Write Around the Corner Meeting Prompts 6/27/2020

#WriteAroundtheCorner


Since we had two weeks since the last meeting, we began with a warm up.

1. List five things that have happened since our last meeting. Things you have done, special events, anything that you might want to share.

2. From A Book That Takes Its Time

Answer this series of questions:

A. If nothing could stop you, what would your big dream be?

B. What is the most appealing aspect of this particular dream? What feeling or image relates to it?

C. What part of your dream is in reach?

D. What would the first stop be toward it?

E. Which dream will never come true? Is that such a bad thing?

Final words on dreams:

#3. Practice writing details

Here were the three choices for descriptive writing:

A man lifting a bottle of cold beer.

10-year-old just returning from school on a hot day.

Woman waiting for a city bus in the rain.

(This activity elicited wonderful responses, and everyone read theirs.  Pretty darn cool!)


In addition, Mo told us about a book she read which she found very inspiring:

Learning to Dance Inside

No Decisions (7 Lines/7 Days #6)

#108Weeks

I am passing through something now that will give me what I need for the time to come.

It all seems to come down to not just breathing, but really noticing body sensations and even noticeable constrictions in others. It's about physical cues.

I discovered a Power Spot I really love -- great view, hidden just enough.

I'm not planning anything else. I have to figure out my life here.

There are five more weeks before school begins. I need to make it count for something.

I feel there is a way through. There will be setbacks, but we will make it to the other side.

No decisions needed right now.

Power Spot

I discovered a new power spot today.

I first learned of power spots from Danaan Perry in his book Warrior of the Heart. It’s a place in nature where you can sit uninterrupted and preferably unseen.

This new spot is in Lakes Park. I had another spot there at one time, but when they did maintenance on the walking path they took out the vegetation that kept me hidden.

I was delighted to find this spot today in the marsh area, with a smoothed out limestone rock to sit on. A place to go to gather my inner power, think, and pray.

😊

Meeting the Blues (7 Lines/7Days #5)

 June 20 -27, 2020

#108Weeks

Right now cases are spiking in Florida in people ages 35-40 -- the age of my student's parents, so yeah, not feeling great about that.

If we try to do half school, is that really better? Does it keep anyone safe?

What happens when the first teacher or students gets sick...or worse? It's so damn uncertain.

We now have fatigue over the idea of quarantine, and that is a problem.

The privileged class just wants their lives "back to normal" and will wield their power.

It is absolutely impossible to figure this out.

I've been saved by the poetry of Nikki Giovanni, a collection from the late 90s ever relevant today. The title is Blues for All the Changes.

That says it all.

Envoy

Today I finished reading a book of poetry by Gary Snyder. The last poem was called "Envoy." It inspired this poem.

We are surrounded by spirits

who are watching us, carrying

us, being our envoys to the

greater existence, the ocean

of everything. We are never

without these angels who

whisper in our ear and speak

to our hearts -- it will be okay,

all will be well, all will be well,

in all manner of things will be well.

And we will be carried, through

trust and love and hanging on 

to our own inner power, our own

inner spirit that dwells and calms

and whispers

all will be well.

In Praise and Love

Praise to those doing our lawn care today
Praise to the meal delivery service who keeps fresh food in our home
Praise to my writer friends who express and share
Praise to those working hard to figure out the next step
Praise to musicians who keep sharing their talent
Praise to those who understand our responsibility to each other

Love to all who are suffering
Love to all who feel lost
Love to all taking care of children
Love to all who stand up for others
Love to the kindnesses that hold the world together
Love to those we cannot reach, but who are forever in our hearts.

Tiny Changes (7 Lines/7 Days #4)

#108Weeks

I haven't been able to get out and walk because of the rain

It will be cloudy and muggy again today. No sun to dry the air.

Today today today I will eat at a restaurant for the first time since March 13th!

Things are quiet within me & that's cool.

For whatever reason I slept better last night. Okay maybe I do know the reason.
I didn't drink wine.

Yesterday I decided to restrict myself to two times a day on Facebook.

Looking at the weather, it will be nice to get out and walk.

Write Around the Corner Meeting Prompts 6/13/2020

#WriteAroundtheCorner

Note: Beginning in two weeks, we will be moving from a weekly meeting to twice a month --the 2nd and 4th Saturday, same time.


