Dear Jonah B, Grade 4,
Thank you for this heart-faced wonder of an owl,
and for the nighttime breezes swirling around the words.
I hope it made you as happy to write it
as it makes me to read it.
Yours in Poetry,
Mary Lee
PS -- Kudos to Jone (Check it Out) for doing this Poetry Postcard project every April with the students in her school!
In the spirit of Kevin (Kevin's Meandering Mind), one of my Poetry Month writing partners (along with Carol/Carol's Corner), I am going to embark on a bit of "line lifting." Instead of finding my poetic inspiration in photos or research about places, I'm going to borrow bits of writing and build my own around them. I think of "line lifting" a little like quilting. That borrowed scrap of someone else's words gets pieced into the quilt of my poem. You'll be able to find these poems throughout the week on my website.
FREE
I am as still as a tree
when you give me the news.
You set it free?
How could you?!?
I'm not ready --
this is happening too fast!
Hold steady.
Come to the window, you asked.
So I did.
I saw her fly.
I grinned.
It was the right time.
©Mary Lee Hahn, 2014
Katya has the Poetry Friday Roundup at Write. Sketch. Repeat. Welcome back, Katya!
Thank you for this heart-faced wonder of an owl,
and for the nighttime breezes swirling around the words.
I hope it made you as happy to write it
as it makes me to read it.
Yours in Poetry,
Mary Lee
PS -- Kudos to Jone (Check it Out) for doing this Poetry Postcard project every April with the students in her school!
In the spirit of Kevin (Kevin's Meandering Mind), one of my Poetry Month writing partners (along with Carol/Carol's Corner), I am going to embark on a bit of "line lifting." Instead of finding my poetic inspiration in photos or research about places, I'm going to borrow bits of writing and build my own around them. I think of "line lifting" a little like quilting. That borrowed scrap of someone else's words gets pieced into the quilt of my poem. You'll be able to find these poems throughout the week on my website.
FREE
I am as still as a tree
when you give me the news.
You set it free?
How could you?!?
I'm not ready --
this is happening too fast!
Hold steady.
Come to the window, you asked.
So I did.
I saw her fly.
I grinned.
It was the right time.
©Mary Lee Hahn, 2014
Katya has the Poetry Friday Roundup at Write. Sketch. Repeat. Welcome back, Katya!
Happy Friday, and hurrah for those who dare to fly!
ReplyDeleteVibrant word choices here! What a treat to receive in the mail :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you for featuring Jonah's poem. I love the heart-shaped face line...
ReplyDeleteAh, the poetry love that Jone has passed on. I do need to find out her secret to these prize poems from her students. Still as a tree is a great line to steal. I couldn't decide if the subject of your poem was a butterfly or a bird, or a child. Then I decided it didn't matter.
ReplyDeleteI love those postcard poems too, Mary Lee. And this, with that 'heart-faced wonder' is terrific, as is your poem. There are quite a few hidden layers there in that flight.
ReplyDeleteI love that 'heart faced wonder' - such innocent beauty! I love the idea of line lifting as creating a tapestry of found words. :)
ReplyDeleteJonah B. sure has caught the essence of owl! Jone's class has spread a lot of pleasure.
ReplyDeleteAnd Mary, you've caught the essence of what? Nurturing? Love how your poem leaves room for all kinds of interpretation.
Violet N.
Mary Lee,
ReplyDeleteI'm just learning of this postcard project and thinking it is a marvelous idea. "Heart faced wonder" was the perfect finale.
I enjoyed your line lifting as well. Time to fly.
Cathy
Ooooh, I want to be a heart-shaped wonder too! Please? Can I? Can I? Perhaps a little line lifting of my own is in order. ;)
ReplyDelete