Category: All #Writing
The Line Between
This prompt was introduced to be me by friend and all around awesome writer and writing teacher Abby Thomas. She has shared this prompt at a couple of Morehead Writing Project events (Spring 2016 Writing Retreat and 2016 Online Summer Institute) and I have heard some amazing work resulting from this idea. She began by…
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From My Deck
Breeze stirs evergreens Black ears perk up at bird song Charring burgers tease Blooms tilt to meet last sun rays Feet up, work gloves discarded Learn how to write your own Tanka poem and #JustWrite.
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Write Your Origin Story
Some of the richest and most powerful writing I see come out of Morehead Writing Project events are pieces generated by the past in which the writer explores the places, people, and events that shaped them into who they are today. These pieces are powerful to read, but are also important for the writer. We…
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I Am From
I am from orchards and soccer balls, windmills and beaches where it is too dangerous to swim; I am from hillsides of waving white and pink blossoms and truckloads of dark-faced strangers to reap their fruit; I am from secret hideaways earned by battle-scarred arms and legs and hair torn out by the roots yet…
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Slam Poetry
Writing is therapeutic and perhaps Slam Poetry is the best therapy of all. We incorporate Slam Poetry into many of our Morehead Writing Project events and it is always a hit. I also like to use Slam Poetry in my classes to help my students uncover their deepest thoughts and fears as well as relieve…
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Praise Poetry
A praise poem is a tribute. Praise poetry holds a special place in southern African literature. In Zulu, praise poetry is called izibongo. It refers to poetic expression that not only defines but names an individual. Praise poetry is written with bold imagery, expressed in the most distinct or carefully selected language. Writing a praise…
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Praise to the Teacher Writer
The writers come to us, unknowing and fearful They know working with words is dangerous As language is combustible and corrosive – incendiary They worry they do not have the skill for such dangerous work But then we fill them with their own fire and teach them how to build firebreaks As well as how…
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Won’t You Celebrate With Me
Won’t you celebrate with me That I love learning and laughing with my students That I possess patience and understanding That I am sweet and kind and helpful That I have pushed my students to learn and do more than they thought possible That I have made my students proud of their accomplishments Won’t you…
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Meme All The Things
I love memes (see playlist and this infographic if you want to know more about memes). I know that isn’t a very original thing to say. After all, memes owe their existence to our universal enjoyment. But I don’t mean that I love simply to view them. I do, I’m not a robot after all, but I…
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Write Your Way Into Your Day
I have been trying to practice what I preach. I try to write every day. I strive to find a few moments in the hurly burly morning rush and reach for my journal and pen rather than my smart phone. I scratch words on the page rather than update my Facebook and Twitter feeds. It…
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My Theory of Writing
The gut must be fed, the heart must be inspired, and the brain jolted, while the hand must practice hours building muscle memory
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