April is Poetry Month!
Check out the Teaching Authors Blog for oodles of poetry links and ideas. And they are having a give-away to celebrate their five year blogiversary!
Writing a poem can be a fabulous way to hone your prose. If you’re struggling with a scene, try distilling it into a poem. Free verse can be, well, freeing. Or, sometimes requiring a bit of structure can paradoxically loosen up your brain to find the gems below the surface. Just recently a friend reminded me: having boundaries allows one to relax within. Love that.
And my dear friend Sharry is having fun with Haikus and Flash Fiction; accented with photographs and the act of flaneur. Be sure to check out her lovely post!
I’m adding a new collection of poems to the books I use when teaching writing: WHAT THE HEART KNOWS: Chants, Charms & Blessings by Joyce Sidman. The title alone is poetry! It’s a beautiful book that comes with a lovely red ribbon to mark your place.
And then, within, is just as beautiful. The book is organized into 4 sections;
- CHANTS & CHARMS~to bolster courage and guard against evil.
- SPELLS & INVOCATIONS~to cause something to happen.
- LAMENTS & REMEMBRANCES~to remember, regret, or grieve.
- PRAISE SONGS & BLESSINGS~to celebrate, thank, or express love.
Now that I think about it, aren’t those all the reasons we write? To do just those things?
Sarah Tomp
WRITING ON THE SIDEWALK
Writing on the sidewalk 