LBI Poets Studio

Whether you are an accomplished poet or a new one, our monthly workshop will inspire you. To attend this event virtually please contact Sue Cummings via email scummings817@comcast.net.

This group meets the 1st Thursday of every month from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm on Zoom. You may also join the program in-person at the LBI Library in the meeting room each month.

Our Prompt for November is to write a poem about a teacher, using a word or phrase or line from Pat Mora's poem entitled Ode to Teachers.

Ode to Teachers

by Pat Mora

I remember

the first day,

how I looked down,

hoping you wouldn't see

me,

and when I glanced up,

I saw your smile

shining like a soft light

from deep inside you.

“I'm listening,” you encourage us.

“Come on!

Join our conversation,

let us hear your neon certainties,

thorny doubts, tangled angers,”

but for weeks I hid inside.

I read and reread your notes

praising

my writing,

and you whispered,

“We need you

and your stories

and questions

that like a fresh path

will take us to new vistas.”

Slowly, your faith grew

into my courage

and for you—

instead of handing you

a note or apple or flowers—

I raised my hand.

I carry your smile

and faith inside like I carry

my dog's face,

my sister's laugh,

creamy melodies,

the softness of sunrise,

steady blessings of stars,

autumn smell of gingerbread,

the security of a sweater on a chilly day.

As a Bonus Challenge use three or more of the following words selected at random from Francine Matthews' murder mystery, entitled Death on Nantucket.

shadow, island, pilot, gray, glimpse, ferry, churches, horizon, disoriented, elusive, confident, celebration, spontaneous, taped, headache, motto, shingle,

somber, outrage, neighbor, capstone, chart, apprehension, similarity, afraid, flash, Christmas, dishes, flicker, pen, Boston, capacity, air, aging, book, huff, grandmother, dinner, street, curry, invited, wince, sheep-skin, lemon, sweatshirt, framed, discreet, milk, slippers, bath, grittiness, pullout, stray, flip-flop,

envision, refrigerator, silver hair, fluorescent, clothes, rent, lamb, chocolate

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