricky for him. In addition, his fine motor skills are still developing, so writing is labored and hard. When he looks at his handwriting in comparison to that of his peers, he feels frustrated. He loves sports and decided upon the topic — tennis — all by himself. He loves math, so the appeal of a word “puzzle” of sorts, requiring a specific syllable count, intrigued him. He absolutely nailed this and was celebrated for all his efforts.

And introducing…

This month, members of the Poetry Friday family are participating in the 10th annual Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem originally organized by author/poet, Irene Latham. Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche took over two years ago as the organizer. Many members of the #PoetryFriday family have signed up to provide a line for the 2022 poem. Today, Carol Labuzzetta takes over at her blog, The Apples in My Orchard. Participants are borrowing lines from literature and songs. I’m excited to provide the 19th line on April 19th. I hope you’ll join us to see what happens. An adventure has begun! Here’s the itinerary for the poem.

2022 Progressive Poem Itinerary:

Place Names #Pathways #NPM #NaPoWriMo #NationalPoetryMonth

April 14, 2022 Wondering and WanderingLeave a comment

Place Names

A peek at my process —

With April Vacation finally here, I am excited to have the time to revisit a few local favorite walks. I love the names they’ve acquired over time and that Henry David Thoreau and I know just where they are.

And introducing…

This month, members of the Poetry Friday family are participating in the 10th annual Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem originally organized by author/poet, Irene Latham. Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche took over two years ago as the organizer. Many members of the #PoetryFriday family have signed up to provide a line for the 2022 poem. Today, Denise Krebs takes over at her blog, Dare to Care. Participants are borrowing lines from literature and songs. I’m excited to provide the 19th line on April 19th. I hope you’ll join us to see what happens. An adventure has begun! Here’s the itinerary for the poem.

2022 Progressive Poem Itinerary:

Wandering and Wondering #Pathways #NPM #NaPoWriMo #NationalPoetryMonth

April 13, 2022 Wondering and WanderingLeave a comment

Wandering and Wondering

A peek at my process —

Wandering and Wondering is another seed poem, that surfaces from time to time. This iteration celebrates the joyous inspiration found along the banks of the Concord River. Our walks there always fill my head and then my notebook with thoughts and ideas.

And introducing…

This month, members of the Poetry Friday family are participating in the 10th annual Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem originally organized by author/poet, Irene Latham. Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche took over two years ago as the organizer. Many members of the #PoetryFriday family have signed up to provide a line for the 2022 poem. Today, Karin Fisher-Golton takes over at her blog, Still in Awe. Participants are borrowing lines from literature and songs. I’m excited to provide the 19th line on April 19th. I hope you’ll join us to see what happens. An adventure has begun! Here’s the itinerary for the poem.

2022 Progressive Poem Itinerary:

Come, Follow Me #Pathways #NPM #NaPoWriMo #NationalPoetryMonth

April 12, 2022 Wondering and WanderingLeave a comment

Come, Follow Me

A peek at my process —

I’ve had the photos of these adorable trail signs in my photo feed since the darkest days of the pandemic. Every day my husband and I went walking and we had the opportunity to explore new trails in our area. I discovered these in May 2020 while walking the Foss Farm trails in Carlisle, Massachusetts. As soon as we returned home, I dove down a cyber rabbit hole to learn more about them. They were created by Carlisle Middle School Art Club members, and apparently, there are lots of them scattered around the extensive trail system in the town. You can learn more about that here and see them all here on trail Bingo cards.

I always knew I wanted to do something with the images, and so I decided to write a story poem for my Kindergarten naturalists. Because I truly believe, in the words of Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, that “poems are teachers,” I include a reference to May’s Flower Moon, the full moon in May — the month the photos were taken. I’m going to ask my students to help me write additional verses to go with some of the other critters featured on the trail markers. How fun!

And introducing…

This month, members of the Poetry Friday family are participating in the 10th annual Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem originally organized by author/poet, Irene Latham. Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche took over two years ago as the organizer. Many members of the #PoetryFriday family have signed up to provide a line for the 2022 poem. Today, Jone Rush MacCulloch takes over at her blog. Participants are borrowing lines from literature and songs. I’m excited to provide the 19th line on April 19th. I hope you’ll join us to see what happens. An adventure has begun! Here’s the itinerary for the poem.

2022 Progressive Poem Itinerary:

Avian Meditation #Pathways #NPM #NaPoWriMo #NationalPoetryMonth

April 12, 2022 Wondering and WanderingLeave a comment

Avian Meditation

Inhale

Step

Northern Cardinal

American Robin

White-breasted Nuthatch

Exhale

Step

Downy Woodpecker

American Goldfinch

Kildeer

Inhale

Step

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

Black-Capped Chickadee

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Exhale

Step

Mourning Dove

Red-Wing Blackbird

Blue Jay

Inhale

Step

Northern Flicker

Common Grackle

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Exhale

A peek at my process —

I can’t think of a better way to re-center myself after a long day of teaching than taking a walk. My husband and I have a favorite spot on our way home from school that’s easy to stop at for a quick walk. Our feet move effortlessly on the worn figure-eight-shaped path. I inhale the fresh air and exhale the troubles of the day, while a chorus of songbirds and their guest accompanies our otherwise silent saunter. The list of birds in today’s poem were this afternoon’s featured singers.

