Poetry Friday - Fight Song

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I love music and I usually end up sharing lyrics for songs I love when it's Poetry Friday. Today I'm sharing Rachel Platten's Fight Song. As a mentor text, I love the similes in these words and the imagery thanks to that simile. Peanut was telling me about something this morning and he used a simile. It was simple but it made me realize how naturally similes can be and how having lots of examples can help kids think about similes, when to use them and why. 

More than that, I love the sentiment of this song. The idea of believing - in whatever you believe in - and not giving up is powerful. This school year while doing some committee work, a colleague described me as idealistic because I was holding teachers to high expectations. I think she meant to help me see that my ideas are a bit too pie-in-the-sky and that I needed to adjust my standards. But I quickly acknowledged that while I might have high expectations and while I might plan for the ideal situation, I'm not naive, and I know that once we set an expectation, it will be work to help people to reach those expectations and that I'm glad to do the work. I also made it quite clear that I don't believe in settling for the status quo or for good enough just because it's going to be work to support people if we demand more.

Last weekend, Peanut and I went to see the movie Tomorrowland. I thought it was great, sure there were some things that could have been better or explained. And it would be great to think that the future might be a bit more tolerant than was portrayed in the movie. But despite all of that, I love that it celebrates the power of one person to make a difference. When we are passionate about something and don't give up on our convictions, we can make a difference. Usually, when I feel like giving up, that's when I find just a little more strength to persevere and that's when I see what I'm capable of and when not giving up is worth it. 

I hope you keep believing in yourself and your power to make a difference! If you need some inspiration, check out Rachel Platten's video below.

"Fight Song"

Like a small boat

On the ocean

Sending big waves

Into motion

Like how a single word

Can make a heart open

I might only have one match

But I can make an explosion

And all those things I didn't say

Wrecking balls inside my brain

I will scream them loud tonight

Can you hear my voice this time

This is my fight song

Take back my life song

Prove I'm alright song

My power's turned on

Starting right now I'll be strong

I'll play my fight song

And I don't really care if nobody else believes

Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me

Losing friends and I'm chasing sleep

Everybody's worried about me

In too deep

Say I'm in too deep (in too deep)

And it's been two years

I miss my home

But there's a fire burning in my bones

And I still believe

Yeah I still believe

And all those things I didn't say

Wrecking balls inside my brain

I will scream them loud tonight

Can you hear my voice this time

This is my fight song

Take back my life song

Prove I'm alright song

My power's turned on

Starting right now I'll be strong

I'll play my fight song

And I don't really care if nobody else believes

Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me

A lot of fight left in me

Like a small boat

On the ocean

Sending big waves

Into motion

Like how a single word

Can make a heart open

I might only have one match

But I can make an explosion

This is my fight song

Take back my life song

Prove I'm alright song

My power's turned on

Starting right now I'll be strong (I'll be strong)

I'll play my fight song

And I don't really care if nobody else believes

Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me

Now I've still got a lot of fight left in me