Here's the poem I promised to share in the first post about Refrigerator Poetry. I'm not planning on this one being the last. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
OUR
SOULS ARE
BETWEEN
PERFECT
LONELINESS
AND
IN THEIR GRIEF
EXPRESS AN
EMPTY PEACE.
BRIGHT
SHADOWY
WISHES
RATTLE
AGAINST
SHAKEN KNEES.
POISONED
SMOTHERED
CEASELESSLY SEEKING
SPENT
BREATHING DEEP STILLNESS
NATURE
WILL BE
OUR
LIFELINE,
WRAPPING
ITSELF
AROUND US
UNTIL
THE
INTERNAL DANCE
SHALL
CEASE.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
I didn't know he was Canadian!
The 2010 Olympic Winter Games began with the opening ceremonies on Friday night. This, of course, was the perfect excuse for me to throw a party! I love planning a party. I get really stressed out about them, but it usually turns out perfectly, and this soiree was no exception. We gathered all the Peeps, ordered pizza, and I baked the perfect international dessert: funfetti cupcakes! I had the perfect idea several weeks ago to bake a cupcake for every country with a team participating in the games. However, we were only going to have about 15 people at the party -- tops-- so there didn't seem to be any way that 84 cupcakes could be consumed in one night. I worried and stressed over what I was going to do all the way up until Friday morning, just before the Wal~Mart trip to get all of the supplies. Rob-Bob had the perfect idea: "let's make mini-cupcakes instead." Brilliance. So, we went to Wal~Mart to gather supplies, and then, because I was lucky enough to only have one class on Friday afternoon, I spent most of the morning and lunchtime baking and icing (with Rob's help, of course) 96 cupcakes. I'm not sure exactly what constitutes baking with wreckless abandon, but I'm pretty sure that qualifies.
Anyway, we'll skip all the craziness of getting all those baked goods to Your Dream Hometown, and run ahead to the perfect party. There were a dozen of us, counting the sweetest little boy in the world, 4 pizzas, and all those cupcakes. Here's the brilliance: They were iced in the 5 colors of the Olympic rings (red, green, blue, yellow, and black -- or chocolate, in this case) and 83 of them had tiny toothpick flags from all the participating countries. (Unfortunately, the USA flag was lost in the great move.)
The unexpected fun came when everyone began to wave the flags from the cupcakes they had eaten as their country's team was announced. This is Elijah proudly welcoming Finland to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
We talked about our favorite Olympic-themed movies, enjoyed the ceremonial performances, and most of all constantly commented on how many famous Canadians whose nationalities we were unaware of. We didn't enjoy Peter Pan and the virtual prairie. We were intrigued by the fiddling devil in the flying boat. We hadn't realized how popular tapping was in Canada. We were all horrified and appalled by the number of times they aired the video of the terrible accident which brought about the death of the Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili. Rob-Bob particularly enjoyed the video of the new version of "We Are the World." Everyone else at the party talked about their favorite artists from the original, but as I would not be born until 3 years after its release, I didn't take part in that discussion.
As you can all see, the party was double-cool with knobs, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was too bad for poor Canada that the fancy structure that holds the cauldron failed to erect one of the pillars, and everyone had to stand around awkwardly and hope it would raise. The commentators did not help the situation, as they continued to talk about how "everything [had] gone off without a hitch. Until now." Fortunately, everyone was so excited about seeing The Great One bear the torch that his quick trip to the outside version of the cauldron (which was intact with its four pillars) made up for the mishap inside the arena. Besides, it's not like it was anywhere near the caliber of Dan Jansen's tragic crash at the 1988 Olympics (another event that I was not around for). Ellen didn't even cry about it. By the time the games are over, practically no one will remember it even happened. (Except these guys.)
This party went so well, that we're going to have another one for the Oscars in March. I'm ambitious, but I'm not stupid enough to believe that I could actually sculpt an Oscar out of cake and create some sort of icing that actually looks shiny and gold, so you'll just have to wait and see what kind of brilliance we come up with for that one. Until then, enjoy the games, and stay tuned for the many words I have to share on Student Teaching and job hunting.