Invitation to Write

#2 Before I Die I Want to...

 

Based on a worldwide project:
https://beforeidieproject.com/

NOTE FROM HELEN: Amy told us about this project having connections to the Stoics from Ancient Greece, and suggested this video. I found it super informative. I've always had kind of a negative understanding of Stoicism, but once I started watching this video I could see immediately that it is very much like Buddhism!

I highly recommend watching this 5 minute video.

#3 List of nouns that could prompt writing, or be titles of poems, essays, or stories.

With Pockets

Special thanks to Laurie Kemp for this writing prompt. It caused a whole flood of memories, and ideas for blog posts.  What could be better?

Laurie's prompt was simple: What clothes do you put on when you want to feel especially good?  She asked that we really think of the reasons for these particular items to make us feel uplifted or powerful or whatever we feel when we dress this way.

I immediately thought of my long pocket dresses. And here I want to give props to my friend Annmarie who introduced me to the Auselily brand available on amazon.  Casual dresses in a variety of colors, super comfortable and practical, a teacher's dream. And I want to emphasize -- POCKETS.

I immediately purchased some of these dresses and, lo and behold, discovered they had a line of maxi dresses as well.

The Maxi!

For years I have tried to find comfortable maxi dresses. It is a style I have always adored. But many of the dresses on the market were too dressy or the material was weird or they had plunge necklines or spaghetti straps or they just weren't considered in style, so not even available.

I not only purchased many knee-length dresses, I also purchased many of the long ones. Dresses with flowers and 1960s style designs, dresses in deep purple or indigo, which prompted our school counselor to tell me that wearing those dresses made me "look like the queen of CLMS."

So yeah -- I guess the good feeling translated to the outer world.

Then came quarantine, and my dresses languished in the closet. I swear, I cannot see those long dresses hanging there without a longing to wear them.

On a Sunday in April I decided enough was enough. Yes, like most people I had been dressed in casual clothes, sans bra, for weeks. But on this particular Sunday I was making a nice dinner and decided, heck, time to dress up!

I showered, dressed, poured myself a glass of wine and took this photo and posted it:

The response was immediate. I received over a dozen comments and over 133 likes/loves.

This small act seemed to reach out to people who were probably in the same place I was -- in a holding pattern. Something had to be done to break through.

Now back to the prompt. Laurie says to think deeply about WHY wearing this clothing is important. And then I was transported to another time.

Long flowered skirts were popular when I was in high school. In sewing class my sophomore year I made a maxi skirt and a peasant blouse to go with it. The skirt had a green background covered with  a variety of tiny flowers. The peasant blouse was a complimentary shade of spring green. To my knowledge there is no picture of me in this outfit, but it is one I fondly remember.

**
As I grow older, I am learning that aging is about finding pieces of yourself from the past, and applying them to life today.

And that takes me to June 19, 1971.

This was an evening that I went on a double date to dinner and to see Elton John, someone who was just breaking on the scene at the time. The other girl on the date was Ellen, a friend from school. The guys went to one of the all boy Catholic schools. These weren't great romances or anything -- we had gone through a common experience together which I now plan on writing about in another post.

Anyway, Ellen and I both decided to wear long dresses. We were being taken to one of Cleveland's premier restaurants, Pier W. It was a perfect summer evening to sit in this exquisite restaurant that sits right on Lake Erie, with a view of the Cleveland skyline. I know I had rarely, if ever, been in such a fancy place.

Then the concert, which was unbelievably fantastic and made me a hard and fast Elton John fan.

But it is what happened afterward. The concert was at Public Hall in downtown Cleveland. The auditorium is on what is called "the mall" -- a walking place and public area. It features a large fountain.

And that is where we founnd ourselves after the show -- along with many other fans. We saw that a ton of people were hopping into the fountain, dancing in the water, joyful and a bit crazy, singing Elton lyrics at the top of their lungs. Ellen and I didn't hesitate -- long skirts and all, we found ourselves in the fountain, dancing with abandon.

Just writing about this is bringing tears to my eyes. A piece of my past came into full relief today.

Why does this clothing make you feel good? is now easy to answer.

