As a way to help students go deeper with their poetry, we tried on some still life poems today inspired by Work Boots: Still Life by Jim Daniels. I experimented a bit the other day with my poem about malasadas, and could see ways this approach might help my students. We practiced together using the classroom rocking chair as our subject. I encouraged students to push their ideas, moving beyond the literal, stretching to unexpected comparisons. Using the structure described by Go Poems, students then brainstormed a description of an item of their choice (a thing, not a person or animal) and then considered the deeper meaning of the item. Using Work Boots as a mentor text, they wrote their own poems.
Frankie, who is obsessed with books, wrote this still life poem:
Poem Book: Still Life
On my shelf
just waiting to be read
it is a poem book.
So as I touch it
the hard cover is blank.
Open, close with a snap.
Floating on a river of poems,
feeling relaxed on my boat
taking me to places I have never been.
New words, new poems.
Places like the forest to the sea, on the fields
and in my bed.
Sloane, who was wearing a skeleton key necklace today, took that as inspiration.
Rusty Key: Still Life
The wispy key, sitting quietly
waiting to unlock the door to the world.
With waves swirling at the top
like octopus arms.
There on that silent table
at the end of this wonderful old key are two humps
like a camel
ready to click the invisible switch
behind the clockwork of the door.
That’s where the new world unfolds.
You see, this old silver useful and quiet key
can do so much.
The key finally breathes a sigh of relief.
And my poem was about my alarm clock:
Alarm Clock: Still Life
Next to my bed
my alarm clock stands guard
silent glowing numbers
mark the invisible
beat of the day, keeping track of
seconds,
minutes,
hours,
days
When the time is right
the tiny bird chirps
insistent
incessant
tearing me from my dreams
as my hands reach and fumble
to press snooze
annoyed yet comforted
knowing it will chirp
again
I drift back to my dreams.
©Douillard
Thinking Through My Lens 
i like the poetry and the hand written sheet added enrichment
I’m focused
on the rust,
while you
focus on the key
While I explore
the past,
you explore
belief –
My fingers crush
the stories, gone,
as you unlock
the door
I’m staring at
what’s disappeared
you’re walking
across the floor
Wow! There’s so much to think about here! A pessimist and an optimist meet…
Check out Nerudas Odes…
Sent from my iPad
>
We used Ode to an Onion as a mentor text a while ago… Thanks for the reminder to bring his odes back out!
Sloane’s poem reminds me of The Islander by Cynthia Rylant. It’s a small magical book. The boy has a key that vibrates when he nears a hurt animal that needs him. Sloane’s key could be magical.
I know she believes that! I’ll have to see if we have that book in our school library and recommend it to her!