Anyway, we'll skip all the craziness of getting all those baked goods to Your Dream Hometown, and run ahead to the perfect party. There were a dozen of us, counting the sweetest little boy in the world, 4 pizzas, and all those cupcakes. Here's the brilliance: They were iced in the 5 colors of the Olympic rings (red, green, blue, yellow, and black -- or chocolate, in this case) and 83 of them had tiny toothpick flags from all the participating countries. (Unfortunately, the USA flag was lost in the great move.)
The unexpected fun came when everyone began to wave the flags from the cupcakes they had eaten as their country's team was announced. This is Elijah proudly welcoming Finland to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
We talked about our favorite Olympic-themed movies, enjoyed the ceremonial performances, and most of all constantly commented on how many famous Canadians whose nationalities we were unaware of. We didn't enjoy Peter Pan and the virtual prairie. We were intrigued by the fiddling devil in the flying boat. We hadn't realized how popular tapping was in Canada. We were all horrified and appalled by the number of times they aired the video of the terrible accident which brought about the death of the Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili. Rob-Bob particularly enjoyed the video of the new version of "We Are the World." Everyone else at the party talked about their favorite artists from the original, but as I would not be born until 3 years after its release, I didn't take part in that discussion.
As you can all see, the party was double-cool with knobs, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was too bad for poor Canada that the fancy structure that holds the cauldron failed to erect one of the pillars, and everyone had to stand around awkwardly and hope it would raise. The commentators did not help the situation, as they continued to talk about how "everything [had] gone off without a hitch. Until now." Fortunately, everyone was so excited about seeing The Great One bear the torch that his quick trip to the outside version of the cauldron (which was intact with its four pillars) made up for the mishap inside the arena. Besides, it's not like it was anywhere near the caliber of Dan Jansen's tragic crash at the 1988 Olympics (another event that I was not around for). Ellen didn't even cry about it. By the time the games are over, practically no one will remember it even happened. (Except these guys.)
This party went so well, that we're going to have another one for the Oscars in March. I'm ambitious, but I'm not stupid enough to believe that I could actually sculpt an Oscar out of cake and create some sort of icing that actually looks shiny and gold, so you'll just have to wait and see what kind of brilliance we come up with for that one. Until then, enjoy the games, and stay tuned for the many words I have to share on Student Teaching and job hunting.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Not-So-Simple Obedience
We've been reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship in my Sunday morning class at BBCofC for the past few weeks. For those of you who don't know about this man or his book, Boenhoffer was a German Lutheran who preached and wrote this book in Nazi Germany. His ideas are pretty radical, but his call is mainly to just do what Jesus said to do. The historical context of his writing is incredible because he is essentially calling a people -- his people -- to live lives that will undoubtedly increase their already unbearable suffering.
This past week, we read chapter 3: Single-Minded Obedience. It was all about Jesus' commands in the Sermon on the Mount and how hard we work to make it okay for us all to disobey them. As modern Americans, especially those who affiliate themselves with the Churches of Christ, my classmates and I have struggled with the idea that we've spent hundreds of years "justifying" away all of Jesus' outrageous commands about everyday living because they are difficult and we don't want to have to do them. So, we say that it was all just hyperbolic, only appropriate for the historical context, or that he didn't really care about the specifics of the matter. It's only our hearts that count. Well, it seems to me that a heart looking for an easy way out isn't the heart God is looking for.
On Sunday morning we discussed "what it would look like" if we as individuals, families, and/or the church radically tried to do just what Jesus was calling us to. How would the world and our lives be different if we really plucked our eyes out when they caused us to sin? What would change if we really turned the other cheek, refused to resist evil people, gave all of our possessions to the poor, and resisted the temptation to lust?
In the spirit of lists, I've listed 5 things that I believe would be different about our world if all Christians devoted themselves to Single-Minded Obedience.
1. There would be fewer poor people.
If all Christians committed to giving or selling their possessions in order to care for and minister to the poor, the poor population would dramatically decrease. How beautiful would it be to see our brothers and sisters doing just that? It seems pretty simple. But, I think that in all of our discussions in class, the giving up of one's possessions seems to be the hardest for people to actually consider doing. We really like our stuff. How much stuff did Jesus have?
2. We would worry less.
The "do not resist an evil person" seems to be really difficult for some to come to terms with, especially husbands and fathers (and mothers) who are concerned with protecting their families. The idea of letting someone come into your house and hurt your family because Jesus said not to resist him just seems like way too much to wrap one's mind around. I really believe that this is a faith issue. The intense need to fight back comes from a sole faith in one's own power, strength, will, abilities. Jesus expects us to have enough faith that God will protect us and our families that we do not need to even resist evil people because we know that God will do it for us. That faith increase would spread across all facets of our lives and we would stop worrying about things because we would trust God to take care of us.
3. There would be fewer children in broken homes.
This one is obvious. If people did not lust after women or men who were not their spouses, they would not commit adultery, and fewer marriages would end in divorce. Can you imagine what this world would be like if more children were raised with both parents in their home? Can you imagine how the church would turn around if fewer Christian marriages ended because of lust?
4. There would be more blind people.
Obvious again: more people would be plucking their eyes out. I actually do believe that Jesus used this command hyperbolically. I don't really think he expects us to pluck our eyes out or cut our hands off when they cause us to sin, but it does make for a useful metaphor. We may not be literally blind, but imagine if we became blind to the desire to sin? It's like putting on spiritual blinders, so to speak. I know that it's not a good idea to completely shut out the world and expect to get to heaven without being wary of the devil, but wouldn't it be nice if sin just didn't occur to us? If Christian people were so committed to doing the Lord's work that our tunnel vision didn't allow us the time or the opportunity to find sinful things to even consider?
5. It would be okay that our lives are not fair.
This is the "turn the other cheek" bit. I think that if all Christians really just stood firm and let people slap them around without retaliation we would be closer to Christ and more satisfied with our lives. The sort of attitude that says "I love you because you are a beautiful creation of God, and I will consciously put your needs and wants above my own," comes from a heart that trusts God completely, fully loves all people the way that Jesus loves, and has a healthy sense of humility. That person says "it's okay that other people get what I wanted." "It's okay that I have suffered mercilessly while trying to do the right thing, and other people do what they want and get rewarded." The peace and contentment that reside in this kind of heart is what I think Bonhoeffer (and Jesus) is really calling Christians to. The point of simple obedience is an intimate communion with Jesus Christ. It is a heart issue, but you can't get your heart right without actively doing something radical to change your life.
What would your life look like if you made a drastic change to follow Jesus' outrageous commands in his Sermon on the Mount? Have you ever thought about why generations of Christians believe that it's not necessary?
Lots of people say that we don't live this way because it is hard and we don't want to. I believe that we just don't love Jesus and other people enough. Perfect love casts out all the fear we have about change. Jesus has offered us that perfect love. Too often we do not accept it. More often, we do not feel it necessary to return.
This past week, we read chapter 3: Single-Minded Obedience. It was all about Jesus' commands in the Sermon on the Mount and how hard we work to make it okay for us all to disobey them. As modern Americans, especially those who affiliate themselves with the Churches of Christ, my classmates and I have struggled with the idea that we've spent hundreds of years "justifying" away all of Jesus' outrageous commands about everyday living because they are difficult and we don't want to have to do them. So, we say that it was all just hyperbolic, only appropriate for the historical context, or that he didn't really care about the specifics of the matter. It's only our hearts that count. Well, it seems to me that a heart looking for an easy way out isn't the heart God is looking for.
On Sunday morning we discussed "what it would look like" if we as individuals, families, and/or the church radically tried to do just what Jesus was calling us to. How would the world and our lives be different if we really plucked our eyes out when they caused us to sin? What would change if we really turned the other cheek, refused to resist evil people, gave all of our possessions to the poor, and resisted the temptation to lust?
In the spirit of lists, I've listed 5 things that I believe would be different about our world if all Christians devoted themselves to Single-Minded Obedience.
1. There would be fewer poor people.
If all Christians committed to giving or selling their possessions in order to care for and minister to the poor, the poor population would dramatically decrease. How beautiful would it be to see our brothers and sisters doing just that? It seems pretty simple. But, I think that in all of our discussions in class, the giving up of one's possessions seems to be the hardest for people to actually consider doing. We really like our stuff. How much stuff did Jesus have?
2. We would worry less.
The "do not resist an evil person" seems to be really difficult for some to come to terms with, especially husbands and fathers (and mothers) who are concerned with protecting their families. The idea of letting someone come into your house and hurt your family because Jesus said not to resist him just seems like way too much to wrap one's mind around. I really believe that this is a faith issue. The intense need to fight back comes from a sole faith in one's own power, strength, will, abilities. Jesus expects us to have enough faith that God will protect us and our families that we do not need to even resist evil people because we know that God will do it for us. That faith increase would spread across all facets of our lives and we would stop worrying about things because we would trust God to take care of us.
3. There would be fewer children in broken homes.
This one is obvious. If people did not lust after women or men who were not their spouses, they would not commit adultery, and fewer marriages would end in divorce. Can you imagine what this world would be like if more children were raised with both parents in their home? Can you imagine how the church would turn around if fewer Christian marriages ended because of lust?
4. There would be more blind people.
Obvious again: more people would be plucking their eyes out. I actually do believe that Jesus used this command hyperbolically. I don't really think he expects us to pluck our eyes out or cut our hands off when they cause us to sin, but it does make for a useful metaphor. We may not be literally blind, but imagine if we became blind to the desire to sin? It's like putting on spiritual blinders, so to speak. I know that it's not a good idea to completely shut out the world and expect to get to heaven without being wary of the devil, but wouldn't it be nice if sin just didn't occur to us? If Christian people were so committed to doing the Lord's work that our tunnel vision didn't allow us the time or the opportunity to find sinful things to even consider?
5. It would be okay that our lives are not fair.
This is the "turn the other cheek" bit. I think that if all Christians really just stood firm and let people slap them around without retaliation we would be closer to Christ and more satisfied with our lives. The sort of attitude that says "I love you because you are a beautiful creation of God, and I will consciously put your needs and wants above my own," comes from a heart that trusts God completely, fully loves all people the way that Jesus loves, and has a healthy sense of humility. That person says "it's okay that other people get what I wanted." "It's okay that I have suffered mercilessly while trying to do the right thing, and other people do what they want and get rewarded." The peace and contentment that reside in this kind of heart is what I think Bonhoeffer (and Jesus) is really calling Christians to. The point of simple obedience is an intimate communion with Jesus Christ. It is a heart issue, but you can't get your heart right without actively doing something radical to change your life.
What would your life look like if you made a drastic change to follow Jesus' outrageous commands in his Sermon on the Mount? Have you ever thought about why generations of Christians believe that it's not necessary?
Lots of people say that we don't live this way because it is hard and we don't want to. I believe that we just don't love Jesus and other people enough. Perfect love casts out all the fear we have about change. Jesus has offered us that perfect love. Too often we do not accept it. More often, we do not feel it necessary to return.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Top 10 Books Every High School Graduate Should Have Read
I was searching for a topic for my next blog post earlier this week, and my good friend and compulsive list-maker suggested this Top 10 list. I was too insecure in my own ability to create a list from scratch, so I consulted a few of my best English Student-Teacher friends and have compiled a list in no particular order (which is one of my greatest downfalls as a maker of lists).
1. Something by Shakespeare
This was on everybody's list. There are obviously several choices for high school readers in Billy's repertoire. I only read three of his plays in high school: Julius Caesar, A Mid-Summer Night's Dream, and Othello -- all of which I enjoyed. Othello is still my favorite, but those surveyed also suggested Twelfth Night and Hamlet -- both of which I liked, but did not read until I was in college.
