Celebrating National Poetry Month

Whenever I have requested students to write a poem as a means to process and react as a part of their learning, I am usually confronted with dread (except for a few). But far more often than not, the students produce powerful work and are proud of it.

Knowing that writing poetry is a risk for my middle school students, I'm making my own leap. I have sporadically written some poetry - usually for myself. The number of people I have shared it with does not even fill one hand's digits.

To celebrate poetry this month, I've decided to expose myself and share some of my poems.  Well, I'll start with one anyway....

---

The bead trickles

down the nose as the head bends low.

Body struggling with exertion

against the rocky incline,

droplets splash silently,

unacknowledged,

to the ground.

Jagged peak interjecting

in a glorious field of blue,

satisfaction spreads across

the visage and throughout

aching muscles.

The precipice,

once so far away,

now in view,

will be deposited as the culmination

of time,

effort,

emotion.

Finally ascended,

to see the gratifying view,

but all that is expected

has changed.

The mountain’s climb

has just been a

hill’s hike.

Looking out from a

new vantage point,

just in the foothills

of a range of peaks,

one precariously

perched more daunting

after the next,

and the next,

and the next,.....

Not a single hill,

Not even a single mountain,

But a range to conquer.

Great distance already traversed,

accomplishments,

of moments ago

swept into memory,

as preparations are made

to relentlessly pursue

that next peak.

And while preparing,

steps already taken,

beads of pride and

determination

already forming on the brow,

as the body impels

ever further,

ever farther

across the

timeless journey,

just begun,

Knowing that

its inception

has appropriately sharpened,

and honed,

like stone against steel

so that success resides

on the next bluff,

and the next,

and the next,.....

---

If you have written your own poetry, if you are inspired by a particular poem, or if this post has generated some thoughts of your own, please share in the comments. I would appreciate hearing about them.