Merely Day By Day

The clock ticks and I sit fingers at the keyboard fighting a poem yet again. The clock tocks and I wish it would tell me what to write, whisper words to me. The clock's hands move in circles; my hands wait patiently for words to fill the page. Minutes turn to hours while I search for rhythms to make lines sing. Waiting on the moment when poem and pen become one. © Cathy L. Mere 2014 Well, this poem explains about a third of my nights in April as I tried to get a poem posted by midnight.   In March I wrote every day as part of the Slice of Life Challenge.  This month I have written 30 poems about objects.  It's been a bit of a challenge.  My hope had been to capture the stories behind the objects of our lives .  For the first seven days of the challenge I wrote about " objects of memory ," then " objects I just can't live without ," " school objects " and finally a little " playground poetry ." Of cours...

Today is the last day of April so it is the end of 30 days of poetry for #NationalPoetryMonth and it is time to celebrate with a Chalk-a-bration.  Today I join Betsy Hubbard in a little end of the month poetry celebration .  It has been snowing for months making it hard to participate.  My students and I were determined that despite the rain we would get outside for a chalk-a-bration celebration.  While on the playground, I couldn't help but notice this flowering tree waiting for a poem so I stopped to write a little poem inspired by the colorful blossoms. Pink Rain Pink blossoms Rest on umbrella Braches. Waiting On the perfect Moment To float down. Raining pink Onto the grass of green.  

The slide the swings the rings all wait. The rain pours from the gray sky not planning to stop. We watch from the windows stuck inside again. Wishing it would stop so we could join them. ©  Cathy L. Mere 2014 I'm writing poetry for 30 days.  For the first seven days of the challenge I wrote about " objects of memory ," then " objects I just can't live without " and "school objects."  For the next seven days I will be writing about objects that can be found on the playground.  This will help me to prepare for a little poetry writing with students.  Our class will be taking poetry around the building in the days to come.   April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm joining other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days my hope is to write a new poem each day.  T...

Tetherball Back and forth, the ball sways. Swings. Smack! To and fro, the players hit. Push. Pow! Side to side, the ball glides. Soars. Swoosh! Around and around, the chain wraps. Game over. Victory! © Cathy L. Mere 2014 I'm writing poetry for 30 days.  For the first seven days of the challenge I wrote about " objects of memory ," then " objects I just can't live without " and "school objects."  For the next seven days I will be writing about objects that can be found on the playground.  This will help me to prepare for a little poetry writing with students.  Our class will be taking poetry around the building in the days to come.   April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm joining other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days my hope is to write a new poem each da...

Today I saw the crabapple, with its pink blossoms ready to burst. Calling to me just beyond the patio. For years, the piano, its keys silent, discovered the joy of someone able to help it sing. The rain pitter-pattered near my window, turning the grass from brown to green. The flowers rejoicing. I just sat trying to find poetry. Trying to turn the playground into a poem to share. © Cathy L. Mere 2014 I spent today trying to find a poem about an object on the playground.  Is this the day for monkey bars?  For rings?  For soccer goals?  For tetherball?  As I tried to find the words, poetry seemed to be unfolding around me.  My commitment to the project made me want to stick with the topic, but the words were somewhere else.  So I wrote this. I'm writing poetry for 30 days.  For the first seven days of the challenge I wrote about " objects of memory ," then " objects I just can't live without " and "schoo...

Your Moment The bounce brings friends together. The throw asks others to join. The kick brings players running. The catch is your moment to shine. © Cathy L. Mere 2014 I'm writing poetry for 30 days.  For the first seven days of the challenge I wrote about " objects of memory ," then " objects I just can't live without " and "school objects."  For the next seven days I will be writing about objects that can be found on the playground.  This will help me to prepare for a little poetry writing with students.  Our class will be taking poetry around the building in the days to come.   April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm joining other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days my hope is to write a new poem each day.  The first two years I took this challenge I wrote any ...

via WikiMedia Commons photo by KRTaikoo Slide twisting,     turning, the slide     slithers, from sky     to soil, joyfully,     children        race          from               top                  to             bottom,                  again                      and                       again! ©  Cathy L. Mere  2014 I'm writing poetry for 30 days.  For the first seven days of the challenge I wrote about " objects of memory ," then " objects I just can't live without " and "school objects."  For the next seven days I will be writing about objects that can be found on the playg...

