Thanks to Margaret over at Reflections on the Teche for hosting this week.

It’s that time of summer when thoughts turn back to the classroom and I am missing having my own classroom to plan and prepare. I’ve been organizing my books and notebooks and reading through old favorites. Feeling nostalgic.

Someone reminded me this week of one of my favorite poems by Naomi Shihab Nye, and I thought it would be a good one to share for Poetry Friday:

Changed

by Naomi Shihab Nye

They said something mean about me

and didn’t notice it was mean.

So my heart wandered into the rainy night without them

and found a canopy

to hide under.

My eyes started seeing through things.

Like gauze.

Old self through new self.

My flexible body

went backwards

and forwards

in time.

It’s hard to describe but true;

I grew another head

with better ideas

inside my old head.

 

I like the message and think this is a good poem to help us think about choosing our words carefully …..choosing KIND whenever possible.

I realized that I shared another text by Naomi Shihab Nye earlier this week. Nye is one of my favorite writers, especially to share with students. I found an interview with Nye from one of my favorite podcasts, On Being with Krista Tippett. It’s a wonderful, inspiring conversation with the poet and you can find it here.

Happy Poetry Friday!