Seeking Silence: Day 15
Leave a reply
Today marks the halfway point of my self-imposed 30 day National Poetry Month challenge. And as always happens for me, the more I write, the more easily I’m able to write. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know these poems are not masterpieces…they are, in fact, all first drafts that would benefit from feedback, revision and more revision.
Returning back to school also means that I can involve students in the revision and feedback process as well. What will happen when we take the time to select some of our poems to rework and improve? How can we take inspiration from each other and from published poets as we tackle the difficult task of revising our writing?
Today also marks the last day of spring break for me. It was a lazy day spent reading and running a few errands…with a lovely beach walk squeezed in too. As is often the case, I found myself drawn to the seabirds…
Seeking Silence
In a world of noise and constant motion
I seek silence
in the roar of the surf
as turquoise and blue
tumble to frothy white
I seek silence
in the laughter and squeals
of children
plunging headfirst
into the chill of the spring tide
I seek silence
in the bobbing sandpipers
searching for snacks at lowtide
crying out warnings
when my camera comes too close
In the solace of the ocean and its noise and constant motion
I find a way to quiet my mind
and breathe in silence
Douillard 2018
And on this last day of spring break I found a photo and poem from a student in my inbox. (Thanks to the parents who allowed their children to email poems to me over the break.)
Dew,
Resting its head on its cold plant pillow
Sparkling as the sun shines in them
like a diamond shattered into a million tiny pieces
Showing its power
Amelia
How are you spending this mid-point Sunday in April?
Abundance: Day 14
Coming home means time for reflection and time to return to the daily routines. When I woke up this morning I was greeted by the overflowing mound of laundry…which led me to thinking about the abundance of the last week.
Overflow
Days of abundance overflow
wild rivers carry infinite grains of sand
mixing rain and sea water
nature’s elixir
coating my eyes
my throat
my being
freezing to icy whiteness
as we climbed the mountain
high above the city
head in the clouds
droplets run like rivers
down my cheeks and back to the sea
overflowing in a crash
of waterfalls
Traces followed me home
in my head
in my photographs
and in the pile of laundry
overflowing the basket.
Douillard 2018
And I came home to an email…a fun little list poem from a student.
A berry on a bush,A sizzle from a pan,A woof from a dog,A little ladybug’s plan,A fine line land,A click from a clock,And that is how my poem stops.Hadley
What abundance have you been experiencing?
Utility Pole: Day 13
As we walked around Portland, we kept seeing utility poles and trees layered in paper fliers until they seemed to bulge in their paper dresses.
Utility Pole
Layers of paper
announcing
a sale
tonight’s concert
an upcoming community event
piled,
flier upon flier
telling stories
as fibers melt
running together and joining
to become a part of the pole
expanding girth
paper upon paper upon paper
what is the utility of the pole?
bulletin board
or art?
Douillard 2018
And a student poem:
Guitar
Plucked with delight
Strummed with musicA fat body
Long slender neck
Sounds flowing from the heartCody
What object are you seeing and sensing in a new way today?
The City of Books: Day 12
Today was a day for urban adventures–in the pouring rain, of course. No trip to the Portland area is complete without a visit to Powells, the most amazing bookstore ever. (And trust me, I have been to many, many bookstores. I have many favorite bookstores in many different cities, but Powells is something every book lover should experience.) So my poem for Day 12 was inspired by a book I bought today (one of several) called Things to Do by Elaine Magliaro.
Things to Do if You’re a Book
Open doors to worlds beyond imaginationwhere characters become dear friends and worst enemiesAnd offer glimpses into placesour feet haven’t touched.Introduce us to people and experiencesWe haven’t yet encounteredAnd give us a whirl in their shoesin their skin, in their minds.Take us beyond our backyard fencesWhere we can hear whispersOf time gone by and what is still to come.Unplug us from the virtual worldAnd let us lose ourselvesIn a labyrinth of words.Douillard 2018
Here’s a student poem full of imagination, apparently inspired by time in the kitchen!
The Pan
So much depends
uponA sizzle
or
a fryJust rimmed
with a
simmer and a shineBeside the
chicken fryBy Hadley
And another inspired by observing a hummingbird in the garden.
Hummingbird
The hummingbird twirls with excitement
so fast
almost as fast as the flash.
Even the rainbow tries to form fast enough
to see the particle effect.
That is the color
that you dream.
Jameson
What’s inspiring your poetry today?
In My Hiking Boots: Day 11
Footwear in my daily life usually involves flip flops, tennis shoes, and whatever “fashionable” shoes I decide to wear to work. Footwear on this trip to the Pacific Northwest has taught me the importance and value of my hiking boots. I brought them thinking I would need them on days when we decided to do some “real” hiking–but I have worn them everyday…walking on the beach, on the mountain, in the forest, and around town. Here’s a little ode to my hiking boots:
In My Hiking Boots
In my hiking boots
I explore wild and windy coastlines
briny breezes upending my hair
spectacular vistas soothing my eyes
In my hiking boots
I climb snowy mountains
strapped to red snowshoes
breathing in unspoiled air with my head in the clouds
In my hiking boots
I tromp through forests
of a million shades of green
gazing up at waterfalls
that drop torrents of water
feeding ferns, moss, and a wonderland of wildflowers
In my hiking boots
my feet are dry and warm
my heart is full
and life is good.
