March Slice of Life No. 26
EM is a delightful kindergartner.
She likes pink and all things chocolate.
EN, one of EM’s four older brothers,
is a wise second grader.
EM and EN are best buddies.
On a winter day, not long ago, EM and EN spent some time with me. It was a dreary, windy, cold day with drizzly rain. Cold air crept along our floor from one room to the next, especially when the furnace would cycle off. I wondered if we’d get ice before morning. Perhaps snow. Snow would be much nicer.
For quite a long time EM and EN amused themselves with a stack of picture books. There were at least fifty and both are eager readers who like to share with each other as they read. Then they stretched out on the floor, wrapped in their blankets and colored a spell.
I was curled up in my favorite comfy chair with an anthology of nature poetry — Sing a Song of Seasons, poems selected by Fiona Waters, a book that I had purchased earlier that week while visiting a bookstore with a dear friend.
In time, EN announced his hunger and ate some blueberry yogurt. EM wanted none of it, drank some juice, and waltzed around the house while she waited.
She waltzed by me, stopped, and asked what I was reading. I said, “Poetry. I will read you a poem.” And I did.
When I finished, I looked at EM who was leaning in against the arm of my chair, and I asked with an inquisitive voice, “What does that mean?”
EM stood up straight. Without a word, she put her hands up to her shoulders and then wiggled her ten fingers as she lowered her hands, bending to her knees. Then she said, “What they mean is they undress by their leaves falling off.”
I laughed. She laughed and hugged me.
EN joined us and we read more poetry.
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Thank you to
Two Writing Teachers
I’m so glad you visited today,
and I do enjoy hearing from you!
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EN and EM are book worms. I love the way they are immersed in print, different genres. Thanks for sharing.
Love the “book worms!”
What a great way to spend a damp chilly day. Shows that everyone can find meaning in poetry.
I can just see her wiggling her fingers before she answers. What a great poem to share with your little readers; I think I will share it with mine, too.
I do hope your boys enjoy it.
This is a morning I could wish for everyone. Time with children and poetry. No rush. Pure joy.
Thank you, Terje. It is a rare morning.
What a beautiful story illustrating that poetry is accessible to all readers!
Love your observation, Dani.
Alice, I am so glad you led me to this slice. The details leading to the poetry reading were descriptive. I was especially impressed with your Kinder’s understanding of the poem .