If you don’t know already, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater totally rocks. If you are thinking Who’s Amy LV?, keep it to yourself and click here to see her remarkable blog, The Poem Farm.
Not only does Amy write an original poem every single day, but she also talks directly to students, making her blog a prime resource for say, a poetry center. (Imagine a center where the only prep work is to clicky-click here.) Or a minilesson. Or, let’s be really honest, an entire poetry unit.
Not only do her poems get to the heart of the matter, focusing on tiny details and a bit of whimsy, but she is also published in an array of places and is looking forward to her first book to be released in 2012. (I can’t wait. I can’t wait. I can’t wait.)
Not only does Amy write poems, but she is also my friend. Her compassion for others is an inspiration. This week, when she read my Slice, she responded with a poem of her own. This is today’s link for Sundays for the Soul.
Can you begin to imagine what this did for my daughter’s heart? Your friend wrote a poem for me? Hannah said. You know a real live poet? Hannah said. Can you please print a copy for my writer’s notebook? Hannah said. Wow, not everyone has a poem dedicated to them, Hannah said. And then . . . Amy must know what it’s like to have people treat you unkindly. I don’t think she could write this poem if she didn’t.
That’s the magic of Amy’s poetry, she takes the universal feelings and emotions of being a person and puts them in a tiny container of a poem that touches the hearts of the world. She does more than that, though. She also listens and responds when there is a need. This is my hope for the week . . . that I will take the time to listen and respond to the needs of people.
Don’t Forget: Any comment you leave on posts (dated Friday (1/14) through Wednesday (1/19) enters you for a chance to win two copies of Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea. If you want a chance to win Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares click here. If you want to read more about these books,click here.)
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Love Amy’s blog! Thanks for sharing. I’m going to introduce this to my teachers as writers group. I think it will be a great inspiration for all of us.
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The Poem Farm is a wonderful site. I found it about a month ago and enjoy her poems. I also think it’s great that she “talks” to students as well. I may just be inspired to write some poetry of my own!
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The Poem Farm is just the inspiration I need to write more poetry. I am hooked—and my university students will love being exposed to this wonderful resource. Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you, Ruth, for your extremely generous post. It’s a funny thing about writing – when wise words fill the air, one just wants to cup hands around them. Hannah’s words were wise. Please don’t enter me in the book giveaway – I just wanted to say, “Thank you!” A.
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What an amazing friend, poem, and realization for young Hannah! I love it and, once again, am inspired by you, Amy LV and, of course, Ms. Hannah.
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I love following Amy on Twitter!
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wow….just wow…
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I’m so glad to have discovered you. I’ll be exploring the
Poem Farm and visiting you often. Thanks.
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I’m a big Poem farm Fan since i came across her site from this site! I love the way she talks to “students” as if they were perched across from her at the kitchen table, which, of course, she often is as I’m checking out my yahoo feeds in the kitchen. Keep up the great work!
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Beautiful. I love your daughter’s responses to the poem and how she thought about the writing craft- recognizing that we write from the heart.
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Thanks for reminding us of this resource. I am going to be dedicating more time to poetry in the third quarter, which starts Tuesday, so your post came at a perfect time!
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Good Morning Ruth,
I could not agree more! You have written a tribute to a truly fabulous person ~ writer, teacher, friend, mother, and more. My students and I are learning so much from Amy LV.
I hope too, that Hannah’s heart is healing. 🙂
Thank you for warming my soul today and everyday. I loved yesterday’s post also. Looking forward to reading Because of Mr. Terupt and enjoy the writing of Anna and Annie.
~Theresa
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