Witch's Hat When we were young, how did we survive? It's just quite a wonder, we're all still alive. We didn't wear helmets. We didn't wear pads. We just jumped on our bikes, our parents were glad. We climbed up the slides, and stood upon swings, jumped off seesaws, patched a few stings. We played on equipment, unsafe for us all: like the witch's hat , and monkey bars much too tall. In water too shallow, we dove in the pool. We jumped off high dives as tall as our school. It's really a wonder, we all lived through it. If I could do it again, I gladly would do it. © Cathy L. Mere 2014 I'd planned to write about a slide today, but somehow I started thinking about the old witch's hat on our school playground.  We used to gather on that piece of equipment and push from side to side.  At some point they quit letting us put our feet in the middle and soon we weren't allowed to ride it.  My friends and I would go...

via WikiMedia Commons by Stilfehler Swing Nothing on a playground shouts freedom like a swing. Waiting to soar  into the light blue sky. Reaching beyond the playground above the school. Flying into the air among the trees. Gliding  with birds in effortless flight. Nothing on a playground shouts freedom like a swing. Cathy L. Mere  2014 I'm writing poetry for 30 days.  For the first seven days of the challenge I wrote about " objects of memory ," then " objects I just can't live without " and "school objects."  For the next seven days I will be writing about objects that can be found on the playground.  This will help me to prepare for a little poetry writing with students.  Our class will be taking poetry around the building in the days to come.   April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm joining other poetry blogg...

Chalk Colorful lines cover black pavement bringing smiles to faces. What if chalk had magic? What if I could draw a picture that would come to life; bring out the sun, or design a plane to take me on far away adventures? What if I could step inside the world I made to discover secrets untold? What if I could write my wish, any wish, and it would come true? © Cathy L. Mere 2014 I'm writing poetry for 30 days.  For the first seven days of the challenge I wrote about " objects of memory ," then " objects I just can't live without " and "school objects."  For the next seven days I will be writing about objects that can be found on the playground.  This will help me to prepare for a little poetry writing with students.  Our class will be taking poetry around the building in the days to come.   April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm joining other poe...

Math Tools Stack them, Count them, Place in tens. Put them together, Then count again. Squares, Circles, Cubed shaped too. Line them up, It's fun to do. Sort them, Group them, Count them all. Numbers big, and numbers small. Add, Subtract, To solve a problem. Math tools help, They're really awesome. Link them, Join them, Make a line. With friends or alone They work just fine. © Cathy L. Mere  2014 I'm writing poetry for 30 days.  For the first seven days of the challenge I wrote about " objects of memory ," and then I wrote about " objects I just can't live without ."  For the next seven days I will be writing about objects that can be found at school.  This will help me to prepare for a little poetry writing with students.  Our class will be taking poetry around the building in the days to come.   April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , ...

The Band-Aid ® The paper left a slice and it didn't feel so nice, get a band-aid. You have a little cut and the gash it will not shut, get a band-aid. As you sat, you picked a scab and it's really hurting bad, get a band-aid. That hangnail hurts a lot, you need protection for that spot, get a bandaid. Much better you will feel, though it might not help it heal. Yes, the bandaid. It hurts and makes you cry, but this will dry your eyes. Yes, the bandaid. It works almost every time and in relief we all do chime. Yes, the bandaid. © Cathy L. Mere 2014 If you've been to a first grade classroom,  you know there's nothing that fixes things like a band-aid.   I'm writing poetry for 30 days.  For the first seven days of the challenge I wrote about " objects of memory ," and then I wrote about " objects I just can't live without ."  For the next seven days I will be writing about objects that can be found at sch...

