Opportunities for writing are waiting for us if we only look for them!
I stopped by the Boston Writing Project’s Drop-in Writing Station at the NCTE Convention, and I was immediately captivated by a large tree with colorful poetry hearts filled with verse proclaiming the convention theme: Heart, Hope, and Humanity. As with most conferences, I was between sessions, hoping to get a seat in the next place while still wanting to sit and write – so I did the next best thing. I’d composed a pile poem in an earlier session led by Sarah Donovan and Stefani Boutelier, so I wrote the poem on the heart and placed it there on the tree. It is a pile of blessings, and this one is read from bottom to top. Here is my pile poem from a Saturday morning NCTE session:
On Thanksgiving Day, I saw another tree just waiting to be filled with words of gratitude. This one was at the Plimoth-Patuxet Museum as we shared a Thanksgiving meal with those visiting the museum to take part in their traditional meal narrated by the chief historian, who shares the history of the holiday. Here is my leaf and the tree.
I love these kinds of invitations to share responses and writing. It reminds me that everyone is eager to write and to share if the opportunities are presented in fun and engaging ways.
Common Threads 
What a wonderful idea, Kim. I’ve made some poe-trees with kids in April, but you can make them all year through.
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Kim,
I loved the writing center at NCTE and stopped to “write” a blackout poem, which I later typed out for the Stafford Poetry Challenge. I remember when I first learned about poetry trees and having my classes create a forest of them in our commons area on large windows with the mountains in the background.
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Kim,
I loved the writing center at NCTE and stopped to “write” a blackout poem, which I later typed out for the Stafford Poetry Challenge. I remember when I first learned about poetry trees and having my classes create a forest of them in our commons area on large windows with the mountains in the background.
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As you know, I had to cancel my trip to Boston at the last minute. Seeing those poet-trees grabbed at my heart. I wish I had been there. I would’ve loved contributing and marveling at them.
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I’m inspired by and absolutely envious of your writing tree inspiration(s)! I’ve left NCTE SERVERAL times ready to write the next great novel and the best ever text book!
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My classroom door has a homemade Christmas tree waiting for gratitude, haiku poem-ornaments. This is an idea that has wings.
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Kim, what lovely poet-trees. I enjoyed reading your pile poem. I think it reads lovely from top to bottom, as well as from bottom to top. Thank you for sharing so many delights with your readers.
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Thank you! It makes me want to put up poet-trees everywhere right here where I live.
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