When I put on a long, comfortable dress,

I'm fifteen,

enchanted by music,

dancing in the water...

and this time...

with pockets.

64. Those Final Days

#64Challenge

Well, here I am. #64.

I don't need to say again that this was an incredibly intense school year, and that the lessons learned  will stay with me for a long time. I think I've stated that plenty during this project.

I've been holding this one for the end. Before I get to "those final days," a little backstory.

*
The National Writing Project used to sponsor a professional development every February at Florida Gulf Coast University. There was always great workshops and a nationally known keynote speaker. During my first year teaching, I attended the conference, and the keynote was given by Brod Bagert, an animated and fun-loving poet, who taught me something essential I have never forgotten:

Young people need to hear their voices reciting poetry out loud. Once they hear it, everything else you want to teach them becomes easier. The meaning and power moves beyond words on a page.

I took this and immediately started Poetry Fridays. At the time I was teaching three double-blocked 6th graders, 90-minutes every day, Language Arts and Reading. Giving a half hour on a Friday seemed like the perfect thing to accomplish what Brod had promised.

And yes, I think there was a pay-off. At the time, the classes were mixed ability -- so I had gifted in with kids who couldn't read a lick. I was scrambling to make it work.

They took to Poetry Friday like birds sailing on the wisps of wind high up in the sky. Brod had said the kids needed to memorize the poems, but I knew that was not going to work. I would not get enough participation.

Instead, they had time to look up poems in the several poetry books I had, mark the page, give me a card with their name and poem, and then we had our presentations. I amplified the response by providing a variety of shaker instruments. No matter how good or bad someone read their poem, everyone cheered loudly.

Soon, a deeper community was being built, and I had girls who would regularly SING together during Poetry Friday. I cannot hear Ciara's "One Two Step" without thinking of them. A boy named Kenny in one of the classes became the emcee, including his own stand-up comedy every week. The connections between us became stronger, given the power of words in their voices. And when I introduced the Town Project, they sailed right into that as well. They had learned to raise each other up in ways that had not been accomplished up until that point.

*
Fast forward to this past January, when I decided one of the focuses of my Creative Writing classes would be to "publish" in some way. I had witnessed and given in to kids being afraid to share their writing, and I decided to take some steps to move them beyond that fear. I had taught long enough to know how to take baby steps, and it actually worked. Pretty soon some of them were volunteering to  present slideshows, or asking me to read something out loud to the class they had written, and their typed out poems with artwork decorated every bit of wall space.

But the big challenge was yet to come. I decided at the end of 3rd quarter we were going to do Poetry Out Loud. They would have to get up and read their poem, and no one was exempt. I presented several options so everyone could find a place to fit -- one of them being a dual poem, written and performed with another writer.

On March 11th and 12th, the last days before spring break, we did the performances. I provided the shaker instruments, cookies and brownies, and lots of encouragement. A few writers had confided to me that they'd rather not do it, but once we got going everyone participated.

The timing had been perfect. After this, we were no longer together in the classroom. I was so grateful that I had pursued this, and that we had a chance to hear each others voices before we were all quarantined away from each other.

On the survey I gave the class at the end of our course, many students mentioned that they liked the event the best, especially the kids who had written and performed with others. It had given them a great memory. And as I reflect back on the school year, it is my most cherished memory as well. I love that I had come full circle on this, from those rough and tumble days of 2005, to nurturing classrooms of creative writers in 2020. There just could not have been a more perfect conclusion.

*
And thus concludes my #64Challenge.

63. Note to Self

#64Challenge

Note to Self:

Last September when the school year was just beginning, your "Dear Teacher" letter was published in Voices from the Middle journal.

This is worth revisiting today.

Among the things you wrote:

You know what to do.

You know you have to follow your heart and soul to give your students what they need.

You know education is about "How can I help you?"

You know things that can be measured are not the most important.

You know whose story to believe -- or at least you make a concerted attempt in every instance.

You know the purpose of education is to make good citizens. People worthy of being Americans. People who know the past, but believe in a better future.

You wrote all these thoughts over a year ago, a note to teachers everywhere. Your vision.

They all still apply -- in fact, in some ways, they apply more than ever.

