It's been a while since I took up the challenge of writing poems based on the things I hear in the classroom, but as our year is coming to a close I have to slow down, pay attention and grab a few more bon-mots from the mouths of kindergarteners.It just so happens that the two girls beginning with K in my class sit side by side at the moment. The other morning they came to me to untangle their backpacks. In the course of unpacking, in a way that you could never achieve even if you made it your day's work, the zipper tab of one backpack had hooked itself through the mesh pocket of the other. I separated the backpacks and we went to work trying to formulate Big Questions about The Little Red Hen. (My favorite this year was Indi's: "Why didn't the Little Red Hen get angry?")
That afternoon at packing-up time, the two K's came to me from the closet where their backpacks hang side-by-side. They held up their backpacks, again connected by zipper and pocket, and one K said, "We think our backpacks are in love!" The other K added, "Maybe it's because they both begin with K."
Gosh, I love kindergarteners!
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Backpacks in Love
zip on over close to me--
I'll hold your heart capaciously
pop into my pocket
I'll never ever drop it
pack your hopes and dreams in me
I'll carry all you ever need
wear me out and wear me down
I'll always hang around
Heidi Mordhorst 2013
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That is such a fun conversation! And lovely poen, Heidi
ReplyDeletePriceless! I love how the poem grew out of the quote. You should use the quote as an epigraph.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite quote of the year came from a 4th grader when he observed a dark spot on my face. He said,"Your birthmark looks like a comma. People must look at you and pause."
I had to laugh out loud. Wonder if there is a poem in there somewhere.
You make magic out of the ordinary! (So do Kinders!!)
ReplyDeleteHello, my friend! "Wear me out and wear me down." Sigh. Lovely love-lines.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful imaginations the Ks have.
Love your post, Heidi, and love Margaret's anecdote! Adorable, both.
ReplyDelete