Poetry Reflection

I have always been fascinated by poetry. I love everything about it - the passion, the mystery, the rhyme and rhythm, the indubitable magic in every line. When it comes to reading poetry, I often find myself wondering and asking many questions. Sometimes, I don't like being left in such an unanswered state. I like to know the story behind stories, and poems are often left so open-ended I cannot keep track of how it began and where it ends. On the other hand, sometimes I love the fact that I find myself wondering after reading poetry. It gives my imagination a bit of a philosophical workout. I think it all depends on the type of poetry I read. I love reading poetry about nature because that's the kind of poetry I used to write a lot of. Nature always inspired my writing, so I enjoy reading the poetry of others who experience similar feelings and thoughts.

Writing poetry has always been more my speed. I like to be on the creative end of things. The proudest I've ever felt has been when I have finished a poem and it's actually quite good. There's something about making words flow together in perfect harmony that has always lifted my spirits. I think the ability to write poetry can be a glorious gift as well as a learned love. I think there is beauty in all poetry and there's always a story to be told. Whereas narrative writing can seem intimidating in some ways, poetry is so simple. It just is. There's so much innocence and freedom in writing poetry. It can be about anything you want (and since there's such a mysterious aspect about it, you can write about something you don't even want anyone else to understand!). Poetry is almost like a secret code; and if someone cracks it, you can trust that person, more than likely, because they must be thinking the same thoughts as you.

Teaching poetry, on the other hand, is a whole new world for me. I've never taught someone how to write a poem. It's always come so easy to me, almost like breathing. I've never taught someone how to breathe either. I don't remember learning how to write poetry. I've always just done it. I am excited to teach poetry. I want my students to have a passion for it. I want my students to see themselves as people who can write poetry. I want them to explore it in all it's uses. That sounds simple to me because those are all things I already understand and have experienced in terms of writing poetry. In reality, all my students may not have a passion for it. So how will I teach them to love it? Can I teach them to love it? What happens if they hate it? I have lots of questions.

My criteria for a good poem may sound a little shallow, but I love a good rhyme. I think rhyming poems are so fun to listen to; they're like little songs that don't sing. There's something so calming about a rhyming poem. Then again, some rhymes are quite exhilarating. Dr. Seuss is the first that comes to mind when I think about exhilarating poems. Another criteria of mine for knowing I've read a good poem is descriptive language. I love reading poetry that paints a picture for me through words. Something that stands out to me about good poetry is connections between human emotion and tangible things. Every time I think I've read a good poem, it's usually a mixture of many of the criteria I just listed, as well as the message behind the poem. Did it end on a note that makes me think deeper? Did I have an "aha" moment? Did it make me smile?

To foster poetry passion in my classroom, I would like to establish an environment that invites students to not only engage in poetry, but helps them enjoy both reading and writing it. I would like to integrate poetry across content areas. I would like to make poetry visible in the classroom and readily available to students. I want students to have plenty of opportunities to explore poetry in my classroom and have access to mentor texts when writing poetry of their own.

*Revised Poetry Reflection*

After reading Awakening the Heart by Georgia Heard, my thoughts have changed especially in terms of creating a poetry environment. When I first wrote my reflection, I focused more on including poetry in my classroom instead of what would inspire poetry in my classroom. Heard talks about how the environment has everything to do with the poetry that children can create. According to her, they need nurturing environments where they feel safe. When children feel safe and loved, they know they have the freedom to write poetry that is personal and means something to them. I also love the different ways Heard included in her book to promote poetry environments in the classroom like poetry museums and poetry study centers. I think they are great ways for students to explore poetry and feel free to write whatever their hearts desire. I love that the implementation of those ways to teach poetry allow students to learn about poetry while learning to create their own and enjoy creating their own.