Category: DFABW Book Study

16 DFABW – Peace

Denise Krebs1 Comment

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Perk up and look up, in every situation
Requests presented neatly to God, just presented,
And not micromanaged. Just described, then
Yield, and you will know peace.

During each day in the months of August and September, I am responding to a different word from Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. Today’s word is Peace. A small group of people wanting to make the world a better place are reading and responding together. Join us! Visit Common Threads: Patchwork Prose and Verse by Kim Haynes Johnson for more information. Here is the word list I’ll be following for August and September.

14-15 DFABW – Create Justice

Denise Krebs

You send forth your Spirit, they are created;
And you renew the face of the earth.

Psalm 104:30

When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.

Proverbs 21:15

Create Justice

I want to work to create justice.
What will my descendants
see in my history of
fighting, crying out, paining
for justice?

Lord, bring justice,
renew this earth,
send your Spirit,
create love among
resisters of injustice,
and bring terror to
the evildoers.

During each day in the months of August and September, I am responding to a different word from Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. Yesterday’s word was Create. Today’s word is Justice. A small group of people wanting to make the world a better place are reading and responding together. Join us! Visit Common Threads: Patchwork Prose and Verse by Kim Haynes Johnson for more information. Here is the word list I’ll be following for August and September.

This Week in DFABW – Slice of Life

Denise Krebs4 Comments

13 September 2022 TwoWritingTeachers.org

Life
After Irene Latham and Charles Waters

Life is an open question,
the way to learn anything new
unbreakable, unshakable support
from allies who help us belong
our hearts stay open
that’s the key
I got this
we got this
now we hope
all travelers are welcome
on this courageous quest

I neglected to read Dictionary for a Better World this week, but I spent some time this morning reading the six pages I missed last week. The poem above was put together by quotes (in italics) from Irene Latham and Charles Waters on the pages about Ally, Courage, Open, Hope, Belonging, and Question.

Here’s the latest on my kitchen. This side is almost finished. We worked on the pantry doors today, on the near left of the photo. (We have to wait for the new counter on the sink side.)

 

During each day in the months of August and September, I am responding to a different word from Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. This week’s words were Ally, Courage, Open, Hope, Belonging, and Question. A small group of people wanting to make the world a better place are reading and responding together. Join us! Visit Common Threads: Patchwork Prose and Verse by Kim Haynes Johnson for more information. Here is the word list I’ll be following for August and September.

30-33 DFABW – Zest, Shero, Team, Wonder

Denise Krebs1 Comment

Zest in living and creating can make one a
Shero, willing to use her heart and strength to
Team up with the less zesty and creative, adding
Wonder to the world

I wrote those words about my sister, who is my shero in this home improvement journey I am on. She is amazing. I just watch her handiwork in awe and help wherever I can.  Here’s what we’ve been doing the last four days, which kept me from my Dictionary for a Better World.

Floors Before
Floors today

During each day in the months of August and September, I am responding to a different word from Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. The last four days’ words were Zest, Shero, Team, and Wonder. A small group of people wanting to make the world a better place are reading and responding together. Join us! Visit Common Threads: Patchwork Prose and Verse by Kim Haynes Johnson for more information. Here is the word list I’ll be following for August and September.

31 DFABW – Exercise

Denise Krebs1 Comment

Today I exercised–not “a new form of exercise” as Irene asks us to try. Instead, I went bike riding, which is my go-to form of exercise for the last three months. Here is a Blitz poem.

Ride a bike
Ride the wind
Wind pushes
Wind rushes
Rushes me along
Rushes to challenge
Challenge of lungs
Challenge of muscles
Muscles growing
Muscles showing
Showing up now
Showing hope
Hope in strength
Hope to ride far
Far up the mountain
Far through the washes
Washes full of sand
Washes over my body
Body of strength
Body of courage
Courage to go fast
Courage to improve
Improve the gearing
Improve the handling
Handling the hills
Handling the rocks
Rocks hidden on the road
Rocks loose and unstable
Unstable but achievable
Unstable but I am
Am a wanderer
Am a mountain biker
Biker of freedom
Biker of exercise
Exercise of stamina
Exercise of heart
Heart of the scene
Heart of nature
Nature of color
Nature of wonder
Wonder of flora
Wonder of fauna
Fauna of beauty
Fauna of creation
Creation to savor
Creation to enjoy
Enjoy this life
Enjoy this living
Living
Life

On another note, this November we can all exercise our right to vote.

