Friday, December 6, 2019

Mentor poems (and songs)

Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.
~Plato


photo by Rookuzz


Mentor poems (and songs) today!

Poems:
* If I could write like Tolstoy by Laura Scott ­­
* Melancholia by Eric Pankey
* April Incantation by Maggie Dietz
* Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird By Wallace Stevens

Ones I liked the idea of but didn't do:
* The Secret Shape (Alicia Ostriker)
* Arrhythmia by Hailey Leithauser

Forms:
* Animal Couplets
* Double Dactyl
* Five things about...
* Found Poem from The Hare with Amber Eyes
* A Golden Shovel
* Ten Things Found in a Wizard’s Pocket by Ian McMillan (List poem)
* Helen Keller by Langston Hughes (Bio poem)

A couple of funny country music inspirations:
* Nobody to blame but me
* A Half-Broke Heart

A sweet song inspiration:
* That's What's Up

Lastly:
* Poems about Poets

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Tanita Davis has the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Tanita!

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17 comments:

  1. Linda BDecember 6, 2019 at 8:25 AM

    It's quite a wonderful collection, Tabatha! I haven't gone to each one, but guess I missed "If I Could Write Like Poe" when I was gone in October. Oh, the gore you've contemplated! Thanks for sharing each one this morning! I'll return!

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  2. RuthDecember 6, 2019 at 9:40 AM

    So many great ideas! Thank you!

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  3. Joyce RayDecember 6, 2019 at 10:29 AM

    This is a treasure trove to be bookmarked and dipped into for inspiration! I enjoyed the Higgledy Piggledy poems! I have written one to date. Most of all, I want to read the poems about poets written by so many of our friends. Brodsky's quote: "Every individual ought to know at least one poet from cover to cover: if not as a guide through the world, then as a yardstick for the language." makes me choose Richard Blanco as the poet I want to know from cover to cover. I heard him give a live interviewed last summer, have been reading To Love a Country, and enjoying Jama's posts about this wonderful poet. Thank you for the treasures, Tabatha!

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  4. tanita✿davisDecember 6, 2019 at 12:03 PM

    Of them all, my favorite is the bio poem day. I hadn't seen that Langston Hughes poem, and I'm always tickled to find an unknown poem from a well-known poet. I think we'll put bio poems on our roster of poems-to-try next year! Happy Friday!

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  5. JoneDecember 6, 2019 at 10:06 PM

    Love this list, Tabatha.

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  6. KatApel - katswhiskers.wordpress.comDecember 7, 2019 at 2:20 AM

    I'm with Joyce. A treasure trove, indeed.

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  7. KayDecember 7, 2019 at 9:20 AM

    Your post is a treasure chest! I will be back to explore more of them and maybe even play along with some.

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  8. Cheriee WeichelDecember 7, 2019 at 2:55 PM

    I left your post til later Tabatha and have finally got around to reading it all. I adored the double dactyls and have stored that format to try later on. I also love these bio poems. I'm working with a group of grade 3/4 's next week and might have the students write biopoems for seasonal characters.

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  9. Karen EastlundDecember 7, 2019 at 3:41 PM

    Thank you for all these links, Tabatha. I have followed just one because I also have read The Hare with the Amber Eyes. The thought of remembering each object by how it wants to be touched is something I have to consider. How do I remember objects? How do you?
    I agree with Kay, this IS a treasure chest. I may have to visit more than once!

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  10. laurasalasDecember 7, 2019 at 4:52 PM

    Just wanted to drop by and say how lovely it was to meet you in person at NCTE! I wish we could have chatted. So many fly-by greetings with people I'd like to get to know better in person. But a fly-by is better than nothing. xo, Laura

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  11. Michelle KoganDecember 8, 2019 at 2:13 AM

    Ah What a rich post Tabatha, I enjoyed all! I especially liked a few I hadn't been here for, "That's What's Up," your line for "Louis Pasteur,"
    "Tools defeating
    microbes' might."
    And your double dactyl for "Marguerite Blessington" is quite arrestington… Thanks!

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  12. Linda MitchellDecember 8, 2019 at 7:12 AM

    Every time I come to this link to leave a comment...I read more. What a master class in reading and writing poetry this post is. Seriously, this is the best resource as well as being simply beautiful and wonderful poetry. Your work in the world -- sharing poetry with others and encouraging poets really inspires me. I want to be like you!

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  13. TabathaDecember 8, 2019 at 7:59 AM

    You guys make me blush! Mentor poems are so much fun.
    I enjoyed meeting you, too, Laura, however briefly. Let me know the next time you make it out this way! xo

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  14. Heidi MordhorstDecember 8, 2019 at 8:01 AM

    Whoa. Is this your "mining the archives" series? I can't wait to dip in here and there.

    You be the news
    I'll be the reader
    I'll be the horse
    You be the leader

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  15. Mary LeeDecember 8, 2019 at 8:11 AM

    Wow. I've bookmarked this -- it's a FEAST, not a snack! What fun to revisit some of my mentor poems. Thank you for this gift.

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  16. Michelle Heidenrich BarnesDecember 8, 2019 at 8:12 AM

    I glanced at all the links and am reminded of many wonderful poems, and a few that are new to me—ones I never commented on. I've bookmarked this post. It's going to be helpful inspiration for those times I need an extra push! Thanks, T. xo

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  17. Donna SmithDecember 8, 2019 at 8:35 AM

    I just clicked on the mentor "13 Ways to Look at...", and reread the cat poem for Margaret. I'd forgotten much of it, but just love it! I'll be wandering around here for a bit - there are so many gems! Thanks for recapping! I've missed many this year.

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