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Springboard Exploring the Passion and Power of Poetry April is poetry month. There are some who love poetry – and others who have a hard time connecting or understanding. BT Member Patti Russo considers herself a poetry evangelist and agrees with the poet Roque Dalton who wrote, “Poetry, like bread, is for everyone.” She began her career as a certified poetry therapist. Over time, she developed a specialty in intergenerational work, and, for the past 12 years, Patti has facilitated her intergenerational poetry program, Partners in Rhyme, in schools. We are excited to collaborate with Patti on this Springboard. We hope that you and those whom you love will truly experience the passion and power of poetry. Tips on Connecting with Young People • Whether near or far, we encourage you to use these questions and activities to start dialogues and engage in meaningful ways with young(er) people in your life – so that you both feel more connected and better afterwards! • Consider the many ways we have to connect today: a phone call, facetime, skype, text or through social media. Snail mail is great, too. Tip: If the student is away at school, touch base to see if they go to the post office. • Sometimes it is difficult to find the time to connect. Consider arranging a time in advance. For example, reaching out to the young person or the parent and saying, “I miss you. I’d really like to spend a couple of hours with you (with the child). When might you have time in the next month?” (Give a framework.) And when they respond, do everything in your power to make it work! • Consider setting a regular schedule to connect – Friday nights, first Saturday morning of the month, the week of someone’s birthday. Send a piece of snail mail each time you pay bills – perhaps with a quote, inspirational message, poem (!) or a few dollars. 1 • You may want to share that you are committed to life-long learning – even if you are not in school – that you are enjoying learning about poetry. • You may want to share with your young person that you are part of an organization, Bridges Together, that helps unite generations in families and communities. (It’s important for young people to understand the value of belonging to a greater community.) • Share a poem with excitement! “I just came across this poem and I thought of you. Do you want to hear it?” And then…. “I thought we could follow-up by [doing a suggested activity]…” Mail this with a note. We also include some YouTube videos which you could forward. • Share a meal. You’ll have a captive audience if you implement a simple rule: no technology at the table! It’s important for young people to learn table manners and the flow of sharing a meal. Breaking bread provides a wonderful opportunity for rich conversations. You may use the “Rose- Thorn-Bud” method: Have each person share what was their favorite part: The rose? A part that was difficult or thorny? Something they learned that they will develop, a hope moving forward, a bud? • If you are babysitting, weave one of these discussion questions or activities into your time together. If the “kids are on their phones or devices”, let them know that they may use them for X amount of time but then you are doing something fun together. • If you are a grandparent raising your grandchild or involved in kinship care, try to take a break and do a fun activity together! Take a peak at all of the ideas in here and choose one that jumps out at you. See if you can weave it into your next weekend or ½ day of school or vacation week. And maybe read a poem before bed – just to nurture your spirit! 2 Learning About Poetry • Poetry, like love or art, can be difficult to define. Dictionary.com defines poetry as “a literary work in which special intensity is given to the expression of feelings and ideas by the use of distinctive style and rhythm; poems collectively or as a genre of literature.” 1 Samuel Coleridge defines poetry as “the best words in the best order,” whereas Emily Dickinson says, “If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.” In the Poetry Supplement, there are many famous definitions of poetry that you might enjoy perusing or discussing. • Did you know that poetry is meant to be heard? Poets take great care in selecting words not only for their meaning but also for their sound and rhythm. Always read a poem aloud – even if you are reading it alone. • Print a copy of the poem for each person so they may read along and provide something to write with so they can mark up their copy. • As you read the poem aloud, encourage participants to read the poem silently, underlining any words, phrases or images that resonate with them. • After you read the poem especially with another, pause for for 5-10 seconds to let people absorb and experience the poem. Try to be comfortable with the quiet and not jump immediately into the discussion questions or hearing it a second time in a different voice. • Patti encourages people to think about their response to a poem, not get into the mechanics of the poem. To reinforce this approach, consider reading “Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins or “This Poem…” by Elma Mitchell both of which are in the Poetry Supplement. • Have your grandchild read the poem. Put them at ease by telling them that there is no one right way to read a poem. Encourage them to read the poem in whatever way feels natural to them. 1 Dictionary.com 3 • Some general questions you can ask after reading any poem: o What is you overall reaction to this poem? o What did this poem bring up for you? o Where do you find yourself in this poem? o What resonated with you? o Please share a word/phrase/image that you underlined and why you did. • We offer many suggestions on writing poems. Here are some things to keep in mind: o Our goal is expressive writing, not impressive writing. We ask for honest and heartfelt pieces. o It is not our place to judge each other’s writing, or offer advice on writing techniques. NOTE: Most poems that are mentioned in this Springboard are contained in the Poetry Supplement with accompanying question. Print the poem, fold up the paper on the bottom and seal it – so you may read the poem and then answer the questions. Discussion Questions & Activities On the Go – Perfect for the car, a walk or dinner table • Talk openly about what you both know about poetry and how you feel about poetry. Do you enjoy it? Does it scare you a little? Do you ever read poetry for pleasure or only if it’s assigned to you? • Share about your experiences about poetry – did you have to recite a poem? Do you have a favorite poem? • What is the first poem you remember loving? • Have you ever memorized a poem? If so, how did you do it? • Have you ever recited a poem for a group? If so, when? Why? How did you feel about it? Can you recite the poem now? • Alliteration! Alliteration is a poetic device where the sound of the first letter is repeated in a series of words. As you are walking or driving or eating, invite each person to share their name and an adjective that begins with the same letter as their first name and describes them in some way. (For little ones, you may need to define “adjective”, telling them an adjective describes something or someone – like fluffy cat or fast swing). Can you come up with an alliteration for each of you? For example, Caring Charlotte or Adventurous 4 Andrew. How about for other members of your circle of love? Consider including deceased members who had touched the young ones’ lives. This is a great way to keep their spirit alive. Poetry Activities In the 1980s, Gardner published his MulTiple Intelligences Theory that suggested each of us is smart in eight ways. Sometimes called the “smarts theory”, it provides a framework with which to understand each of our talents and areas of weakness. Armed with this knowledge, we can then choose to nurture, strengthen or avoid certain parts of ourselves – and the young ones in our lives. For example, if we have a grandchild who is artistically inclined, we may encourage them (or their parent) to provide art lessons or choose art electives. If we notice they are in weak in math, we may suggest a tutor. You’re Smarter Than You Think by Armstrong is a wonderful book that outlines all of this beautifully for a young person – providing ways to expand in or compensate for each area. Introductory Poems: • “Sometimes”: Check out this excerpt from a poem by Mary Oliver. This would be a great little excerpt to text or facebook or message to someone you love. Then, you could go on to say what it makes you think of and invite them to share as well. Other questions include: What do you pay attention to during your day? outside? Whom do you share with? When have you felt astonished? And building it out: write a little poem about it with four sentences. 5 • The “Hopi Prayer” by Nancy Wood offers advice for living and the power of staying connected – even when physically apart.