Tammi Belko of Ohio is our host today for the second day of the June Open Write, inspiring us to write poems about our normalcy. You can read her full prompt here.
Tammi explains the process:
1. Use the word “normal” or another word of your choice.
2. Brainstorm examples or characteristics of that word as they relate to your life or the world around you past or present.
3. Write a poem that defines your chosen word. Your poem may take any form.
Teaching Ideas:
- Choose nuanced vocabulary words for students to incorporate into their poems.
- Have students select nuanced words to describe a character from a novel studied in class and use the word in their poem.
Kim’s Normal Poem
the day normal changed
normal changed on Friday the 13th
the way things do
when Dad drew his last breath
my brother and I
had gone home
for showers and sleep
planning to return
shortly
but shortly came sooner
than we’d thought
and the Hospice nurse
called to tell us
we could come spend time
with him before
she called the funeral home
we walked in to find him
under a scripture-embroidered
bright yellow blanket
wearing his Georgia Bulldogs cap
as if he were taking a nap
right before the game
at perfect peace
with the world
as we exchanged
a knowing look:
it would only be normal
for our quirky dad to
wear his velvet-sleeved
doctoral robe
and ball cap straight
through the pearly gates
***
he brought tears
and laughter as folks
realized: this is so Felix!
Common Threads 