Paper White, blank, waiting for small hands to fill it with color, creating, sharing, covering the space once silent, whispering stories, memories, notes across the paper. Bringing the world to the page, the page to the world. © Cathy L. Mere 2014 I'm writing poetry for 30 days.  For the first seven days of the challenge I wrote about " objects of memory ," and then I wrote about " objects I just can't live without ."  For the next seven days I will be writing about objects that can be found at school.  This will help me to prepare for a little poetry writing with students.  Our class will be taking poetry around the building in the days to come.   April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm joining other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days my hope is to write...

via wikimedia commons Jimmy Joe Color My World I have a pack of crayons, a pack of just twenty four. They've always been all I needed. There wasn't a need for more. I could color a yellow orange sun, a tree of deepest green, or maybe a small blue pond, my pictures a colorful scene. One day I discovered a big pack, with colors so vivid and bright. I knew I just had to have it, to color a world just right. Imagine what I could color, with crayons like Caribbean green, or purple mountain's majesty, unmellow yellow could brighten the scene. Of course a giant box of 120, will give me color galore. There's fuzzy wuzzy brown, macaroni and cheese, and more. Crayola ®  has all the colors to make my picture sing, as color jumps from the page the joy crayons can bring. ©  Cathy L. Mere It's Poetry Friday!   Today's round up is being hosted by Robyn Hood Black at Life on the Deckle Edge .  Stop by more great poetry links! I'm...

Spork via Photobucket by Brandie 876 No knife. No fork. No spoon. Just spork. Glorious spork. To eat green beans, salad, applesauce, and soup, one must become skilled at the art of sporking food in the school cafeteria. ©  Cathy L.  Mere  2014 I'm writing poetry for 30 days.  For the first seven days of the challenge I wrote about " objects of memory ," and then I wrote about " objects I just can't live without ."  For the next seven days I will be writing about objects that can be found at school.  This will help me to prepare for a little poetry writing with students.  Our class will be taking poetry around the building in the days to come.   April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm joining other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days my hop...

Kindergarten. Red pen over the first letter of my name. The C now a red K. This teacher had no idea who I was. High School. Red pen over my stories, my thoughts, my dreams. Stifling my voice, making me silent. © Cathy L. Mere 2014 I'm writing poetry for 30 days.  For the first seven days of the challenge I wrote about " objects of memory ," and then I wrote about " objects I just can't live without ."  For the next seven days I will be writing about objects that can be found at school.  This will help me to prepare for a little poetry writing with students.  Our class will be taking poetry around the building in the days to come.   April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm joining other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days my hope is to write a new poem each day. ...

Book Baskets Stories rest here. Books waiting to be picked, chosen to be held, read with delight, talked about among friends, taken home. Baskets of red, blue, yellow, rest upon the shelves. Waiting to be carried to a quiet place. Waiting to carry readers        to places             beyond. © Cathy L. Mere  2014 I'm writing poetry for 30 days.  For the first seven days of the challenge I wrote about " objects of memory ," and then I wrote about " objects I just can't live without ."  For the next seven days I will be writing about objects that can be found at school.  This will help me to prepare for a little poetry writing with students.  Our class will be taking poetry around the building in the days to come.   April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm joining other poetry bloggers (view links in...

with apologies to the sonnet for months i dread the days we two will share but still they come upon me just the same in days of waiting i try not to care yet i know we must play this awful game the April days stretch on and fly right by and soon i myself can no longer wait before the moment escapes i must try the burden of the task the greatest weight finally we sit down to hash it out you kindly share with me your knowledge deep as we search for common ground i want to shout these days for you i'd climb a mountain steep now we go our separate ways, say goodbye until April returns with heavy sigh © Cathy L. Mere 2014 Tax season has once again come and gone.  I wouldn't have survived without TurboTax.  So I wrote this little sonnet --- ok I attempted a sonnet-like poem --- to share this love/hate relationship I have with Turbo Tax.  A little poetry fun this evening as I consider objects I just can't live without (nothing personal, ...

This morning I wandered over to Mary Lee's blog where she is writing about the wonders of the world each day.   Today's poem was about the Golden Gate Bridge.  This object has connected two places since 1937.  Our family visited the bridge several years ago.  It just takes your breath away. When I read Mary Lee's poem, I thought I'd give one a try in her comments.  I thought I was going to write about the beauty of the bridge when you see it or maybe the way it connects two worlds.  Yet, as I researched a bit, my attention kept returning to the men.  Why did those men choose to do such dangerous work?  I thought about Eve Bunting's book, Pop's Bridge .  Then I found this PBS page about The Men Who Build the Bridge and I read about the "halfway to hell club" and it's 19 members who survived a fall from the bridge thanks to the special safety net so I tried this…. Photograph via Golden Gate Bridge Sky Walking I try not to look dow...