And introducing…

On Friday, members of the Poetry Friday family launched the 10th annual Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem originally organized by author/poet, Irene Latham. Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche took over two years ago as the organizer. Many members of the #PoetryFriday family have signed up to provide a line for the 2022 poem. Today, Janet Fagel takes over. Her post can be found on Reflections on the Teche, as generous Margaret Simon often plays hostess to those without their own blogs. Participants are borrowing lines from literature. I’m excited to provide the 19th line on April 19th. I hope you’ll join us to see what happens. An adventure has begun! Here’s the itinerary for the poem.

2022 Progressive Poem Itinerary:

Today We Took a Walk #Pathways #NPM #NaPoWriMo #NationalPoetryMonth

April 10, 2022 Wondering and WanderingLeave a comment

Today We Took a Walk

A peek at my process —

Today We Took a Walk is what I call a seed poem. I planted (wrote) the original version a few years ago for my Kindergarten students, and every year it returns. I guess it’s a perennial! Each year when it emerges, it evolves to reflect walks we take together. This year instead of birds singing, we heard frogs chorusing.

And introducing…

This month, members of the Poetry Friday family are participating in the 10th annual Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem originally organized by author/poet, Irene Latham. Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche took over two years ago as the organizer. Many members of the #PoetryFriday family have signed up to provide a line for the 2022 poem. Today, Linda Baie takes over at her blog, Teacher Dance. Participants are borrowing lines from literature and song. I’m excited to provide the 19th line on April 19th. I hope you’ll join us to see what happens. An adventure has begun! Here’s the itinerary for the poem.

2022 Progressive Poem Itinerary:

breezy spring ginko #Pathways #NPM #NaPoWriMo #NationalPoetryMonth

April 9, 2022 Wondering and WanderingLeave a comment

Breezy spring ginko

A peek at my process —

Last Saturday, I attended a haiku workshop (lecture, walk, writing session) entirely out of doors. I wrote about it here and here. What I didn’t know until today, is that a nature walk taken specifically for the purpose of inspiring the writing of haiku is known as a ginko. (More about that here.) Many thanks to the brilliant Robyn Hood Black, who has taught me, virtually, a great deal about the art of all-things-haiku over the last 5-ish years. As soon as I learned this, I knew I needed to use it in a poem. Today I’m trying out a lune of the collum variety — 3 lines, 3 words/5 words/3 words. You can learn more about this form here.

And introducing…

On Friday, members of the Poetry Friday family launched the 10th annual Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem originally organized by author/poet, Irene Latham. Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche took over two years ago as the organizer. Many members of the #PoetryFriday family have signed up to provide a line for the 2022 poem. Today, Carol Varsalona takes over at her blog, Beyond Literacy Link. Thus far, participants have borrowed lines from literature. Today, Carol steers us in a slightly different Disney direction. I’m excited to provide the 19th line on April 19th. I hope you’ll join us to see what happens. An adventure has begun! Here’s the itinerary for the poem.

2022 Progressive Poem Itinerary:

The Hike and a young poet’s first poems #Pathways #NPM #NaPoWriMo #NationalPoetryMonth #PoetryFriday

April 8, 2022April 8, 2022 Wondering and Wandering18 Comments

It’s Poetry Friday! Janice at Salt City Verse is our gracious hostess for this, the second Friday of National Poetry Month. She’s got a fabulous interview with David Elliott, author of a new treasure, At the Pond, and a preview of the book. You know me — vernal pool girl — and I am all over this one! Ponds, vernal pools…that’s my jam!

The Hike

A peek at my process —

I wrote this “list with a twist” poem for my Kindergarten poet/naturalists. List poems are one of the easiest ways to get beginning writers started with writing their own poetry. In my classroom, I provide special 4-line list poem paper to scaffold them until they are ready to fly on their own.

One of my writers, Victoria, has been bitten by the poetry bug and decided she wanted to write a collection of poetry. Here are her first six list poems — Tadpoles, Spring, Frogs, Flowers 1, Flowers 2, Forsythia — shared with her permission. (Click on the images for a better view.)

I think Victoria has a bright future ahead of her writing poetry, don’t you think?

And introducing…

Last Friday, members of the Poetry Friday family launched the 10th annual Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem originally organized by author/poet, Irene Latham. Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche took over two years ago as the organizer. Many members of the #PoetryFriday family have signed up to provide a line for the 2022 poem. Today, Rose Cappelli takes over at her blog, Imagine the Possibilities. Participants are borrowing lines from literature. I’m excited to provide the 19th line on April 19th. I hope you’ll join us to see what happens. An adventure has begun! Here’s the itinerary for the poem.

2022 Progressive Poem Itinerary: