Thursday, August 8, 2019

All You Need Is...


Christiaan Triebert

This has been a difficult week—two mass shootings to begin with, followed by the loss of Toni Morrison, and today, the heart crushing news that Lee Bennett Hopkins passed away. I had already written this post before hearing about Toni Morrison or Lee, both of whom deserve more than a passing mention. While I'm not going to revise my words now, I did want to say what a devastating loss Lee's passing, especially, will be to the children's poetry community. 

The sky will be filled many times over with our tears, Dear One, 
but you will live on in our hearts and our poems.

With Lee at his induction to The Florida Artists Hall of Fame, 2017

As I pondered Jesse Anna Bornemann's new DMC challenge this week:
Pick a Beatles song (or, if you're not a Beatles fan, a song by your favorite band), write down as many words from the song as you can, then compose a poem that uses at least three words from your list. Don't tell us the song that inspired your poem—see if we can guess!   (Read her entire spotlight interview HERE.)
I realized that guessing the songs that inspired these poems is not going to be easy!

Granted, I'm not very good at guessing games anyway, but as I examined the three poems on the padlet right now, I was reminded of just how many Beatles songs there are to choose from. (Duh!) Angelique Pacheco appears to have pulled from a few different songs, Linda Baie's poem... beautiful, but I have no idea what song it sprung from. I did figure out Linda Mitchell's, but only because I cheated and typed her selected words into a Google search bar! (I'm not going to tell you which one so you can have a chance to figure it out on your own.)

To help you choose a song for your poem, here are two libraries of Beatles song lyrics organized alphabetically or by album.

So what did I do this week? I didn't write a poem for this month's challenge. I did, however, play with lyrics and photographs as a form of poetry therapy. So much chaos in the world! So little compassion! Too much violence! Every so often I need to take time to regroup and allow my muse to process it all. The Beatles are a wonderful go-to for offering perspective and rekindling hope.

Here's the poem I found pairing photos and lines from "Eleanor Rigby," "Fixing a Hole," "Blackbird," "Hey Jude," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," "Imagine," and "The End."


All the lonely people

Krocky Meshkin

fixing a hole


singing in the dead of night—

Keith Trice

"take a sad song and make it better"

Michelle B.

"take these broken wings and learn to fly."

Kevin Conor Keller

Gonna try with a little help from my friends.

CasparGirl

With every mistake we must surely be learning!

Sarah Horrigan

You may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one—

Stefano Cieri

in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.
 
Matthias Ripp



 And to send you on your way, some straight-up Beatles therapy:




Molly Hogan shares two beautiful poems about being "Lost in the Milky Way" and a short poem by Lee Bennett Hopkins that also fits the mood of the day well. Join her at Nix the comfort zone for this week's Poetry Friday roundup.


41 comments:

  1. You've paired these lines and photos beautifully, Michelle. Each line resonates, but especially "take these broken wings and learn to fly." If only...

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    1. "Blackbird" is one of my favorite Beatles songs—so simple yet so poignant.

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  2. Your post is like a warm comforting hug. The words and photos you chose are beautiful and the perfect salve. Thank you.

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  3. I hear you, Michelle. Just when we think that there can't be a worse day or week...there is. I spent today cleaning out kitchen drawers. Something about sorting is very, very soothing. Making order. Your lyric and photo pairings are so positive. Even the ones with tears. It's OK to cry to feel the emotion. And, we can still be dreamers. Hugs to you, friend. I need a little help fom all my friends these days.

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    1. I think we all need that little bit of extra help these days, Linda. One of the reasons I'm so grateful for this PF community! Hugs backatcha. <3

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  4. Michelle, this is a lovely visual poem accompanied with music. I did ready last week's post with Jesse Anna Bornemann. I even found a Beatles' song that I have always loved. Yes, I am thinking of how to pull this together with the myriad of tasks on my to do list. I have the very first book signed by Lee during my 2nd year of teaching. He has always been an inspiration to me.

