#10FoundWords-Nature

Let Nature be your teacher!

-William Wordsworth

The #10FoundWords poetry project created by Laura Shovan in February continues. As host for August's event at Facebook, my thoughts turn to the quietness of the woods in Reston, Virginia where I visited my then six-week old granddaughter last week. In the evenings, the family took nature walks acquainting Sierra with the forest animals and sounds. One morning from the house at the edge of the trail, I sat overlooking the greenery and trees that soared into the sky. The serenity of the scene brought thoughts of nature as a teacher.

With this memory in mind, I explored articles to use as the reading for the #10Words poetry project. From the Center for Parenting Education, I offer "Nature and Children-A Natural Fit" with the following 10 words to be used to create an original poem. 

children-creative-curiosity-explore-listening-nature-outdoors-relaxation-stewardship-senses
The words are featured in the above digital inspiration I created.

Let Nature Be Your Teacher

In morning light, 

trails at woods' edge

invite life to awaken.

Nature conducts its chorus.  

Inspiration floats in,

 whispering through soaring trees.

Wisps of soft breeze slip

through heavy vegetation.

Birds stir, sweeping the sky.

With hands outstretched,

nature welcomes exploration

indulging children's curiosity

with sights and sounds from

the great outdoors.
Summertime speaks,

"Let nature be your teacher.

See with new eyes.

Breathe in forest's fragrance.
Let nature fill your senses.

Observe morning dew on the grass.

Meander through curving trails,

creatively stationed for observation.

Relax in the coolness of shaded bliss.

Then, return at dusk to listen

to sweet night sounds 

lullaby you to sleep."
You are the future stewards of earth.

Cherish the land.
Listening, I think that's what the earth says.*

©CV, 2017

*William Stafford's final line of his poem, "In Response to a Question"

Posted by Irene Latham

Photo by Devin Hartnett, 2017,

McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area, Maryland

The above two digitals will be shared at #SunkissedSummer on Twitter
and in the upcoming Sunkissed Summer Gallery.

Today is the Poetry Friday Round-Up. 
Please visit our host, Donna Smith, at Mainely Write.

Turning of the Seasons

As one season turns into the next, subtle changes occur in nature. Winter turned to spring this year, and a flurry of poems were released. National Poetry Month saw the rise of poetry in classrooms and on social media. 

Laura Shovan's #10FoundWords project that began in winter on a closed FaceBook community site continued into spring. For the April challenge, Heather Meloche offered the prompt, Early Spring by Rainer Maria Rilke. I found myself responding late to the call to write but nonetheless was drawn to this poem that centered on the turning of the seasons. 

In order to complete the task, I needed to use the 10 words that were chosen from the original poem to create an a found poem. The words Heather chose for the challenge were: vanished, softness, meadow, rivulets, tendernesses, earth, subtle, risings, expression, and trees. 

************************************

Early Spring

Harshness vanished. A sudden softness

has replaced the meadows' wintry grey.

Little rivulets of water changed

their singing accents. Tendernesses,

hesitantly, reach toward the earth

from space, and country lanes are showing

these unexpected subtle risings

that find expression in the empty trees.

-Rainer Maria Rilke 

************************************

  

Hues of stark white vanished

in the gentle turning of earth.

Verdant green meadows replaced 

winter's colorless landscape as

earth rejoiced at the gentle awakening.

Subtleties of nature's handiwork

were evident in the tenderness of 

shoots rising, the calling of the birds

above rivulets, and the trees exploding

with colorful blossoms. Earth opened

its arms to nature's euphoric expressions

of jubilation-a springsation of the senses

unfolded before mankind's watchful eyes.

©CVarsalona, 2017

Now please turn to the Poetry Friday Roundup at Tara Smith's site, A Teaching Life. There you will find springtime delights. 

If you have an offering for my spring gallery of artistic expressions, #Springsations, please send me your work. 
Thank You.

March Musings 16: #10FoundWords

Have you ever been challenged to move out of your comfort zone?

I was with the latest #10FoundWords exercise designed by Laura Shovan, author.

