It has not been easy to write during the past two months, since I moved back to the U.S. from Bahrain. Why? I don’t know.

Here I am trying again. I have committed to the month-long Slice of Life in March, and then to some poetry projects in April, like the Kid Lit Progressive Poem that Margaret Simon hosts. (There are still openings for you to join!) Another poetry opportunity can be found at Ethical ELA, writing a #verselove poem a day in April. (Click to sign up.)

With so many wonderful opportunities, I hope I can build up my writing consistency again.

Today is Twosday, 2-22-22. Or as they write the date in most of the world: 22-2-22. I saw that Twosday was a day for Wordle in two guesses, which happened to be what I did it in today too. That was a weirdness.

Wordle 248 2/6

⬜🟨🟩🟩⬜
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This week was also the time for the February Open Write at Ethical ELA, so below I’m sharing the poems we wrote this week. Check out the links below for some great prompts and mentor texts to use in your classroom.

Saturday, 19 February 2022
Pedagogy Poetry with Glenda Funk

I call myself the
chief learner, but how is it
I can’t stop stumbling?

Sunday, 20 February 2022
Kitchen Ghosts with Glenda Funk

Sometimes in this desert
where my grandpa and grandma lived
in separate houses
and Aunt Thelma fed the road runners
little pills of raw hamburger
and Uncle Arthur and his donkey
mined for gold
and Uncle Guy and Uncle Andrew
watched sports and drank beer
and my cousins made houses of art
and my sister still puts puzzles together
juggling eight houses
decorated and equipped
for weekend hikers
I wonder what I will do and become
and what memories I will leave
for the young ones
who watch me

Monday, 21 February 2022
Dear____ Poem with Susan Ahlbrand

Dear Body,

You have served me well.
There were days I thought I
needed to look different,
better, more like society’s ideal.
But then I learned you are all mine,
and you are a glorious gift.
A glorious gift that was knitted together
by the creator of the universe,
kissed by an angel, and set
on this earth to love and be loved.

I abused you at times–
too much food, too little exercise.
But you have held up quite well
for me,
in spite of me.

You have proven versatile–
you’ve hit and caught thousands of softballs,
you’ve swum and run and walked in beautiful places,
you’ve birthed two babies,
you’ve given me kidneys enough to share,
you’ve helped me love to eat legumes and veggies,
and just today you let me
dismantle an abandoned pack rat’s nest,
pull down and set the ramp on a U-Haul truck,
and ride my fat tire bike in the sand.

I’ve entered my seventh decade with
a few bumps and bruises,
sore joints, excess cholesterol,
new artificial lenses in my eyes,
and other weaknesses,
but I love you,
and I just wanted to tell you so.

With gratitude,
Denise

Tuesday, 22 February 2022
Palindrome Poem with Susan Ahlbrand

icy cold
wintry mix
wind blows
cracks and caverns
in this old house

in this old house
cracks and caverns
wind blows
summery heat
icy lemonade

Tomorrow there is one more day for writing in the February Quick Write series at Ethical ELA. Tomorrow’s prompt will be by Britt Decker.