Full Moon of the '23 Winter Solstice

Full Moon rises tonight about 551 after sun sets about 515, i.e. 12-27-23

A quote stolen from my Yoga tea bag last night. "Gratitude is not about what is received; it's about how you receive what is there."

Hey y'all, how about a gift from Margaret? What a gal! Thank you Margaret!

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Poetry Friday: Healing Poetry

margaretsmn

Dec 9

Have you ever had that student? The one who sits in the back of the class, holds herself in tight, rarely, if ever, raises her hand to share a poem with the class. The closet poet.

That's not me because I believe in writing with my students and sharing my vulnerable poet self so they feel safe sharing theirs. And most of the time, it helps. I'll share, then the shy ones will look at me with their longing eyes asking "Is it OK?" They know that poetry is a little piece of themselves. It's bleeding on paper as someone famous said.

I wasn't going to post for Poetry Friday. Life is just so full of family and busy that I can't get caught up. But when I read A's poem, I felt compelled to share it and how she came to write it.

I presented Irene Latham's poem "Peace" from Dictionary for a Better World. Irene shared it in her newsletter here. This poem came at the perfect time in my lesson planning because we talked about symbolism this week. Irene so effectively used chocolate as a symbol of peace. There were so many wonderful craft moves to notice. Then I set my students loose to write. I invited them to create their own metaphor for peace and to borrow the phrase, "If only".

A's words both broke my heart and then healed it. At the age of 10, she expresses her internal life of anxiety and hope in a mature way. And yes, there were tears. I am privileged to be her teacher, her friend.

From the Tide, To the Moon (A letter from a friend to a friend)

If only we all

could just look up in the sky

and see that things aren’t that bad.

We aren’t that different.

We’re all human.

If only the stars could join us

and show us peace in the world.

If the moon could tell the tide

to think for itself.

To flow on its own.

And when you tell me

when to make decisions,

me when to make a choice

and what choice I should make,

think about how different we are

from the tide and the moon.

You aren’t the moon, 

So beautiful that we stare up at it.

I am not the tide,

That flows without ecstasy.

Not a moment of freedom.

No justice for the torrent.

Leave me be.

Leave me to my space.

Leave me to my freedom.

But don’t leave me…

My friend.

Adelyn, 5th grade

oh wow Margaret, thank you!

11-28-23 Depart Chatanooga, after a great night's sleep in a Hilton 'Tru', what an experience, very nice, simple, and efficient, my kind of place, reminded me of a Lisa Bourque design or perhaps one by Eddie Cazieu, but more contemporary.

As we drove out of town "early" i.e. 630am, full moon setting over ridge to our right and sun pushing light over Seminary Ridge on our left.

12-8-23 Last School of Geosciences Christmas Party. This one was particularly fun.

Note to self, read: Bartram's Travels by William Bartram 

Lets do a Madeline Rotolo poem.

THE BEST STOP

Open every day, 6 a.m.- 8 p.m.

Grit on the meatery shelves

Holy Trinity to the side

Mary awaits outside on the jagged

Curb welcoming hungry baskets

A cowboy hat peeks above the

Canned tomatoes and the aisles

Have post church goers

Collecting their boudin

An interstate cuts across

The prairie lands filled

With switchgrass and roadside kill

Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts

from Bottomlands

peace and love y'all,

Now take those old people out with you, this moon may furnish quite a show for all who look. We'll hoist a glass of tart red to you our friends!

BT