Some may complain and wonder why Shakespeare is such a given and must be so widely-read. It usually isn't difficult to get me to join the "we shouldn't necessarily do things just because that's how we've always done it" bandwagon, but I've got to support Shakespeare. I believe that his work should be canonized almost entirely because it has lasted so long. His words are still influencing the way that educated people speak and think nearly 4 centuries after his death, because he understood how people work and wrote honestly about human emotion and interaction. Getting high school students to read is 1/2 a literacy issue and 1/2 an issue of creating educated citizens. Shakespeare helps accomplish both of these, because, after all,
"...there be nothing new, but that which is
Hath been before..."
2. 1984 by George Orwell
This is one of my favorite works of all time. I read it for the first time in high school, and I remember all of my friends liking it too. As high school students, we probably enjoyed reading the risque business and felt empowered to "stick it" to Big Brother. Later, I came to be wary of all I heard about my government. But, now, it seems to be more important that George Orwell wrote the book in 1949, contemplating how the world would be 35 years later. The fear that was so pervasive at that time is shocking. Now I realize how many good lessons can be taught from this book....lessons that I had to learn on my own much later.
3. Night by Elie Wiesel
This short work brings the horrors of the Holocaust home, and hits people right where they live. Once again, Wiesel's book has so many lessons to teach to high school students who have a difficult time seeing beyond themselves. This kind of experience can really broaden their worldviews.
4. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This is a beautiful "coming-of-age" story of racial (in)justice in the deep South. High school students have been hearing about civil rights and racial inequality for their entire educated lives. Books like this show them the situation from a personal point of view, forcing them to think about what it must have been like to really deal with extreme prejudice. In many cases, it can make them think about prejudices in their own lives and show them how they may be treating others.
5. Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
I didn't read this book until I was in college. It's a bit long for my taste, as far as a general high school read goes, but I think that it's important in the same way -- but perhaps not to the same degree -- that Shakespeare is. Twain is a Southern American classic that all educated people should read. When I was in high school, we took the Mark Twain shortcut by reading his short stories instead, which is a viable option when under a time crunch, but Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer are classic stories with their own lessons to teach. They can also be easy introductions to dialect reading.
6. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
This is my favorite book of all time. Period. The End. I read it in high school, but not for class. It is the perfect introduction to romantic British Lit. and can really stretch a high school student's mind with varied diction and syntax. I think that it can make teenagers feel like they are reading something a little "high brow" because of the language without being too far over their head. Plus, it's just a beautiful story, for which I'm a sucker.
7. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
I know several people who did not enjoy this book and wonder why in the world it is so widely read in high school English classes. I liked the book, but that's just personal taste. I think it's a perfect representation of the "Roaring '20s" and a satirical critique of the "American Dream." It asks the hard questions about what Americans had always prioritized and shows that when people, especially a whole nation, are short-sighted there are consequences to be paid. It's a great lesson in preparation.
8. The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
This is another period piece about the strict societal rules in 17th century Puritan New England. This kind of work can beautifully highlight a history lesson on early America while providing a backdrop for difficult discussions about morality in the present.
9. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
I did not read this book until I was in college, but I think that it can be perfectly suited for a high school classroom as well. Hurston's beautiful story of an African American woman's struggle to see herself (and have others see her) as a person, a woman, and a worthy creature of God evokes compassion and sympathy in its readers. Especially for students who will not go on to college, Hurston's easy-to-read fiction is the perfect tool to expand a world-view.
10. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
This may have been one of my favorite books that I read while in high school. I think it is very interesting that no one the consulted panel mentioned this one. To some, Steinbeck is an acquired taste, but I love his writing. He has such an ease with words that it's no wonder he's been named as one of the greats. The plight of the Joad family and their 1930s westward journey is a classic story for teaching a wide variety of moral lessons along with literary devices and the exploration of literary merit.
What books did you read in high school that I've left out of this list? What books would be on your Top 10 list? If you were teaching High School English, what works would you be sure not to leave out?
1. Something by Shakespeare
This was on everybody's list. There are obviously several choices for high school readers in Billy's repertoire. I only read three of his plays in high school: Julius Caesar, A Mid-Summer Night's Dream, and Othello -- all of which I enjoyed. Othello is still my favorite, but those surveyed also suggested Twelfth Night and Hamlet -- both of which I liked, but did not read until I was in college.
