When we think of creativity, we think often of things that we ‘make’ - visible, tangle things like artwork or websites. I wanted to include poetry in the creativity space because I think friends don’t realize how poetry can engage our minds in ways that we don’t think about when we think of being creative.
I’ve always loved poetry - the brevity of it, the impact of it. We started out today with some discussions about poetry, how and why we read poetry (or don’t). Many of us want to engage in poetry just don’t know how to, so why not write it? Cause you’re all creative, we agree.
I read out three poems to show examples of how poetry can be simple but evocative. Pablo Neruda’s XVII from One Hundred Love Sonnets. The Class from Janice Lobo Sapigao’s Microchips for Millions. A Seed, Your Name from Yesika Salgado’s Corazon. After talking briefly about these poems, we went into the Where I Am From poem that we did together. Enjoy this, and again, encourage your friends, family, and others to do this with each other. Capture and record these for the future.
XO,
Arlo
PS. Yes, the links are affiliate and all proceeds go to support the stream!
I am from ________________ (specific ordinary item), from ________________ (product name) and ________________ (another one).
I am from the ________________, ________________, ________________ (home description... adjective, adjective, sensory detail).
I am from the ________________ (plant, flower, natural item), the ________________ (plant, flower, natural detail).
I am from _____________ (family tradition) and ________________ (family trait), from ________________ (name of family member) and ________________ (another family name) and ________________ (family name).
I am from the ____________________ (description of family tendency) and ___________________ (another one). From ____________________ (something you were told as a child) and ____________________ (another one).
I am from ________________ (representation of religion, or lack of it). ____________________ (Further description).
I’m from ________________ (place of birth and family ancestry), _______________, ________________ (two food items representing your family). From the _______________________________________________________ (specific family story about a specific person and detail), the ________________________________________________ (another detail), and the _______________________________________________________ (another detail about another family member).
I am from ________________ (location of family pictures, mementos, archives and several more lines indicating their worth).
Check out georgeellalyon.com for more about poet George Ella Lyon and her teaching.