Epilogue:

The only thing to add now is three questions. Three questions that get to the root of it all, that apply in nearly every piece of literature, every work of art, every conversation, every quest:

Where is the power?

Who can you trust?

How can you love more deeply? 



Documented here, this day 8 June 2020

Words (a nonet)

Inspired by this quote:

"Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, [she] would hold them in their hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like the rain."

 (from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak)

The words arrived like Florida clouds

I held them in my hands, calmly

Wrung them out until they dried

Set them on a glass shelf

Where they could shine through

Carry their truth

Tenderly

Sadly

Safe

62. Everything Connecting

#64Challenge

Inspired by Joy Harjo's poem "I Am Not Ready to Die Yet."


I am seeing clear connections between everything happening in the universe: the events, the things I am reading, the things I am listening to, the things I feel compelled to write.

This poem fits into my #64Challenge because the last week of our school year in Lee County was a volatile one across the nation. I have witnessed tense word exchanges between colleague. I have read the comments by my students of the past, many who are actively protesting. I cannot help but be thoughtfully moved by it all, and I know I need to use it as the ground for moving forward.

Everything connecting.

Today I carry the desire to live a life as one who will be open to the stories of others, to listen for the truth, to not be swayed by useless rhetoric and grandstanding.

Today I carry the desire to live a classroom life as one who will help others identify and tell their stories, rather than allow someone else define and write them. 

Today I carry the desire to live as an example of one who gathers the knowledge of the past, bringing it into the present, and examining all angles with an unflinching eye.

Today I carry the desire to live a life of non-judgment. Everything I need to know is in the person in front of me. They are the key to heaven.

Today I carry the desire to live a life where words matter. I can see the frames used to justify fear and inflammation. What I need are words that heal and promote growth.

Today I carry the desire to live a life of these choices and pray, in some small way, a few tiny ripples can reach another shore.

Write Around the Corner Meeting Prompts 6/6/2020

#WriteAroundtheCorner


Invitation to write: Cultivating Courage

 

#2. Everyone shared in the chat a quote from a book, song, or poem. We all chose someone else's to write about. Here are the submissions:

Laurie: "Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, [she] would hold them in their hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like the rain. (from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak)

Melody: "There will be no white flag above my door."  (from song "White Flag" sung by Dido, composed by Dido, Rollo Armstrong, and Rick Nowels)

Jen: "Stay gold, Ponyboy" (from The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton)

Kara: "A million people come and go through a person's ebb and flow, and times they keep on changin', while they're changin' by" ("Head Full of Ideas" performed by 311, written by Douglas Martinez and Nicholas Hexum)

Maureen:  "Teach your children well, their father's hell will slowly go by" ("Teach Your Children" performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young, composed by Graham Nash)

Helen: "He just didn't know that whatever falls from the sky shall not be cursed. And that includes the rain." (from The Bastard of Istanbul written by Elif Sharaf)

Glen: "Dear poetry, you are the special friend who accepts every word" written by a 5th grader


#3 Let me tell you a story about...

Find something in your house that has an interesting little story about it. Write the story!

On Being-ness (7/7 #3)

#108Weeks

Week of May 31 - June 6, 2020


To everything there is a season and a purpose. The time is now.

Unable to see where we are going, knowing only love can solve it,
trying to keep the focus when it's so hard to see.

It just feels so weird to be sitting here know it's ending, and feeling
in a way it's already over.

I know I need to do whatever I can to become a better teacher.

When I think of action, I think of "doing-ness."
But my "being-ness is beginning to present as action.
Holding a space. Recognizing what is. Allowing.

Through reading the stories of others we discover our stories.

Reading and writing -- summer is here!

61. Quiet Attention (a monostitch)

#64Challenge

Last night during an interval of trying to get back
to sleep, I had this realization that my relationship
with my students this past quarter took on a different
flavor because I wasn't feeling rushed to start class,
 take attendance, put out fires the way I have to do in
ordinary classroom life, enabling me to give quiet attention
to what I needed to do, be it a Zoom meeting or a phone
call or grading their work; this quiet attention is the way
to go, it closes the distance, it makes us more aware,
and it breathes life into educating.

Wa-Ke Hatchee Lullaby

I like reflecting on how things fall into place, how synchronicity plays a role in our actions, and how connections are made.

