freefall

Tuesday was a hard day for everyone who works in a school, or is a parent, or abhors the shooting of human beings of any age. Like many of you, I reached for poetry, for something to hold onto in this freefall of tragedy.

 

 

I hope you found some cushion, too. Our roundup is hosted this week by your friend and mine, the brave Linda Mitchell, librarian extraordinaire, who has put herself on the line to protect students this year. Thank you, Linda, for putting a word in edgewise, again and again.

 

grateful glee

A simple post today--a gleeful expression of gratitude and excitement! Thanks to the donations of 26 people from all my different circles, I'll be able to carry out my clandestine plan to honor the 5th graders at my school as they head to middle school--many of them kids I taught as 2nd graders before moving to PreK. I'll be speaking at their promotion. : )

The plan features IMPERFECT II: Poems about Perspective, an anthology for middle-schoolers. A little perspective will go a long way at this time, and I'm so thankful to everyone who got motivated about this idea along with me! 

 Here's a favorite from the book by my deeply, wisely creased friend Margaret Simon. 

 

  

Our host today for Poetry Friday is Rose at  Imagine the Possibilities, where she's also honoring lots of poets from our community.  Technically it's the 3rd Friday of the month and a climate post day--but today I'll just mention that the climate right now is one of danger and disregard for our civil rights as Americans.  Get out there tomorrow and demonstrate your support for a woman's right to choose.

may inklings challenge: #inhonorofnpm

May the Sixth Be With You! 

(I know that's not right, but I adore this Star Wars cleverness so much I'm recycling it for today.)

The Inklings all laughed uproariously when I quipped about a complicated plan to meet Linda's challenge this month: "Honor someone’s April Poetry project in some way with a poem in the spirit of their project, a response poem or any way that suits you." So then I had to do it...

 

Thanks to these three Poets I Want to Be When I Grow Up for their unique and powerful inspiration. I've been reading even if I haven't been commenting. Now go enjoy all the ways the other Inklings tackled the challenge!

Mary Lee Hahn @ A(nother) Year of Reading
Molly Hogan @ Nix the Comfort Zone
Linda Mitchell @ A Word Edgewise
Margaret Simon @ Reflections on the Teche

 

Our host today is Jama at Jama's Alphabet Soup, where she's poignantly Mother's Daying. One last note: should you want to help me celebrate my impending retirement from the full-time classroom thing (though not from teaching, of course!), please go here to see how. It's juicy!

 

https://bit.ly/MovingUpMovingOn