Remote Control I wait quietly alone. Isolated. Lonesome. As he enters the living room I hear him asking for me, searching, until he finds me resting on the table, tucked inside the couch, waiting on an armrest, or abandoned near the tv. He smiles, wraps his hands around me, sits down in his big fluffy recliner, puts his feet up, pushes my buttons. Evenings together are my daily delight. © Cathy L. Mere 2014 April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm joining other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days my hope is to write a new poem each day.  The first two years I took this challenge I wrote any poem that found me.  This year, however, I've decided to try to write a poem about an object each day.   If you've read Billy Collins' poem,  The Lanyard , you may have noticed the way he too...

The Hamilton Beach 2 Way Brewer Seriously, love this coffeepot. It can brew one cup or an entire pot. Dear Coffeepot Dear Coffeepot, I thank you for being there for me. Each morning I lumber to you though I can barely see. My eyes are still half closed; my brain is still asleep. Absentmindedly I reach for coffee and place it in a heap. I press your silver buttons; you start to do your thing. You get the morning moving, you whir, you hum, you sing. You take the water given and turn it deep dark brown. The smell soon fills my kitchen; my brain soon comes around. Whether a cup is needed or the day requires much more. You're always there for me, Dear Pot, It's you, I do adore. © Cathy L. Mere  2014 April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm joining other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days ...

Magic Wand If you've got curls that won't be tamed, just look around and call my name. Just plug me in and we'll be set. A curl my match, I haven't met. Just pull me through your crazy hair. Give me a try if you dare. Say goodbye to curls and wave. Your wild hair I can save. Say goodbye to fluff and frizz. Fixing hair is just my biz. So plug me in, crank up the heat. The end result just can't be beat. © Cathy L. Mere April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm joining other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days my hope is to write a new poem each day.  The first two years I took this challenge I wrote any poem that found me.  This year, however, I've decided to try to write a poem about an object each day.   If you've read Billy Collins' poem,  The Lanyard , you may have notic...

Keyless Magic Magic. No need to dig, search, wrestle, rummage, for keys. The keyless fob: a wonder. © Cathy L. Mere April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm joining other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days my hope is to write a new poem each day.  The first two years I took this challenge I wrote any poem that found me.  This year, however, I've decided to try to write a poem about an object each day.   If you've read Billy Collins' poem,  The Lanyard , you may have noticed the way he took an object to tell a much more meaningful story of his relationship with his mother.  My hope is to find the deeper significance in the things around me.  

This may be my current favorite song on my iPhone. Who Knew? If you would have told me all those years ago as I played my album on the white turn table of the portable record player I got as a gift, I wouldn't have believed you. If you would have told me as we drove around in our cars, driver's license new, listening to the cassettes of songs recorded from the radio, I would've laughed. If you would have told me that someday I would hold all of my music right in my hand, though there was a stack of albums in my bedroom too heavy to carry, I would have thought you just might be crazy. If you would have told me today I'd carry a device smaller than my hand everywhere. A box holding 3, 415 of my favorite songs, spanning from 1955 to now, a variety of artists and genres, I would've said it couldn't be so. Yet, here I am my music device isn't just my music device, it's my calendar, my communication, my boo...

Stories Rest Inside In our basements, in boxes, tucked in drawers, live memories. the stringless violin in its broken case, the metal thimbles wrapped carefully, ticket stubs from evenings faded. objects kept not because of need, items saved for their story. the infant hat will not be worn again, the slide projector never played, the quilt too fragile now rests on a high shelf. the stories rest deep inside, almost forgotten, until stumbled upon in an accidental discovery, a moment of memory, held again for a quick second in our heart. © Cathy L. Mere 2014 April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm joining other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days my hope is to write a new poem each day.  The first two years I took this challenge I wrote any poem that found me.  This year, howe...