Some may complain and wonder why Shakespeare is such a given and must be so widely-read. It usually isn't difficult to get me to join the "we shouldn't necessarily do things just because that's how we've always done it" bandwagon, but I've got to support Shakespeare. I believe that his work should be canonized almost entirely because it has lasted so long. His words are still influencing the way that educated people speak and think nearly 4 centuries after his death, because he understood how people work and wrote honestly about human emotion and interaction. Getting high school students to read is 1/2 a literacy issue and 1/2 an issue of creating educated citizens. Shakespeare helps accomplish both of these, because, after all,
"...there be nothing new, but that which is
Hath been before..."
2. 1984 by George Orwell
This is one of my favorite works of all time. I read it for the first time in high school, and I remember all of my friends liking it too. As high school students, we probably enjoyed reading the risque business and felt empowered to "stick it" to Big Brother. Later, I came to be wary of all I heard about my government. But, now, it seems to be more important that George Orwell wrote the book in 1949, contemplating how the world would be 35 years later. The fear that was so pervasive at that time is shocking. Now I realize how many good lessons can be taught from this book....lessons that I had to learn on my own much later.
3. Night by Elie Wiesel
This short work brings the horrors of the Holocaust home, and hits people right where they live. Once again, Wiesel's book has so many lessons to teach to high school students who have a difficult time seeing beyond themselves. This kind of experience can really broaden their worldviews.
4. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This is a beautiful "coming-of-age" story of racial (in)justice in the deep South. High school students have been hearing about civil rights and racial inequality for their entire educated lives. Books like this show them the situation from a personal point of view, forcing them to think about what it must have been like to really deal with extreme prejudice. In many cases, it can make them think about prejudices in their own lives and show them how they may be treating others.
5. Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
I didn't read this book until I was in college. It's a bit long for my taste, as far as a general high school read goes, but I think that it's important in the same way -- but perhaps not to the same degree -- that Shakespeare is. Twain is a Southern American classic that all educated people should read. When I was in high school, we took the Mark Twain shortcut by reading his short stories instead, which is a viable option when under a time crunch, but Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer are classic stories with their own lessons to teach. They can also be easy introductions to dialect reading.
6. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
This is my favorite book of all time. Period. The End. I read it in high school, but not for class. It is the perfect introduction to romantic British Lit. and can really stretch a high school student's mind with varied diction and syntax. I think that it can make teenagers feel like they are reading something a little "high brow" because of the language without being too far over their head. Plus, it's just a beautiful story, for which I'm a sucker.
7. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
I know several people who did not enjoy this book and wonder why in the world it is so widely read in high school English classes. I liked the book, but that's just personal taste. I think it's a perfect representation of the "Roaring '20s" and a satirical critique of the "American Dream." It asks the hard questions about what Americans had always prioritized and shows that when people, especially a whole nation, are short-sighted there are consequences to be paid. It's a great lesson in preparation.
8. The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
This is another period piece about the strict societal rules in 17th century Puritan New England. This kind of work can beautifully highlight a history lesson on early America while providing a backdrop for difficult discussions about morality in the present.
9. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
I did not read this book until I was in college, but I think that it can be perfectly suited for a high school classroom as well. Hurston's beautiful story of an African American woman's struggle to see herself (and have others see her) as a person, a woman, and a worthy creature of God evokes compassion and sympathy in its readers. Especially for students who will not go on to college, Hurston's easy-to-read fiction is the perfect tool to expand a world-view.
10. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
This may have been one of my favorite books that I read while in high school. I think it is very interesting that no one the consulted panel mentioned this one. To some, Steinbeck is an acquired taste, but I love his writing. He has such an ease with words that it's no wonder he's been named as one of the greats. The plight of the Joad family and their 1930s westward journey is a classic story for teaching a wide variety of moral lessons along with literary devices and the exploration of literary merit.
What books did you read in high school that I've left out of this list? What books would be on your Top 10 list? If you were teaching High School English, what works would you be sure not to leave out?
