1. Last night, I attended a wonderful Passover meal (Seder), focused on peace and justice in the world, across the world. There were prayers, singing and chanting, and so many meaningful moments with food. My favorite food was the apple, walnut and wine charoset, to represent the mortar, the hard work of enslaved Jewish people. I am grateful to the friend who created a room of such diversity - across age, race, religion - as we focused on being peacemakers, and I left full - my heart, my belly, and my head (with peacemaking ideas!).
2. Tonight, as soon as I post this Slice, I'm heading to the Humanities Festival, with its theme of *awe* this year, and will be hearing Kwame Alexander, a favorite writer/poet/energizer in my teaching life. I saw him in Chautauqua, New York last year, and hung on his every word, unpacking the power of leading a reading and writing life, especially in our hardest days. I am ready for inspiration, and the community that will come from a room of folks excited to be with him.
3. I'm collecting (and copying!) poetry to share with teachers (an antidote to the blaahhhss that come after state testing for 2 hours every morning), and I rediscovered an old favorite poem by Douglas Florian called The Sum of Summers, from his book Summersaults (great title, right?). I feel like this April has been a poetry-filled personal poetry month during National Poetry Month (established in 1996, so a big anniversary coming up in 2026!). I'm out doing poetry things, reading more poetry, encouraging poetry, celebrating poets, cheering on poetry writers. It's felt energizing, hopeful, reflective, emotional - all the wonderful ways poems encourage us to think AND feel.
AND: thank you, Ramona, for the three things Tuesday idea!
Thre Things Tuesday is a wonderful way to present a slice. I enjoyed reading each item but heraring about my friend, Kwame made me feel that I need a Kwame pick me up. I have his collections in my office. Doug Florian's poem is fun to read so thanks for sharing that. If you have a poem or students' poems on springtime please send them my way for my new Poetry Parade Padlet and later Gallery. Thanks for filling my night with energy. (The inivtation to Poetrylicious Poetry is at https://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/2024/04/celebrating-earth-day-2024.html.)
ReplyDeleteCarol, thank you so very much! I will share this info with the teachers I coach - I know they will be excited about a way to celebrate their students' poetry! And WOW, was Kwame a pick-me-up, in every way.
DeleteI like this format and may borrow it next week. What a joy to hear Kwame Alexander speak-. You are finding sustenance and inspiration in so many places this week. I just started listening to an audiobook celebrating Mary Oliver called Wild and Precious Life, and have been reflecting on all the ways that poetry makes the world feel more alive and meaningful.
ReplyDeleteYes, on tired Tuesdays, it helps me to have a frame for Slicing. I am going to be checking out Wild and Precious Life; Mary Oliver is a favorite.
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