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    1. An inspiration to you and so many others, Carol. Lee will be sorely missed.

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  5. It has been such a terrible week, then the news of Lee's death feels like the final sting. Earlier after the shootings, I waded into a couple of books, did only other things I had to do. I love how you used music and pictures to help, Michelle. And I will never tire of listening to the Beatles. Just one hint for you. I did not use a Beatles song, perhaps should give the words? Thanks for this lovely post.

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    1. Indeed, Linda. I thinking we're all just struggling to get by right now! If you want to reveal your selected words as a comment on the padlet, I'm sure it would be appreciated by more than me!

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  6. Wonderful pairings, Michelle. Thank you, my friend.

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  7. Michelle, thanks for sharing your recipe for healing. I sang "Blackbird" to my grandsons yesterday; it seemed appropriate to the day.

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    1. Oh, how beautiful! I'm so glad you told me that, Diane. VERY appropriate.

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  8. Much needed therapy, Michelle - thank you! (Been thinking of you SO much since yesterday; we'll all get through together.) XO

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  9. A touching response to the challenge, Michelle, and quite an apropos way to honor Lee's memory: with poetry.

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  10. Many hugs to you, Michelle. When I created my prompt, I thought it would just be silly fun, but now I'm realizing (or maybe remembering) how deep and powerful many of The Beatles' songs are. "In My Life," in particular, always reminds me of people I've loved and lost. I was surprised and so saddened to hear of Lee Bennett Hopkins' passing. I'd never met him, but through reading his poems and watching many of his video interviews, I felt as if I knew him. Sending my love to all of his friends and mentees here.

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    1. I think a lot of people felt that way about Lee, Jesse. It's kind of like he was the sun that we, in the children's poetry world, were all orbiting. Thank you for your kind thoughts and love.

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  11. So beautiful, comforting, and loving, Michelle. Thanks for this much needed balm for all the sadness this week. Losing Lee on top of everything else was just too much. Thinking of you, Robyn, Matt, Renee and other PF friends whose lives were touched in many profound ways by his.

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    1. Hugs to you too, Jama! I imagine his loss isn't easy on you either. xo

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  12. So perfectly paired - just the lines and visuals we needed to be thinking about this terrible week. Thank you.

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    1. Thank you, Tara. And thank you for your beautiful post that took my mind off of things and reminded me of simple pleasures like the change of seasons and the power of a ripe cherry tomato!

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  13. Beautiful. Thank you, Michelle. x

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  14. What a warm hug and keeper this post is Michelle thank you for lovingly preparing and sharing it with us! Wish we could universally… "let it be."

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    1. My pleasure, Jilanne. Thank you for dropping in and leaving a comment.

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  16. Oh Michelle, this is so beautiful. We need love. We need each other.

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    1. Yes, indeed. If the rest of the world could feel as much support as we do in this little Poetry Friday community, imagine the changes that could take place!

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  17. We needed your linking of photos and lyrics today, I am so very sorry for your loss regarding Lee. How fortunate to have met him. Sending love.

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    1. He had the most infectious laugh, Jone. It was a delight. Love backatcha for this tough, tough week.

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  18. Your photo/music poem makes me realize how ingrained these songs are in my deep memory. As I read each line, the music played in my head. It was magical. Thank you. (Also for Let It Be.)

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    1. What a wonderful description, Mary Lee—magical is right! Their songs were the soundtrack of so many of our lives.

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  19. I love the way you approached this challenge, Michelle! The photos you chose are exactly right for the lines. Even though few faces are visible, there is so much emotion packed into each image. I especially love the dreamer releasing the doves. Thank you for these.

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    1. You know what I especially love about that particular photo, Catherine? If you look closely, those aren't actually doves. It's a child reaching for flying hands. But both interpretations work beautifully!

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  20. I'm glad it helped, Sydney. I know all these loving comments have certainly helped me!

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  21. Your pairing of words and images create a beautiful found poem. Thank you for it.

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