Carol Moehrle
I have personal permission from this author to use her poem. The pictures are of the original poem and the formal release. Clair is my seven-year-old granddaughter. She wrote the poem this year while she was in the second grade. Those of you who teach second graders, may recognize the writing style and focus for this poem. Because I'm a grandma who also tinkers with writing, it touched my heart that she wanted to share it with me and gave her written permission for me to use it.
When I first read the title, I frowned to myself and inwardly wondered why this beautiful young child was sad. Not having read the entire piece, I immediately launched into a discussion about what it means to feel blue. After several minutes she told me she was not sad, but was showing things that were the color blue in her mind. I praised her for her wonderful writing skills and style and the use of words to describe and express her color. She beamed with pride as she reread her writing to me out loud.
When I told her I would like to use this in one of my own writings, she leaned in and whispered, "I have many more. I keep them in a journal."
What a treasure to be given the confidence at home and in school to develop her own personal writing style and to be coached and praised by a teacher and parents who encourage her to write. At seven, she has a journal of her own personal writings! I absolutely love this!
What a lifelong gift teachers give: the empowerment to put thoughts into words.
Whenever I think of "the blues," I'll always think of Clair and her magic poem.
b-Resilient