Stop Wishing for Me! [Poetry Friday with the Poetry Princesses]

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

So, this month, our Poetry Princess challenge was an ekphrastic poem to Sara’s choice of image. Here’s a picture she took while at a Highlights Foundation retreat (so jealous…someday!).

word rocks
Photo: Sara Lewis Holmes

On the way home from a Five for Fighting concert last week, I had the idea for this poem. Five for Fighting sang “World,” a song I just love, which is about building the world you want. (Lyrics here or watch/listen to this gorgeous song here.) I thought about how we might wish for peace, pray for peace, etc. But bottom line is we have to CREATE peace.

So on Saturday morning, I sat down to write my poem. I spent about an hour writing the poem and another hour creating the image poem and processing the video. Such a pain. (Some of you guys have asked about how long it takes to do these things.)

Here’s what I came up with:

Stop Wishing for Me!

Here’s a time lapse video of me writing the poem and then creating the graphic. It’s at 6 times normal speed:>)

Now, I can’t wait to see what my Poetry Sisters came up with! Edited: Wow. I do hope you’ll click on all the links below. This might be my favorite collection of Poetry Princesses poems ever. They all spoke to me this month. I feel so lucky to be part of this group.

Kelly
Liz

Sara 
Tanita 
Tricia 
Andi (See? Promised she’d be back!)

Click here to see all our previous Poetry Princesses collaborations. 

Our lovely Aussie poet friend Kathryn Apel has the Poetry Friday Roundup today!

 

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

40 Responses

    1. Thanks, Jan. Yes on swooning. I so want to go to a Highlights Foundation workshop or retreat someday.

  1. Oh. My. Goodness. I love the video that shows your process. I don’t know that I could perform under that kind of pressure, though. 😛

    Your poem is exquisite. Such a perfect response to the stimulus — and the needs of the world. #peace

    1. Thank you, Kat! Knowing that I’m going to do a time-lapse version does help take the pressure off.

  2. That video is SOOOO COOL!!! You are very generous to share. Love the message & voice of the poem and how you interpreted the terrific prompt. Thanks for sharing all.

  3. I really like the tough love from a word called Peace. It’s about time Peace got it’s back up and told us that wishing is for fools. Peace is earned and kept with that sweaty building. I loved watching the time lapse of you writing. I could never do that.….because you would see Amazon and facebook and twitter and my work e‑mails as I pop in and out of writing far too much. But, what a great accountability practice. I just might have to try that!
    Thanks for the beautiful photo of the word rocks, Sara. I have a piggy bank just for my next trip to Highlights. I need a poetry workshop that works with my teaching life.….someday, someday. Maybe I’ll buy that word for the rock garden, someday. Better yet, “now”.

    1. A highlights Workshop is on my someday list too, Linda! Glad you enjoyed the video. You should try one. You might like it. Plastic keeps you focused when you know you’re being watched 🙂

  4. This is beautiful, and so, so true. I loved the sneak peek into your writing process! Like Linda M. I wouldn’t want to share mine, there would be far too much non-writing going on at the same time! 😉

  5. I thought “you” were writing at first, so love that surprise at the end, and love seeing your writing process, going to find some great vocabulary that fits, working, thinking, writing! You’ve put something I “imagine” all of us feel, Laura. “Let’s start at the start.”

  6. Peace comes to us through your spirited voice, Laura. I found your process fascinating, especially in fast track mode. Your poem is definitely what the world needs to hear!

    1. Thanks, Carol! At some point, I’ll have to watch one of my own videos. I’m afraid to, so I haven’t watched them yet!

  7. Yes! I love this poem (and the song)! I think we forget how much power we have to influence our surroundings. Here’s to creating peace! Thank you for sharing, Laura!

  8. I love the way you put us off-guard with humor (like a cat to a can opener!) And then…firmly convict us with your plea. Peace is a plan, a long-term project, and many life-times’ work. Brava.

    1. Thanks, Sara–it rambled even more in earlier drafts. Humor, conviction, plea, insult? I couldn’t decide:>)

  9. First of all — I LOVE that line “I don’t exist until you build me” — yes, yes, yes — this beautiful, moving call-to-action. ALSO — this video!!! This would be an amazing teaching tool. I’m so impressed and inspired and want to talk to you about how you made it.…

    1. Thanks, Liz! And I think I explained my process in reply to a question on an earlier post with a video. Maybe our last poetry princess one. Someone asked — maybe you?

  10. …I am also not, in fact, flowing like a river
    rolling easily downhill.

    Hahahah! No, no peace is not flowing downhill. That’s justice, and righteousness, I hear. And it tends to roll over you. Peace seems to be a lot more stubborn, from the sound of things.

    I love when Minnesota Nice gets the Laura Snark treatment. You make me smile every time.

    1. Thanks, Tanita. I so rarely get to use my snark in my children’s writing, and it’s nice to pull it out of the bag every so often!

  11. Amazing poem–and oh I loved watching your video! So cool to see your process unfold. (Nice to know that I am not the only one who ends up searching sources mid-stream!)

    1. Thanks, Buffy. I always laugh at the advice to not have the internet on while you’re writing for greater productivity. Even my fiction and poetry has me constantly looking up things online.

  12. I do love it when the Poetry Princesses show up! This is a very interesting poem for lots of reasons, but what I’m most interested in is your video of process. I was just saying to my son, who lately watches lots of videos of music producers using digital tools to build EDM songs, that it would be cool for a poet to record their composition process for others to watch. And (as usual, early to the game) you’re on it!

    I like the “churches, forests, river” stanza–because indeed we must channel it to flow in all those places.

  13. Yes. You’ve found the perfect voice for peace. Now we need to listen…and ACT.

  14. There is so much to hold onto in this poem. The letter format adds such an intimate feel to your words. But I really love the video! What a learning experience for us to watch your thinking and writing process come to life. Thank you for sharing and may we all continue to build.

    1. Thanks, Leigh Anne–Good to hear from folks that they like the video, as they’re a bit of a pain. But worth doing occasionally if people enjoy them.

  15. First off, how much do we love Five for Fighting. That voice! Those messages! 🙂 Amazing poem, Laura, and to see your process is fascinating. Thank you for that window into your creative world.

  16. Such a great poem, Laura. I especially love that opening stanza that startles and engages the reader. And leave it to Peace to apologize for sounding bossy. Just like a woman—patiently waiting for her turn. :o/

Subscribe to Blog via Email

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

Join 2,546 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."