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Refrigerator Poetry
I'm in the process of learning to be a teacher, and one of my favorite "methods" for teaching writing so far is an activity that I have personally deemed "refrigerator poetry." Now, this may remind some of you of a haiku that goes something like this:
Haikus are easy
But sometimes they don't make sense
Refrigerator
But that is not at all what I mean.
This activity earned its name from its similarity to those refrigerator magnets with words or pieces of words on them that are used to make sentences, or in the case of someone I know, to exhaust one's life supply of creativity. Students are given several sheets of paper with lists of random words on them, scissors, construction paper, and glue. They will do nothing except cut out words for a certain period of time -- perhaps 15 minutes. Then they have to write a poem using only the words they've cut out. The rules can be adjusted a bit to allow for trading between students and cutting words apart to create other words that they may lack. Then the poem is glued down to construction paper.
We did this in my "Teaching English" methods class last week, and it was wonderful. I'm a language lover, but poetry and I are not generally on very good terms. I have a difficult time really understanding and loving poetry. I tend to find my own imagined "meanings" in it and read things that aren't there. I am terrible at writing poetry, generally, because I feel constrained by the structure and pressure of doing it the "right" way. But this activity was a great stress-reliever for me. The day that we did it in class, I really enjoyed it and was able to create completely uninhibited. I'm pretty proud of the product, but I can't share it with you here because we had to put them up on the bulletin board in our classroom. I promise to share it when they let me bring it home.
In the meantime, I can confess that I'm such an English nerd that I used the words I had left from class and wrote another refrigerator poem on Friday afternoon while I was snowed in. And, although I am terrible at receiving feedback on my writing (either good or bad), I'm going to share this with all of you in blog-dom. Be kind.
Quiet
Woods fill
Up with
Smooth
Snow
Twinkling
Free
Under the
Hush
The universe
Wanders
Away
Billows
Sliding
Down the
Willow
Breathing Deep
Sounds trailing
Sandman
Smells
A dream
Morning
Sweeps
In around
A forest bower
Inside
The dry flame
Roaring hot
Curled inside a
Sweet cocoon
The easy laughing
Wrinkles His nose
and
mine
When
Comes
Music
Just for us
Haikus are easy
But sometimes they don't make sense
Refrigerator
But that is not at all what I mean.
This activity earned its name from its similarity to those refrigerator magnets with words or pieces of words on them that are used to make sentences, or in the case of someone I know, to exhaust one's life supply of creativity. Students are given several sheets of paper with lists of random words on them, scissors, construction paper, and glue. They will do nothing except cut out words for a certain period of time -- perhaps 15 minutes. Then they have to write a poem using only the words they've cut out. The rules can be adjusted a bit to allow for trading between students and cutting words apart to create other words that they may lack. Then the poem is glued down to construction paper.
We did this in my "Teaching English" methods class last week, and it was wonderful. I'm a language lover, but poetry and I are not generally on very good terms. I have a difficult time really understanding and loving poetry. I tend to find my own imagined "meanings" in it and read things that aren't there. I am terrible at writing poetry, generally, because I feel constrained by the structure and pressure of doing it the "right" way. But this activity was a great stress-reliever for me. The day that we did it in class, I really enjoyed it and was able to create completely uninhibited. I'm pretty proud of the product, but I can't share it with you here because we had to put them up on the bulletin board in our classroom. I promise to share it when they let me bring it home.
In the meantime, I can confess that I'm such an English nerd that I used the words I had left from class and wrote another refrigerator poem on Friday afternoon while I was snowed in. And, although I am terrible at receiving feedback on my writing (either good or bad), I'm going to share this with all of you in blog-dom. Be kind.
Quiet
Woods fill
Up with
Smooth
Snow
Twinkling
Free
Under the
Hush
The universe
Wanders
Away
Billows
Sliding
Down the
Willow
Breathing Deep
Sounds trailing
Sandman
Smells
A dream
Morning
Sweeps
In around
A forest bower
Inside
The dry flame
Roaring hot
Curled inside a
Sweet cocoon
The easy laughing
Wrinkles His nose
and
mine
When
Comes
Music
Just for us
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