11/14/2007

flash poetry: I AM

It's been awhile since we've done some flash poetry, so get a piece of paper or open a text program on your computer and write at the top: I AM

Then fill in the blanks (write the first thing/s that come to mind):

I Am [write your hometown(s)]

I Am [write your favorite color, scent, feeling, and food]

I Am [your hobbies, sports or leisure activities]

I Am [write what you want to become someday, your profession or roles]

I Am [write the names of the people you care about the most]

I Am [write your name]

TA DA!!!! You have a poem.

Mine:

I Am Tulsa, Bakersfield, & Irvine
I Am red, vanilla, catfur, and soft cookies
I Am blogging, drinking tea, partying with friends, sitting in silence, getting dirty in my garden
I Am a writer
I Am John, CatGirl, GameBoy, and my Mom
I Am Jana

We did this exercise in the class today. We were talking about labels that teachers use with students and had just finished an exercise where we each walked around with labels on our foreheads and had to figure out 'what we were' (I was the class Dunce thanks to one of my silly students). After that, having the students read their 'I Am' poems there was a kind of reverence in the room. It was just beautiful. So simple and yet so profound.

What surprised me about my own response....I realized that for me being a professor is really just my current path towards being a writer. That that's ultimately what I most desire as my profession. That was just so profound and clear. I've been carrying with me ever since this morning. A Writer. Yes.

So people, your poems, they belong in the Comments...
(note: Oh, and those of you who want to do an 'in-bed' version of their I AM, you can share those after we pull out 'Apples to Apples' at the next chez pilgrim par-tay)

:)
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11 comments:

JohnR said...

I am Sasebo, family, no place and many places.

I am green, caramel, warm, pizza.

I am blogger (hear me r04r!). I am religions.

I am a writer, journalist, producer of culture.

I am Jana and [son's name] and [daughter's name].

I Am John Dewey Nakamura Remy.

5:03 PM
MsAmpuTeeHee said...

I am in my body.
I am SkyBlue, the sweat of TheMostImportantGuy, yarn running through in fingers, and anything potatoes.
I am cooking, dancing, knitting.
I am something to do with feeding people.
I am TheMostImportantGuy,MyFavoriteKid, my parents, and my friends.
I am bonnie.

Thank you. I learned something about myself, too!

7:08 PM
amelia said...

i am california virginia boston.

i am red, rain, exhilerated, and pumpkin pie.

i am reading hiking walking cities talking.

i am teacher, mentor, student.

i am my family and randi.

i am amelia.

7:27 PM
Anonymous said...

You are also a teacher, Jana. Oh yes, you are. :)

I suck at these kinds of exercises because one-word answers are often impossible. However:

I am everywhere I have ever been and somewhere I haven't been yet.

I am all colors, baking spices, qi cascading from the scalp and skull, and fresh, ripe fruit.

I am without leisure or hobbies; everything I do is for keeps, even when it doesn't work, when it's just to learn on, and even when the impulse that sparks it is only a need to use time not completely ignore it as it speeds away.

I am an artist.

I am my true love, my dead loves, and all my friends.

I am Sara.

12:53 PM
Anonymous said...

I Am Central Minnesota
I Am chartreuse, crunchy leaves, nested in flannel sheets, and ice cream.
I Am knitting, loving, laughing, talking, moving forward
I Am a helper, an empowerer, a solution-oriented advocate
I Am BrianHotPants, Catie Clare, my gramma and my mom
I Am Jenna Kate

6:05 PM
jana said...

A new line for my I AM:

I am bonnie, amelia, Sara, Jenna Kate and all of my other readers and friends.

Your poems are just beautiful. As are each of you....

8:25 PM
littlemissattitude said...

I Am Southern California, Ventura County, Simi Valley
…and only incidentally San Joaquin Valley

I Am vibrant red and more muted colors, depending on the day
…vanilla and baking bread and orange blossoms
…relaxed contentment
…lasagna and lemonade and strawberry sundaes

I Am books and music and movies and travel (virtual and real) and counted crossstitch
…and, occasionally, knitting
…and always, always trivia

I Am thinker, writer, mentor, friend

I Am my parents
…and my friends, from my early years ‘till far into the future

I Am…Elaine

8:53 AM
Bored in Vernal said...

I am East Coast and West Coast, transplanted to the Sands of Saudi.

I am pink peppermint icecream melting on the beach.

I am swimming and skiing, reading and writing, meditating on the mountain, seeking I AM.

I Am Priestess, Mother and Child.

I Am Seven Girls, One Boy, a Man and a Phantom.

I Am BiV.

9:15 AM
Caroline said...

I am Southern California.

I am Arabian red, baby breath, dog fur, and spicy samosas.

I am friend, thinker, wannabe vegetarian, idealist, pragmatist, teacher, learner, parent.

I am someone who contributes.

I am Mike, baby Beast, and my animals.

I am Caroline.

12:59 AM
jana said...

Elaine and Caroline and Cheryl:
Thank you for your poems. Just thank you. I see and feel and know all of the things you are, too.

For the rest of you, please continue commenting, I just love this thread!

3:07 PM
gs said...

I've been very impressed by the results of this seemingly simple exercise. Well done, Jana!

I wondered if maybe producing an interactive version of the "I am" poetry exercise would make it a little easier to be spontaneous. So, anyway, I did. You can try it out at http://beaglewriter.com/iam. It asks you to make the entries, one after the other, and then formats them as the poem.

Thank you for this, Jana.

8:47 AM

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