I’m a little behind on my postings. I wanted to tell you all about my visit to Newport, RI last weekend and the amazing group of volunteers at the workshop committee meeting, how thoughtful and considerate everyone was. This is not that post. This post really should be on Friday (as in Poetry Friday) but I’m posting it now because I have time.
A scene from my home on Thursday last:
E: Mommy. I was on the bus and I made a poem.
Me: Do you remember it? I’d love to hear it.
E: Uh-huh. Red, blue, yellow, green, my favorite colors, especially green.
E: But green isn’t my favorite color.
Me: Right, I thought it was purple, has that changed?
E: No.
Me: What do you want your reader to feel when they read or hear that poem.
E: I don’t know.
Me: I think you have a really good first draft. Sometimes, that’s the hardest part, getting past the white paper and writing down an idea. Remember when I came into your class we talked about creating a picture for the audience with words.
E: We used your toolbox.
Me: Right, metaphors and similes. But how do those colors make you feel. Close your eyes. What do you feel or see when I say red?
E: Hot.
Me: What about blue?
E: (Closing eyes) Blue is like a cool breeze at the ocean.
Me: E. that’s beautiful, and it’s a simile. You’re using the tool box.
E: (excited) I’m going to do it again, I’ll be back.
The new poem…by E.C. Boll, reprinted with permission.
blue like a cool breeze at the ocean
red on a hot summer day
yellow like a sandy park
green like morning dew
purple like the sky at sunset
the best of all
Creative Chaos 