Technically, I’m not a teacher. But I am a poet and I love children. So last week, I wrote poems with the Ethical ELA community for five days. During that time, I was helping to care for my aging parents. The creative exercise of immersing myself in writing poems brought light to each day.
One of my favorites from the week:
Prompt: The Important Thing
Write a poem using the format found in Margaret Wise Brown’s THE IMPORTANT BOOK.
I found myself writing poems about lots of important things. Here are two:
The Deck
The most important thing about a deck
is it’s a spot to stop and reflect.
It is noisy in a quiet way.
It hosts concerts of birdsong and tree chatter.
It’s flowers, a festival of color, offer a soft landing for weary eyes.
It is always ready to receive you
for mornings before sunrise
on a chaise lounge big enough
for you and a furry four-legged.
It invites smiles–
when unexpected guests arrive.
But the most important thing about a deck
is it’s a spot to stop and reflect.
©draft, Patricia J. Franz
A Wedding
The most important thing about a wedding
is it marks a moment.
It is promises and sacred space.
It is celebration and grace.
It is a nod to mystery
–by chance or by choice–
two people joined together
in forever-lives.
But the most important thing about a wedding
is it marks a moment.
©draft, Patricia J. Franz
I am celebrating this weekend with family and friends, marking our son and his soulmate’s much-anticipated, most important thing. Forgive me if I am unable to get to your posts till later in the week!
Patricia Franz writes picture books and poetry. She believes children, dogs, and sourdough have a lot to teach us about life, joy, and wonder. She has raised two boys, four dogs, and holds a master’s degree in Theology with a focus on children’s spirituality. Patricia, her husband, her Bernese Mountain dog, Bonny, and her sourdough starter split their time between the Arizona desert and the Sierra Nevada mountains. 
Patricia, your poems are truly special. I hope you tucked your poem on the wedding into the couple’s pockets for a fond memory as they grow into their togetherness time. Weddings marks a moment! Your deck marks another moment-a place to PAUSE, STOP, & REFLECT. You should add that poem to your SJT blog when you find the time. I hope you share photos of the wedding at another time. I would love to see the young couple with their togetherness smiles. Have a wonderful weekend and continue to celebrate with family.
Both very important (in very different ways) things to decorate with a poem. I hope all the family time will be rewarding as well as exhausting (why is caring for our elders so draining??? I guess I know.) I like “a nod to mystery”–because it is mysterious how committed love works sometimes.
Oh, I love these. The deck one especially resonates. I ate lunch out on our little deck, and even though it’s too hot and humid for me, it feels like a mini-escape when I go out. Patricia, may I suggest not worrying about commenting on other people’s posts this week? You have a LOT going on. Enjoy the celebrations! And then recover with some quiet time on your own deck <3
Patricia, I was so glad you came to Open Write last month. Your The Most Important Thing poems are beautiful. The deck as a place to stop and reflect. And “noisy in a quiet way” is awesome. This moment you write about in the wedding is like a photograph of so many weddings. I’ve been thinking about them today as a result of reading your poem.
Love this! I hope the wedding is WONDERFUL! See you on the flip side.
I love writing to the Ethical ELA prompts! My poem this week came from the X Marks the Spot prompt! I had fun with The Important Thing, too. I agree with wedding as moment marker and deck as reflection spot!