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Poetry Prompt: Do Something You Love And Tell About It

By Callie Feyen 2 Comments

For any student doing virtual school (and any caregiver bearing witness), I’ve no doubt there is a story about a technological glitch. A few weeks ago in the Feyen household, we had several of these stories, and consequently (or unfortunately or tragically — any of these words would suffice) they all happened at the same time.

For a few hours neither of my girls could get into their virtual classrooms. The link was broken or incorrect, or it had changed. Something was wrong with Zoom or Google Hangouts, or someone’s computer wasn’t working.

My daughters endure these trials differently. Harper rages, and she does it instantaneously, and then it’s over. Hadley is more like a slow moving and seemingly unpredictable storm. Have you heard those stories about how on sunny, perfect blue sky days, animals start to flee? Then about twelve hours later there’s a tsunami or hurricane, or other castostrophic storm? That’s what Hadley’s like — everything is fine until it’s not.

The day the technology seemed to die, my girls joined forces to create an emotionally perfect storm for all of us: Harper threw things. She screamed. She stomped. Hadley slowly trudged down the stairs, laid herself down on the couch and said plainly and monotonously, “I don’t know how much longer I can do this. Mama. When will the pandemic be over? I miss people.”

These days we feel all of it. Everything is a big deal, and there is so much to take care of. What’s more, some of the ways we take care are no longer possible. It doesn’t mean it’s impossible, or that we are incapable, although it sure is nice to have an encouraging reminder of our competence from time to time.

Lucky for my family, Hadley and Harper are students to the best math teacher that ever was, and on the day of the Feyen Funk, this guy saved the day.

“This is not your fault,” he wrote to his classes. “Here is a new assignment: Go do something you love and tell about it.”

Now that is my kind of math.

Harper spent the afternoon dancing. Hadley got on her bike and met a friend for ice cream. I’ve never been the type of student who concerns herself with impressing teachers, but I also can’t pass up a brilliant assignment, and so I made sugar cookies. I cut the dough into ghosts since it’s October — the golden month to face a scary thing or two, and what better time to face it armed with creamed butter and sugar and a splash of vanilla?

It is not just the doing that I love; it’s the telling. I think taking the time to do the things we love is important — necessary, even. But to tell about it, to swallow laughter while you dance, to come home, eyes sparkling and say to your mom, “I feel so much better now. Thank you for letting me go.” To have a batch of cookies, freshly frosted and waiting to be shared on the kitchen counter. It is the telling of love that might be the best way we take care of each other.

Try It

This week do something you love, and then tell about it. (In a poem, if you can. Essays work too.)

Featured Poem

Thanks to everyone who participated in last week’s poetry prompt. Here’s one from Megan Willome that we enjoyed

Butterfly Season

The butterflies are back
(no, not the monarchs
that’s next week)

This week it’s the snout-nosed butterfly
the symbol of life
the color of dirt

August drought
then September rain
means they swarm

this warm afternoon
thronging north
two blocks hence

to Hackberry Street
not properly migrating
just messing around

In my car I dodge their kamikaze
swerve toward my windshield
Others cling to a healthy branch

pulling it down like dead leaves
playing possum with my heart.
I walk until I find a hackberry

defoliated by butterflies
The tree will recover
Just not this year

 
Photo by cloud.shepherd Creative Commons, via Flickr. Post by Callie Feyen.

Browse more poetry prompts

The Teacher Diaires Front Cover with Lauren WinnerI have been a fan of Callie Feyen’s writing for quite some time but I finished this book in almost one sitting. You do not need to be a teacher to have instant admiration for her honesty, vulnerability, and true dedication to her students. She uses her own personal storytelling as the tool to teach one of the greatest stories of our time creating an instant connection to her students as well as to you the reader. If you have ever been in 8th grade, fallen in love, had a best friend, or loved reading, you will love this book. As the mother of an 8th grader, my other genuine hope is that my son will one day have a teacher as gifted as Callie.

– Celena Roldan

BUY THE TEACHER DIARIES NOW

 

 

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Callie Feyen
Callie Feyen
Callie Feyen likes Converse tennis shoes and colorful high heels, reading the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins, and the Twilight series. Her favorite outfit has always been a well-worn pair of jeans and a white T-shirt, but she wants hoop skirts with loads of tulle to come back into style. Her favorite line from literature comes from Sharon Creech’s Absolutely Normal Chaos: “I don’t know who I am yet. I’m still waiting to find out.” Feyen has served as the At-Risk Literacy Specialist in the Ypsilanti Public Schools and is the author of Twirl: my life with stories, writing & clothes and The Teacher Diaries: Romeo and Juliet.
Callie Feyen
Latest posts by Callie Feyen (see all)
  • Poetry Prompt: Courage to Follow - July 24, 2023
  • Poetry Prompt: Being a Pilgrim and a Martha Stewart Homemaker - July 10, 2023
  • Poetry Prompt: Monarch Butterfly’s Wildflower - June 19, 2023

Filed Under: Blog, Poems, poetry, poetry prompt, poetry teaching resources, writer's group resources, writing prompts

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About Callie Feyen

Callie Feyen likes Converse tennis shoes and colorful high heels, reading the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins, and the Twilight series. Her favorite outfit has always been a well-worn pair of jeans and a white T-shirt, but she wants hoop skirts with loads of tulle to come back into style. Her favorite line from literature comes from Sharon Creech’s Absolutely Normal Chaos: “I don’t know who I am yet. I’m still waiting to find out.” Feyen has served as the At-Risk Literacy Specialist in the Ypsilanti Public Schools and is the author of Twirl: my life with stories, writing & clothes and The Teacher Diaries: Romeo and Juliet.

Comments

  1. Karen Lees says

    October 19, 2020 at 7:41 am

    This is beautiful, Callie!

    Reply
  2. Bethany R. says

    October 19, 2020 at 8:11 pm

    “It is not just the doing that I love; it’s the telling.” Yes. It’s like telling recreates the joy and turns it into its own delight as well. Thank you for sharing your experience with us! 🙂

    Reply

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