Additionally, I am the author of a forthcoming YA novel, Perchance to Dream, which is told in alternating verse and prose. I write regularly with fellow teacher poets ( participate in poetry challenges, and have published in literary magazines. I write when a line develops in my mind, so these sessions and pieces come from bursts of inspiration. I write daily poems and post them on social media. I write with Ethical ELA Open Write over a period of five days each month. I also have a writing group that has a monthly writing challenge. I participate in Poetry Friday, a blogging round-up of poets and teachers. Meg Eubankĭo you have regular poetry-writing routines or processes Now, as a teacher, I can bring my love of poetry to my students. As a child, I was in a poetry group after school by High School I was attending poetry festivals in college I met some of my dearest friends at an open mic by my 20s I had several pieces published.
Poetry has also brought a community of artists into my life and inspired me in ways that transcend beyond the page. I enjoy the art of it, carefully choosing words and formatting lines to communicate more than what is said in the words themselves. Poetry provides me with a way of viewing the world in different ways. I am composing poetry all the time, though only some of it gets recorded on the page. As such, poetry has sustained me through the loss of my mother, through the isolation of the Covid lockdown, and the trials and tribulations of marriage and raising children. As a result, most of my poetry is tied to social issues, though I do sometimes write just for myself. Now, poetry is a genre I return to when I want to capture a specific sentiment, often one I want my students to think about.
Ten years into hosting an annual evening celebration of student poets and musicians, I read a piece onstage for my students. I started writing poetry casually during grad school, and continued into my teaching career by writing with my students. I also write on my own blog and have published poems. I begin each of my gifted classes with notebook writing. Poetry is a daily practice both in my life and in my teaching. How would you describe the role of poetry writing in your life? Comments were shared in response to prompts included in the INBOX newsletter earlier this year. We hope you’ll find inspiration and resonance in the reflections contributed by NCTE members Margaret Simon, Michelle Bulla, Tammi Belko, and Meg Eubank.