OPEN WRITE: Poetry Treasure Hunt

This week I'm joining Ethical ELA for a 5-day writing opportunity for teachers. It's called Open Write and there are posts with a prompt everyday. Teacher writers are invited to try the prompt and share in the comments. Today the prompt was to gather found items from outside and the invitation was to use write found poetry inspired by #teachinglivingpoets' We're going on a treasure hunt!

I meant to look for things while walking Perdi or when we went out to eat for Father's Day but I ended up finding a snatch of text from an interview I listened to. It was Michael Silverblatt interviewing Zadie Smith about On Beauty and it was too perfect not to write down.

On How To Be Human

It's summer

And I can read again

I can write again

I can create again

I have headspace 

And I'm not used to it

Sometimes I scroll on my phone

Sometimes I feel listless

Other times I get busy

And I crave more

Like I'm watching YouTube

But I'm also listening to an interview

Like I'm programmed to do all the things at once

And then I'm struck with beauty

Words that are so true

Words that I feel so deeply

The reading of novels and poetry

was instruction 

on how to be human

Michael Silverblatt's voice sears 

straight to my soul

I stop

And listen to them again

Write them down

Read them one more time

It's summer

And I can read again

I can write again

I can create again