National Poetry Month Plans: #wonderbreak [Poetry Friday]

Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)

Holy moley. Where has March gone? I know I have one more Poetry Friday post before National Poetry Month starts, but I thought I’d share my plans here a bit early in case anyone else has not planned ahead and would like to join in:>)

I am feeling overwhelmed by all the political news and focus lately. I know it’s important, but I feel out of balance. So.

For National Poetry Month, I’m going to try to write a very short poem each day focusing on celebrating some small wonder, something I notice during the day. I’ll take a picture of that thing and add my poem to it and then share it the next morning. I’m going to share it using the hashtag #wonderbreak, so if anyone wants to do this, too, just use that hashtag. (Yours can be poems with or without images!) My idea is finding small, everyday things and appreciating the beauty and ingenuity in them. Spring is not pretty here in Minnesota. It is brown and yellow and dead and muddy. So I’ll have to mostly get away from my crutch of appreciating nature and look for new little wonders. Not a bad challenge to myself. Please join me if you’d like to!

Otherwise, you’ll be able to see my daily (fingers crossed) poems here or through any of my social media thingies:

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

And for actual poetry, don’t miss the Poetry Friday Roundup with Catherine at Reading to the Core.

Save

Save

37 Responses

  1. This is so, so refreshing! I will try to join you…with fingers AND toes crossed! I might get started now and plan ahead a little. Thanks for the invite!

    1. Hooray, Leigh Anne! And I’m doing pictures, but that’s totally optional. Poems are the important part!

  2. I think a lot of us are feeling overwhelmed right now — the news just always seems to be full of so much anger and negativity, which makes it more important than ever to celebrate every day joys and wonders, so we can reset ourselves!

  3. Laura, what a wonderful project! Wonder waits for us so patiently… I look forward to your poems/pics! A few years ago when I was on Instagram I did all year #EveryBrilliantThing… it was a wonderful practice and enhanced my life in a multitude of ways… excited for you! xo

    1. I saw some of that–maybe a collage of a month’s worth or something? It was beautiful, whatever I saw. I’m going to have to go back and check it out. Thanks, Irene!

  4. I love this focus for National Poetry Month–and the rest of the year. I look forward to seeing your images and words that find a bit of wonder. I’ll be looking for wonder myself.

  5. It will be healing to focus on what is RIGHT and GOOD and BEAUTIFUL in the world!

  6. I like your idea. I think it is something I can handle and it goes well with my OLW “cherish”. Thanks!

  7. Hi Laura, your Poetry Month project idea is similar to mine. Today I posted about my gratitude journal. For NPM, I’m going to write a “poem” about something I am grateful for each day. I’d like to join those in with your wonder poems. I haven’t used hashtags before, so does that mean you are posting on Twitter?

    1. Fabulous–yes, sounds very similar. I will be posting my poems on Twitter and elsewhere with that hashtag. I’m not an expert on hashtags, but I think now that if you use the hashtag elsewhere (your website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.), when people search for that hashtag in Google, just typing #wonderbreak in the search box, for ex., the results will include not only Tweets with that hashtag but other places where it’s been used to. This will be a learning experience for me:>)

  8. #wonderbreak — sounds wonder-full I may join in, was thinking of writing about special things in my house and the memories they hold, not firmed up yet but almost. I agree that a focus on good things is needed, like Mary Lee’s haiku for healing. Good news did happen today, however, since you & others wrote! I am glad!

  9. A great idea — #wonderbreak. Perhaps something I can do, especially connected with memories. I hope to pop in some during the month.

  10. I love the idea of a #wonderbreak. I haven’t thought too much about NPM yet, but this sounds like a much-needed respite from the news.Thank you!

    1. I just mean little everyday things like my favorite pen or my fireplace or the shower:>) Things that are wonders I might take for granted…

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 2,492 other subscribers

Are You Looking For?