Douillard 2018
This is a gallery of some of the wildflowers I found along my watery hikes today as we went out in search of waterfalls and witches’ houses!
I got another student poem via email today. Here’s her vision of the night sky…another ode of sorts!
Stars
When the sun melts down into the bleeding horizon,my twinkling friends appear.First one, then another, then they all come,like raindrops falling from the clouds.They dance as if they are swimming,making ripples in a watercolored sky.Their silver images are like a million rockets,dazzling nocturnal eyes.Sadie
And here’s another student poem, inspired by Williams’ The Red Wheelbarrow:
The Voice
So much depends upon
People’s voices
Sharp or dull in the day or night
Inside a friend’s heart.
By Kai
What are you appreciating today? Maybe it will find its way into a poem!
Not the Original Plan: Day 10
Somehow we didn’t plan on snow. We knew when we went to bed last night that our outdoor activities for the day today would involve snow and rain, so after some thinking and a bit of research we decided that we would snowshoe today. No, neither or us had ever snowshoed before but a place up the road offered snowshoe rentals, so why not?
The rain was coming down when we left for our adventures this morning. We bought a couple of emergency rain ponchos in hopes of keeping somewhat dry. The guy who rented us the snowshoes gave a quick demo of how to strap them on…and we were off! How did we not know about snowshoeing before? We hiked miles through the local forests on Mt. Hood…in the rain and in the spaces of unexpected sunshine that we experienced as we walked.
Snowshoeing
Ka-thump, ka-thump
one foot in front of the other
crunching through
the white powdery snow.
Each step takes me deep
into the white of my thoughts
cooled by the frozen landscape
warmed by the blood coursing through my veins.
The forest cradles me
its silence quieting
the noise and rush of daily life
each step brings me closer
to understanding myself.
Ka-thump, ka-thump.
Douillard 2018
And a bit of whimsy. from my students..a poem about the escape of a hamster:
Hammy time!
Hammy I’m sorry
That I left your cage
Open that night, you were
Gnawing at chemicals, partying
In the walls racing through tunnels,
Hiding in the lower sink,and sleeping under
The couch. I’m sorry for what I did, even though you liked it, I really really missed you.By Rylan
And a fun one about bear slippers that just came via my email!
Bear Slippers
Bear slippers
on my bare feet
even though it scares my dogs
it’s still funny
like them
cozy slippers on my feet
Brayden
Small Poems: Day 9
Today’s adventures took us from the seashore to the mountains…and from cold and windy rain to mild and sunny snow. We hiked…in search of waterfalls and views of the expansive and stunning Mt. Hood. (We found both!)
But today is a day for a small poem.
In Search of Waterfalls
fairy waterfall
trickles down the mountainside
greening with its touch
Douillard 2018
And here’s a small poem written by a student:
Hummingbird
A silver streak of lightning and rainbow
they pollinate love and peace
that is their purpose.
Grayson
And another:
Sparkles of Diamonds
As the sun rises
the mist falls on leaves like pieces of diamonds overhead,
I wake up
and glide into the cutting edge of the forest,
there I feel peace.
Bryce
What small poems are you writing today?
Poetry Day 8
With a forecast of nonstop rain for today, our plan was to find ways to be out exploring…and also to not spend our entire day drenched to the skin. We did pretty well, starting our day with some time in Seaside’s tiny aquarium. I have mixed feelings about places like aquariums and zoos, but I also know that the opportunity to see and learn about animals helps to build empathy and ultimately, appreciation and a sense of protectiveness for wildlife and nature.
I was drawn to the octopus. I read The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery a couple of years ago,, an account of the author’s experience with an octopus at an aquarium. These strong and nimble creatures are purported to be smart, the problem solvers of the sea. I was lucky enough to be in front of the tank when the octopus began moving this morning. I was fascinated as I watched its suction-cupped arms navigate the glass pane of the aquarium wall.
Great Pacific Octopus
master of disguise
color changer
hide out finder
squeezing into the tightest space
Armed times eight
thousands of suckers in place
climber, acrobat, magician
practicing sleight of suction
on rocks and clear glass windows
showing agility and strength
only possible from this
shell-less mollusk
Giant Pacific Octopus
Douillard 2018
Here’s a student poem that seems to capture my mood for today:
The Peace of Wild Things
When wonder for the world
grows in me
and I wake in the shining rays of the sun,
I drag myself out of bed and to the water’s edge
where I feel the peace of wild things.
Oliver
And another that is more reflective of a southern CA perspective on rain:
Wait for Wet
I wait for wet.
I wait for the gentle pitter-patter of wet on my green umbrella that waits on a dusty hook in the closet.
I wait for the sound of rubber boots splashing and stomping through wet, sprouting a tail of murky water in wet’s wake.
So much depends on a light sprinkle of wet that tumbles through the clouds and dusts my eager face.
Sadie
For tomorrow, I am waiting for dry…and off from the seashore to explore mountains! And of course, continue my April poem-a-day adventure.
Thinking Through My Lens 