This is one of those stories. My poem will follow.

Yesterday I woke up and became aware of a "blackout" day. It was a relief to me, since I felt a deep need to retreat. I wrote a poem about it. I avoided social media. And I took care of myself.

As part of my retreat, I decided to take a walk at a local park and look for signs and symbols and messages that might help me through this highly unusual time. The park I chose is down the street from me, the name having historical significance:

Wa-Ke Hatchee Park takes its name from a combination of Native American names combining "cow" and "water." A creek that cuts through the property was an important watering hole for Florida cowboys as the last source of fresh water for their cattle as they headed to Punta Rassa for shipment to Cuba. 

I found what I was looking for at the park (explained in the poem), and used my Animal Medicine (Native American) book to discern what the message was. The overarching theme: Don't give in to illusions.

Always good advice. 

Then today my dear friend and writing partner Laurie put up a prompt to use a golden line from a song as a starter for a poem of our own. I had just listened to David Bowie's Hunky Dory, and knew I'd go back to his song lyrics. I still recall how taken I was with Bowie's lyrics on this album when I discovered him as a senior in high school. One great songwriter.

Finally, a word on the title. There is singer/songwriter I have had the pleasure of hearing perform, and the good fortune of participating in his songwriting workshops at the Sanibel Island Writer's Conference.  His name is Dan Bern, and one of my favorite songs by him is called "Albuquerque Lullaby." Immediately after writing this poem, which uses Bowie lyrics to open and close, I knew I wanted to call it "Wa-Ke Hatchee Lullaby."  But I didn't know why. It was a poem about NOT going to sleep.

So I looked up the meaning of lullaby, discovering it can be a song used to pass down cultural knowledge, to expand communication skills, and to regulate behaviors. I had no idea! Sometimes our heart knows things that we haven't consciously processed yet.

The opening of this poem is from Bowie's song "Oh, You Pretty Things." The ending is from "Fill Your Heart."

Wa-Ke Hatchee Lullaby

"Look out my window, what do I see

A crack in the sky and a hand reaching down to me"

to give me a shake from my complacency

The world slowed down this spring

and learned to breathe

And those who let it transform them

didn't need any weapons or superior power

Discovering that this is a time to look beyond

what we normally see -- to stop, look, and listen

to the pain of hundreds of years

designed by those who relish weapons and superior power

Who believe in only one way to get it

Yet it appears we've reached the hour.

I walked where the Wa-Ke Hatchee once quenched the thirst 

of those on the road

hoping to quench a thirst of my own

I saw Turtle, Dragonfly, Crow

with their wise messages for me

Ask for assistance and abundance will flow

Break down the illusions that restrict actions and ideas

Let personal integrity be your guide

Marinating in these words for a night and day

illusions began to drop away

a way forward is what I now see

"Gentleness clears the soul

Love cleans the mind and makes it free."

Final note: I went to find a video for "Fill Your Heart" and learned it is not a Bowie composition, but was written by Biff Rose and Paul Williams. Bowie did compose "Oh You Pretty Things."

Enjoy!

60. It's Done

#64Challenge

The strangest school year ever is coming to a close today.

From a strong and focused start to Global Read Aloud to switching curriculum to the joy of teaching four creative writing classes to virtual classes to mentoring students, it's been quite a year.

And next year -- I'm facing the fact it will most likely be virtual, at least for the first half of the year.

But today is the last official day. No parties. No goodbye hugs. No waving the buses on with tears in our eyes.

My team had a good long meeting today just to talk about successes and opportunities. We all agreed we have learned a lot, and have gained a wider perspective on what our students face in school every day, beyond our own classes. We know our reading team has a new and binding connection with other teachers in the school, as we reached out to our students who were struggling and saw them through.

I don't know what is around the corner. What I do know is that we will grow and learn together, become more proactive and reflective, and keep the heart and soul of teaching exactly where it is.

This year has been strange -- but not without amazing purpose.

A Bit More Light

I am slipping into a quiet place

Tracing my feelings like a finger on frosty glass

Piling up my prayers for a broken world

Strolling through my thoughts and letting them rest

Dissolving into the day's activities with an open and listening heart

Emerging at some point, when the time is right, 

when I have found a bit more light.