Poetry Friday posts

Classroom Connections posts

All my poetryactions

Go to my Poetry page for:

  • National Poetry Month projects through the years
  • Small Reads Roundups (poems grouped by topic)
  • Introductions to several favorite poetry forms
Tags
#waterpoemproject15 Words or Less Poems20for2030 Painless Classroom Poems50 State Poemsacrosticsactivity pagesactivity sheetALAA Leaf Can Be...Amy Ludwig VanDerwaterA Need to FeedanthologiesanthologyA Rock Can Be...art projectsaudiopoemsawardsbad newsBarbara Juster EsbensenBilly Collinsbiopoemsblog tourbookalikesbook festivalsBookSpeak!book spine poemsbook trailersbop poembyr a thoddaidcafepresscalendar poemsCamp Read-a-LotCan Be... bookscan be... poemsCapstoneCarol Varsalonacascade poemsCatherine FlynnCCRA.W.3CCRA.W.4CCRA.W.5centoschapter bookschoral compositionschristina rossetticinquainsCLAclassified ad poemsclassroom connectionclassroom connectionsClover Kittyconferences and conventionscrown sonnetscybilsdansaDare to DreamDavid Elliottdeeper wisdom poemdefinitosdiamantesdiversitydizaindodoitsuDot DayDouglas Floriandownloadablesdrum corpse.e. cummingsekphrastic poemsepistolary poemsequation poemsessentialethereeseventsexquisite corpseFairy Tale Garage Salefamilyfibonaccifiction picture booksfinding familyfirefightersforeign editionsfound poemsfree author zoomsfree versefrom studentsgeesegeorgia heardghazalGift Taggiveawaygolden shovelgoldilocksgratitudehaikuheart of aheart of a teacherHeidi MordhorstHelen FrostHighlightshow-to poemshow to make a rainbowI Am FromI Am poemsidiomsif you want to knit some mittensIf You Were the MoonILAimagepoemsinterviewin the middle of the nightIRAIrelandIrene LathamJ. Patrick LewisJanet WongJoyce SidmanKendraKerlanKidlit Comboslailaura's board booksLaura's booksLaura's poemsLaura's readingsLaura ShovanLee Bennett HopkinsLilian MoorelimericksLinda Booth SweeneyLion of the Skylist poemslittle free librarylive writingLullaby and Kisses Sweetlyricsmadness poetrymargaret simonMarilyn Singermary lee hahnmask poemsMeet My FamilyMelissa StewartMentors for Rentmentor textsmetaphorMichelle Myers LacknerMillbrookMinnesota Book Awardsmoonmy reading lifemy writing processN+7naaninarrative poemsNational Poetry Month 2012 (haiku a day)National Poetry Month 2014 (riddle-ku)National Poetry Month 2015National Poetry Month 2016National Poetry Month 2017 (#wonderbreak)national poetry month 2018 (haiku a day)National Poetry Month 2020National Poetry Month 2021 (#EquationPoem)national poetry month 2022 (sticky-note poems)National Poetry Month 2023 (Digging for Poems)ncteNerdy Book Clubnifty newsnifty stuffNikki Grimesnonfictionnonfiction booksNonfiction Writers Dig Deepnovelsnovels in verseodesOne Minute Till BedtimeoppositifyOskar's VoyagepadletpantoumsparodiesPatreonpeacepersonalpet poemsphotopoetryphrase acrosticspicture booksplagiarismpoempicspoemspoems for two voicespoemsketchpoetic pursuitsPoetry 7poetryactionspoetry activitiesPoetry Blastpoetry booksPoetry FridayPoetry Friday AnthologiesPoetry Princessespoetry promptspoetry sistersPoetry Tips for Teachersprogressive poempublishing processpuddle songPutridquotationsraccontinosRandy Salasread-aloudreadaloudreading poetry in the classroomRebecca Kai Dotlichrecipe poemsrefugeesresearchreviewsrevisionrhyming booksrhyming nonfictionrhyming picture booksRhyming Picture Books the Write Wayrhyming poemsRiddle-kuriddle poemsRock Can Be...Rock the Blogrondeau redoublesRudyard Kiplingsalas snippetsSCBWIschool visitsScotlandseasonssecrets of the loonSELsestinasshrinking daysskinnyskypeslice of lifesmall readssnack snooze skedaddlesnowman-coldsonnetsStampede!storm poemstorytimestorywalkstudent poemsstudent workSylvia VardellTanita Davistankatautogramteachableteacher resourcesteen/adult poemsterza rimasthankfulthank yous and referencesthe business sidethings to do iftracy nelson maurertrioletstunie munson-bensonvideosVikram MadanvillanellevillanellesWater Can Be...wealthy elementaryWe BelongWhat's InsideWhy-kuwinterwonderwonderbreakword of the yearwordplaywordsmithswork for hirewritingwriting bookswriting processwriting promptswriting the life poeticyoung authors conferencesYouTubeZap Clap Boomzenozentangle
Show More Show Less

Join Laura's monthly newsletter for eductators

Get three of Laura's favorite poetry activities when you subscribe to "Small Reads."