Celia Door's Poetry

So. I just finished a book. (Big deal. I read a lot.) It was a "new" YA book - The Sweet Revenge of Celia Door, by Karen Finneyfrock - recommended by a teacher I follow on Twitter. And at 40 years old, I think I'm ready to try some poetry once again. This will be a Genius Hour project that will take me out of my comfort zone. I'll need to share it, and I know it will be criticized. Why do it then? Because I've been going back and forth on joining Teachers Write with Kate Messner this summer, and I know I don't want to write a picture book, novel, or nonfiction. So this is my compromise. I know I'll be writing SOMEthing.

When I was in high school (high school??), I wrote five poems for a poetry contest. Didn't win a thing. Sadly, the only one I remember being proud of was about my dog's poop. Yes. You read that right. In high school?? Ugh. I'm proud to say I've come a long way!!

Celia Door kept her poetry to herself. What good does it do there? So I know that my project is out of my comfort zone, will be difficult for me to perfect, and I could be made fun of. But I'm going to do it. Because I expect some of my students to take the same risks.

When I got home from my bike ride, I wrote this attempt at poetry to my husband, who is out of town until tomorrow.

     Glad I went.

     First, not so much.

     Traffic.

     Three minutes in, chain fell off when shifting.

     Three black fingers later, chain fixed.

            It even kissed my calf.

            (Tattoo still there after showering.)

     Next up - big lawn mowers - off! Phew!

     Spotted an oriole!

     Careful across Higgins.

     A poem idea swirling in my head regarding trees.

     People stats - passed four walkers, one roadie passed me.

     Weather? Perfect for a ride.

     At the dam...

             A young deer and a grey heron on the "island!"

     Numbers - 9.6 miles (?), AVS 12.?, 46 min.

     Wave to Rick.

     Home safe.

Doesn't much look like poetry to me. Just train of thought rambles. What IS poetry? Rick is our neighbor, by the way. While I was biking, I thought of a poem I could start with, even though I technically started with this one... It's "safe" to write about nature, right? Trees are pretty neutral. I'll think on it. I also need to think about what my final "product" will be. Do I want to change the world? No. What's my goal? Maybe to inspire others to write something? It's a small goal, but it's a start. Next steps: think of a "product," keep writing, and find out what poetry really is (because I don't think what I wrote today fits in that category).

One more side note - I realized, while writing this post, that I'm not doing all I asked my students to do last quarter. I'm not following the rubric. Why should I? It's not natural to write a reflection with a rubric by my side. Yup. Another thing that's will probably in the trash next year...