BACKSTORY:

My writing friend, Catherine Flynn sent Laura Shovan an interesting gift, Other Wordly: Words Both Strange and Lovely from Around the World by Yee-Lum Mak. Laura was intrigued by the book and decided to use 10 of the words for this month's #10FoundWords challenge that was announced yesterday, the Ides of March. 

Writers were asked to play with the challenging words (definitions provided) before ultimately creating a poem with all of the words. 

DILEMMA:

When you review the words and their definitions, you will see why I was stumped. I never heard of these words before. Yikes! 

OUTCOME:

Challenge on. I persevered and found a narrative poem flowing from the following words. 

1. Nyctophilia (noun, English): a love of darkness or night; finding relaxation or comfort in the darkness.

2. Nemophilist (noun, English): a haunter of the woods; one who loves the forest and its beauty and solitude.

3. Tsundoku (noun, Japanese): buying books and not reading them; letting books pile up unread on shelves or floors or nightstands.

4. Dirl (ver, Scots and English): to thrill, to vibrate; to tremble or quiver.

5. Sturmfrei (adjective, German): lit. "stormfree"; the freedom of not being watched by a parent or superior; being alone at home and having the ability to do what you want.

6. Honne (noun, Japanese): what a person truly believes; the behavior and opinions that are often kept hidden and only displayed with one's closest confidants.

7. Jentacular (adjective, English): having to do with an early breakfast.

8. Brumous (adjective, English): of gray skies and winter days; filled with heavy clouds or fog; relating to winter or cold, sunless weather.

9. Hoppipolla (verb phrase, Icelandic): jumping into puddles.

10. Uitwaaien (verb, Dutch): to take a break and walk away from the demands of life to clear one's head.

END PRODUCT:

I can't deliberate any longer. The following poem is where my thoughts lead me. I envisioned a dark Victorian setting with a young heroine searching for solitude, similar to the original novels dating from another century that grace my library.

Opening the shades to a brumous morning,
a young lady with nemophilist tendencies stares out,
searching the woods for solitude and peace.

Iced patterns lace the glass, blurring the frozen landscape.

Leaning gently against a stack of to be read books, 
she thinks back on what her father says. 

"Tsundokus seldom read their treasures."

Nostalgic reflection and nyctophilia overcome her. 

She closes her shades, relaxing in the darkness. 

Stillness enters the space and quietness surrounds.

Her imagination takes her to a place where

she giddily hoppipolas through rain puddles, 
created by the sun's warming touch on the glistening snow.

A pelting sound interrupts the daydream.
Reality sets in. Dressed for the day, she slowly walks
through the expansive house to the breakfast room
where a jentacular cup of tea with a scone is set.

Overcome with sturmfrei feelings, she departs to roam 
the forest on a quest not to find the magic unicorn but

ice sculptures created from the remains of 
yet another graying winter storm. 

Carefully transversing the dark, deep woods,

the gentle swirl of March winds make her dirl  but
undaunted by the weather, she continues, searching 
for peace in the quiet surroundings of the forest.

Her honne is guided by one word, joy, and

so she puddle jumps with a hopeful heart into 

the silence of another wintry day.

©CVarsalona, 2017

Interesting enough, I found a song, "Hoppipolla"-Icelandic for "jumping into puddles by an Icelandic band, Sigur Ros. It was translated into English. 

This post is the 16th in the series titled March Musings for Two Writing Teachers' March Slice of Life Story Challenge. 

March Musings 1: Yoga Mindfulness

Within the weekly routines of life, there is a practice that allows me to drift into a state of peace. Let me take you there. 

Yoga Mindfulness

Sheltered in the dim-light
of the yoga studio, I
engage my senses,
re-awaken my mind,
and actively participate
in life’s small moments.
Mindfulness triumphs
as breathing patterns
bring stillness to a
non-active state of mind.
Self-absorption dwindles.
Compassion and love
permeate the space.
Understanding the purpose
of peaceful intentions, I
leave the studio knowing 
that a mind at peace resists
any disharmony to be
encountered later.
©CV, 2017

Thank you for joining me as I pause to savor a single, simple practice of my day. This post is the first in a series titled March Musings for Two Writing Teachers' March Slice of Life Challenge. 
*****************************
Question to Self: 
Throughout this month, I will be involved in Two Writing Teachers' 10th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge.  Why will I engage in 31 days of writing after being involved in Laura Shovan's #10FoundWords Project in February?

