Happy Retirement to Mary Lee Hahn! #PoetryFriday

Happy Poetry Friday! And, more importantly, happy retirement to Mary Lee Hahn, longtime unofficial leader of our Poetry Friday community. (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.)

I was so tickled to get Irene Latham’s note about honoring Mary Lee today. Here’s how I feel about you, Mary Lee:

  • If I were still a student, I would want Mary Lee as my teacher.
  • If I were still a teacher, I would want Mary Lee as my teammate.
  • If my kids were still school age, I would want Mary Lee as their teacher.

Mary Lee, thank you for all you have done in your many years as a classroom teacher. You have taught kids important things like reading and writing. But you’ve also taught them crucial things, like compassion and kindness. Thank you for everything you’ve done for so many kids! I’m sad for the hole your absence at school will leave, but I’m thrilled that you will have more time to work on your own fabulous poems!

Here are the slides I made for her birthday book a few months ago.

Mary Lee, Janet Wong, and I collaborated on a poem for the Children’s Literature Assembly.

 

 

I am so missing Mary Lee, NCTE, and all you Poetry Friday friends right now!

Well, I am a bit teary-eyed after creating this post.  For lots of wonderful poetry (and some more posts in honor of Mary Lee), skip on over to visit another fabulous teacher, Christie Wyman, who has the Poetry Friday Roundup this week!

Save

17 Responses

  1. Laura,
    Thank you for this sweet tribute to Mary Lee. It is lovely!

    My favorite part of the poem you wrote collaboratively is the first stanza…
    “We began as flashlight-
    readers, under cover
    with beloved books”

    Your move is coming soon. I hope you are able to enjoy the process and get it all done before collapsing! (That little lamb does look like sweet research!)

  2. Oh, goodness…yes a bit teary eyed and it’s not even my post. The thing about a great teacher retiring is that I think about their absence from a physical space. But, really they are found everywhere in people that have learned to carry her lessons forward. We are fortunate to be included in that group. Great post, Laura. Now for a tissue.

  3. I’m learning so much about Mary Lee today! Thank you for this stunning post, all the photos and poems. Loved it all.

  4. Every part is really lovely, Laura. I love seeing the pictures, one the only time I ever made it to NCTE, a wonderful memory to me to meet so many PF poets, including Mary Lee. And I love those haiku, just right!

  5. Oh my, Laura. I hadn’t realised that NCTE was a gathering point for so many poetry pals over and over again. That’s beautiful.

  6. This is lovely — the poems that remind you of her make me smile. You both have a line on that nature poetry that I don’t, and I love to read what you two come up with. From a poem-collaborator and a friend, this is a lovely tribute.

  7. All those NCTE pictures!! WOW! Thanks for a blast from the past! I am still in love with our collaborative poem. And how perfect that I am spending this weekend in nature — fishing, walking the trails, birding. (That’s why I’m slow to join my own party!) THANK YOU!

    1. I hope you didn’t feel an obligation to read and reply immediately to everything interrupt your retreat weekend too much, Mary Lee! Happy to celebrate you and all your gifts!

  8. I got a bit teary-eyed reading your post, too, Laura. Lovely. 🙂

  9. This is such a special post, Laura. I feel the love. Thank you for sharing your scrapbook pages. 🙂

Subscribe to Blog via Email

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

Join 2,547 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 FlynnccbcCCRA.W.3CCRA.W.4CCRA.W.5centoschapter booksCharles Waterschoral 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 SweeneyLine Leads the WayLion of the Skylist poemslittle free librarylive writingLullaby and Kisses Sweetlyricsmadness poetrymagnipoemsmargaret simonMarilyn Singermary lee hahnmask poemsMatt Forrest EsenwineMeet My FamilyMelissa StewartMentors for Rentmentor textsmetaphorMichelle Myers LacknerMillbrookMinnesota Book Awardsmoneymoonmy 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)National Poetry Month 2024 (magnipoems)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 poemsrefugeesresearchreview copiesreviewsrevisionrhyming 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 conferencesYouTubeZapZap Clap Boomzenozentangle
Show More Show Less

Discover more from Laura Purdie Salas

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Join Laura's monthly newsletter for eductators

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