The Whatchamacallit Box The whatchamacallit box hangs on our mantle high, with different color knobs and doors that you can try. Opening up and down, opening side by side, with so many tiny compartments there's lots that you can hide. Open the door slowly, peek carefully inside. Which door to open first is something to decide. What is the box of wood that hangs above the stove? A peek inside uncovers a secret treasure trove. © Cathy L. Mere 2014 April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm joining other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days my hope is to write a new poem each day.  The first two years I took this challenge I wrote any poem that found me.  This year, however, I've decided to try to write a poem about an object each day.   If you've read Billy Collins' poem,  The Lanyard , y...

April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm going to join other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days my hope is to write a new poem each day.  The first two years I took this challenge I wrote any poem that found me.  This year, however, I've decided to try to write a poem about an object each day.   If you've read Billy Collins' poem,  The Lanyard , you may have noticed the way he took an object to tell a much more meaningful story of his relationship with his mother.  My hope is to find the deeper significance in the things around me.   Today's poem was inspired by a conversation about rollerblading….and the day I wiped my dad out skating because I couldn't stop.  Sorry, Dad.  My friends are trying to get me to put my skates back on, but there are some things I should remember first...

April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm going to join other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days my hope is to write a new poem each day.  The first two years I took this challenge I wrote any poem that found me.  This year, however, I've decided to try to write a poem about an object each day.   If you've read Billy Collins' poem,  The Lanyard , you may have noticed the way he took an object to tell a much more meaningful story of his relationship with his mother.  My hope is to find the deeper significance in the things around me.   Today is my son, John's, birthday.  This week's poems have been focused on "objects of memory."  You know the things we keep around our house more because there's a story attached to them than because they are of any use to us.  Legos are exactly one of t...

April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm going to join other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days my hope is to write a new poem each day.  The first two years I took this challenge I wrote any poem that found me.  This year, however, I've decided to try to write a poem about an object each day.   If you've read Billy Collins' poem,  The Lanyard , you may have noticed the way he took an object to tell a much more meaningful story of his relationship with his mother.  My hope is to find the deeper significance in the things around me.   Unicycle Getting used to one wheel was not the hardest thing. There's steering without handlebars, without a bar to cling. One must keep her balance work hard to not fall down, the faster you can manage the more you move around. It takes a lot of practice, ...

April is  National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by  Mary Lee Hahn , I'm going to join other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days my hope is to write a new poem each day.  The first two years I took this challenge I wrote any poem that found me.  This year, however, I've decided to try to write a poem about an object each day.   If you've read Billy Collins' poem,  The Lanyard , you may have noticed the way he took an object to tell a much more meaningful story of his relationship with his mother.  My hope is to find the deeper significance in the things around me.   This week:  objects of memory Witness Every day the wooden ring rested on her lap she sewed and stitched stitched and sewed. As she worked the circle frame pulled the pieced fabric of clothing outgrown, clothing worn out. Across the years I sat...

April is National Poetry Month .  Again this year, inspired by Mary Lee Hahn , I'm going to join other poetry bloggers (view links in sidebar) taking the challenge to share poetry each day during the month of April.  For thirty days my hope is to write a new poem each day.  The first two years I took this challenge I wrote any poem that found me.  This year, however, I've decided to try to write a poem about an object each day.   My purpose is threefold: To provide poem mentors for my students. To move myself away from my love of nature poems to try writing about something different. To improve my photo taking on my phone. If you've read Billy Collins' poem, The Lanyard , you may have noticed the way he took an object to tell a much more meaningful story of his relationship with his mother.  My hope is to find the deeper significance in the things around me. Violin This violin  now rests  in my basement, tucked  ...

Yesterday was the last day of the Slice of Life Challenge so today we are back to posting every Tuesday.  Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for hosting and inspiring us.   In January I chose my One Little Word to be DISCOVER .  As the first three months have passed, I'm not so sure it's about discovering so much as taking time to do things, to pay attention.  March has been a good month for finding time to discover. March was full of DISCOVERIES Great Places New Recipes New Books A New Fantasy Season And dessert.  Lots of DESSERT! My One Little Word:  Discover