Response:

-I hope to examine the facets of my 2017 creed as I create visuals, reflections, and poetry on this journey. While not knowing where the path will take me, I will search for joy along the way. 

-There is intrinsic reward for my participation: Being able to release my first draft work each day as an act of fearlessness.
-I hope to continue to hone my writing craft through daily writing. 

You can read other slices here.

On Critical Thinking

Inside active, student-engaged classroom communities, processes of noticing and wondering, are found leading to the development of unique thoughts and authentic voice. Teachers, as thoughtful guides, lead students forward on journeys of the mind where paths of inquiry are fostered. Choices are provided. Critical thinking and accountable talk occur leading to the amplification of student voice.

Both DigiLitSunday led by Margaret Simon and #10FoundWords Project (Day 25) created by Laura Shovan invited writers to synthesize their thoughts on prompts provided. I created one poem based on Margaret's topic, Critical Thinking, and Laura's 10 found phrases from “Teaching Resistance in Unjust Times,” by NCTE Historian Jonna Perillo, NCTE Blog, 2/15/17.

• tool of resistance
• those loyal aliens
• under suspicion
• asked their teachers why
• complex and riskier
• our thoughts are foolish
• going off the rails
• bad hombres
• recycled phrases
• writer as a rebel
• Bonus: democratic life

Tagul Word Cloud created by Carol Varsalona, 2017

In the turmoil of recycled phrases,

students question teachers, Why?

In turn, teachers respond with care

while safely guiding all voices into

a culture of trust. No thought is

regarded as foolish in these

communities of respect where

pathways of safe engagement

are established.

Using norms and protocols,

accountable talk flows.

Brainstorming with tools

to unpack confusion, follows.

Terms, like bad hombres,

loyal aliens are examined.

Students ponder. Who are

these dudes? Discussion

digs deep. There are neighbors

under suspicion. What should

we do? Learners write to

grasp the bigger picture.

In a time of complexities and

risks, the pen is taken up to

soothe the soul. Authentic

voice rises in the silence,

turning negativity into positivity.

Writers write with words of hope,

combating negativity posed. Trying

to comprehend the enormity of

the world's reality, their pens

are their tools of resistance.

Seeking understanding in a

world grappling with truth,

learners are encouraged to

resist hearsay and provide

evidence for their beliefs.

It is through the critical

thinking process, not
going off the rails, that

students finds their place

in the democracy of

classroom life as voices

rise in fellowship.

©CVarsalona, 2017

*******

If today’s students want to compete in this global society, they must be proficient communicators, creators, critical thinkers, and collaborators. ~National Education Association

DigiLit Sunday

#10FoundWords

What's Next?

I read the tweets and headlines from educators, journalists, and legislators and then saw the 12 p.m. vote today and thought: 

How will education look in the future? 

I am not sure. What I do know is that committed, passionate educators with growth mindsets will continue to move forward bringing joy to classrooms while filling public schools with inspiration and pride. 

Why? 

For America's Children, our Future!

The timing was right for the following article, A Texas kid spotted a rattlesnake in the toilet - and then the snake-removal crew found 23 more, to become the prompt for today's #10FoundWords, a private Facebook writing community. If interested in joining the writers, please contact Laura Shovan, the poet who created the project. 

My offering for today's #10FoundWords is below. The poem is developed from the 10 words chosen as the prompt from the article: clump, toilet, rattle, cellar, camouflage, killing, surprise, dens, shovel, cryptic.

Winter Surprise

Imagine this:

Within the underpinnings

Of the privy, a clump

Swishes up the

Toilet on its way

To making havoc.

A slittering rattler

Greets day as an

Unsuspecting

Resident shrieks

In defense of life.

Fierce women power

to the rescue,

Superhero Mom

With shovel in hand,

Kills the encroacher

Only to discover a

Secret den of

Cryptic snakes

Camouflaging their

Existence.

Warning:

Those inexperienced

stay clear. Experts

Needed for the fix.

©CVarsalona, 2017

Today is Slice of Life Tuesday at Two Writing Teachers.

I offer a slice of thoughts today.