Pages

▼

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

POEM #3- ABC'S OF COLLABORATION


This morning, at Year of Reading,  Mary Lee posted the thinking behind her Common Uncommon Month of Poetry. In that post, she shared her four rules for collaboration: 
  • Share ideas
  • Create with joy
  • Work  together
  • Don't destroy
And she said I could take a day off from writing poetry. Phew!  But then I kept thinking about the four rules. And I kept thinking that I had committed to writing a poem every day. So tonight, when I got home, after fourteen hours of giving makeup tests, and going to a district class, I dragged out something I had started this morning. Don't know that I would necessarily call it  a poem, but at least I tried to write something…

"ABC's of Collaboration"
Avail yourself of every opportunity
Because you never know when
         Coming together could lead to creation.
Delight in differences
            Engage in each other’s possibilities
Feel free to make mistakes.
Give up the need to be right and           
            Humble yourself to others’
                    Intelligence and imagination.
Just be ready for surprises.
            Know that there will be conflict
Laugh a lot.
Make miracles together
Never quit listening asking sharing believing
Open your eyes and your heart
Plan a little, play more.
 Quiet the inner doubter
Resist the need to be right
Stay open to surprises
Take time to laugh.
Up the ante.
View the world through new eyes
Wonder at what might be possible
Excite yourself about others’ ideas
You never know when your
zeal might reap rewards.
at

3 comments:

  1. Mary LeeApril 4, 2013 at 4:53 AM

    It most certainly IS a poem! WOW! This is going to be made into a poster for my classroom -- our motto for the month!!

    And I was thinking this morning while I walked about what happens when a person says they'll write a poem a day...GOES PUBLIC with the proclamation that they'll write a poem a day. 1. Some are not so great. 2. Some are brilliant. And it's those ones that are brilliant that feed your fire and keep you going. It's a little like chocolate, but with no calories!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tara @ A Teaching LifeApril 4, 2013 at 7:19 PM

    So perfectly composed, Carol...and, like Mary Lee , I am going to make this into a poster for my classroom...thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Linda BApril 4, 2013 at 7:26 PM

    I think I'm just going to echo Mary Lee-it is a poem for sure, & beautifully said too, Carol! I think your poet-ness has been hiding under a bushel, or what ever that saying is! Remember William Stafford (when asked how he wrote a poem every day) said that he "lowered his standards"). I don't think you're doing that at all, but just in support, a poem a day is huge! Love that you're doing!

    ReplyDelete