poetry at islandwood

during certain weeks at islandwood, there is an artist or musician in residence to work with the kids. this means that someone in the community with some special skill or talent comes out to IW for a week to teach the kids a new skill/to view nature in a new, holistic manner. this week, an artist was here and she worked with poetry. it was very powerful. our group was fortunate enough to get on the schedule to spend some time with her (a little more than an hour). she has a way with poetry that gets kids excited about it and they dive into their inner selves for their material. today, we wrote two poems. the first one was an appreciation poem about our families. we were encouraged to make it like a simile and compare it to something in nature.

My family is like a fire.
My dad is like the spark that lights the fire.
My mom is like the wood that the spark catches onto.
My brother is like the oxygen that fans the spark into flame.
My in-laws are like the wood that gets added to the fire to make it stronger.
My husband is like the person who tends the fire so all the elements burn brightly.
My grandparents are like the people who sit back and enjoy the heat and comfort of the fire.
I am like the coals that shine brightly...the remains of all the other elements...working together.

the second poem, was to personify something in nature. we went outside (it was a beautiful sunny day!) and lied in the grass to write. heres how mine turned out...

The changes in the weather are like my soul.
It is predictable, yet spontaneous.
It has seasonal patterns that provide conditions for certain types of growth.
It can have a positive or negative effect on others...and is always appreciated in various ways.
It can be a good or bad topic in conversation...and is always encouraged to be pleasant for all.
My soul is dynamic...like the changes in weather.
Enjoy the unknown...
Persevere in the rough times...
Hope for the harvest,
The good weather is coming.