A handwritten postcard Volunteer Betty encouraging voting for Democrats in November

During each day in the months of August and September, I am responding to a different word from Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. Today’s word is Exercise. A small group of people wanting to make the world a better place are reading and responding together. Join us! Visit Common Threads: Patchwork Prose and Verse by Kim Haynes Johnson for more information. Here is the word list I’ll be following for August and September.

26-29 DFABW – Equality, Freedom, Mindfulness, Netiquette

Denise Krebs1 Comment

Oh, my, it’s been four days of Dictionary for a Better World words, and I have not even opened the book until today. I’ve been busy helping lead an online workshop in the mornings and working on my house in the afternoons. Today we painted two walls, and that was all. I had a little extra time to come here.

There is primer so far on this patched wall–but the window is in!

Equality and Equity – I enjoyed reading this article today. Both important words.

Freedom – I have the freedom to just read Irene’s anecdote and poem today. Sweet!

Mindfulness – a tanka

coyote crosses
sleek, lean, bushy tail, busy
looking for breakfast
What will it be today, friend?
I’ll wait while I stare at you.

Regarding Netiquette, on the Internet, I try to have good manners and be “civil to all” as Benjamin Franklin said in a quote today on page 67 in DFABW.  This list of Netiquette rules my students and I created a whopping 11 years ago seem quaint now.

During each day in the months of August and September, I am responding to a different word from Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini.  Friday’s word was Equality, Saturday’s was Freedom, Sunday’s was Mindfulness, and today’s word is Netiquette. A small group of people wanting to make the world a better place are reading and responding together. Join us! Visit Common Threads: Patchwork Prose and Verse by Kim Haynes Johnson for more information. Here is the word list I’ll be following for August and September.

25 DFABW – Forgiveness

Denise Krebs1 Comment

I went to a state university
in the 1970s 
It was tuition-free,
Just $100 a semester
student fees are all I paid,
which included access to
a health center

Now we are talking about
forgiveness today
student loan forgiveness

complex
explosive
uncertain
inequitable
volatile
unfair
reckless
yes
probably

but also
game-changing
opening opportunities
families and future
to give families
breathing room

now let’s work
to fix the system
more affordable options
stop predatory lending
outrageous tuition costs

Forgiveness
Yes, please

Found poem from “Biden student loan action ignites  instant political battles” August 25, 20222 (The Washington Post)

During each day in the months of August and September, I am responding to a different word from Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini.  Today’s word is Forgiveness. A small group of people wanting to make the world a better place are reading and responding together. Join us! Visit Common Threads: Patchwork Prose and Verse by Kim Haynes Johnson for more information. Here is the word list I’ll be following for August and September.

19 DFABW – Acceptance

Denise Krebs2 Comments

Today’s word is acceptance, and the poetry form that Irene Latham used is the persona. I am have a good week accepting the mess that our remodeling project is making in our home. The dust is everywhere, as are the piles, but glimpses in my imagination of a window coming through this wall are giving me hope!

Here is my persona poem today.

Remodeling
I am a word with dust–
a tortoise inching slowly through the desert
Some avoid me,
Others don’t need me.
Yet, I am always available,
slow and steady,
saving resources,
creating new space,
bit by bit championing the chaos.
Come on in and see what I’ve done with the place.

During each day in the months of August and September, I am responding to a different word from Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini.  Today’s word is Acceptance. A small group of people wanting to make the world a better place are reading and responding together. Join us! Visit Common Threads: Patchwork Prose and Verse by Kim Haynes Johnson for more information. Here is the word list I’ll be following for August and September.