Tuesday, July 20, 2010

My Poem Writing Year #111 - Song


Empty Nest
Photo by Mark LV 


This is not a poem about something that happened at our home today, but something that happens every day...to an animal and a child somewhere in the world.  Children care about small animals and say goodbye to them in kind ways.  Our side yard (the side near the cornfield), is partly a graveyard for little animals: wild birds, chickens, mice, voles...  

One of my favorite scenes in children's literature is when the wonderful artist-alcoholic Mick, in Gary Paulsen's THE MONUMENT, knows he will find find a small animal grave in some bushes.  No one tells him it is there, but as an artist, he knows.  Of course it would be there.

Students - Today I knew that I wanted to write a quieter poem; I was just feeling quiet inside.  And when you write, this is something to think about.  Ask yourself, "What is my mood?"  We are each filled with rooms and rooms of life and thought, and as writers, we can explore them all.  Half of our work is to listen carefully to what we are feeling as well as what we are thinking.

(Please click on COMMENTS below to share a thought.)

2 comments:

  1. Amy-your poem is so lovely. I especially like the last two lines.

    It reminded me of a poem I wrote about an empty nest and how said I was that the music was suddenly gone.

    Thanks for sharing another great poem!

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  2. Linda,
    Thank you! Please tell me if you ever share your poem - or if you'd be willing to share it on e-mail. It's so neat to make poem-connections. Are you writing more object poems this week?
    A.

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