FIELD NOTES
Years ago, perhaps thirty, a storm blew over this small, old elm near Crescent Bay Lake. But, as we know, life finds a way.* We have passed by every day on the highway above the lake– we drive here to this spot often on hot summer days or to walk the dog. Each time we think or say, “It’s still there.”
Notice in the gallery the old trunk curving upwards now towards the sun, its old root ball exposed with another trunk and branches on the ground. It’s quite amazing.
standing strong in its spirit and its place
ELM’S LESSON: A TANKA
And so from my photos and field notes, I wrote a tanka poem [a how to at poetry4kids] to share the American elm‘s life spirit and lesson. I included writer’s strategies of strong verbs, consonance, alliteration.
Elm’s Life Lesson
Years past, storm’s winds tug
#writeout
elm up and over; from roots,
from trunk, its life springs
new growth, changed path— old spirit
standing strong: life finds a way
Sheri Edwards
Photography/Poetry/tanka
10.22.24
*LIFE FINDS A WAY
Other “Life Finds A Way” Posts
JOIN IN!
This post is part of the October WRITEOUT adventure, October 13 through the 27th, partnership of the National Writing Project and the National Park Service — a chance to enjoy the outdoors with poetry, prose, and parks for Write Out 2024. Organized as a public invitation to get out and create, supported by a series of free online activities, Write Out invites educators, students, and families to explore national parks and other public spaces. The goal is to connect and learn through place-based writing and sharing. Check out this infographic for the flow of the this week and the Choice Board to get you started for WriteOut’s Poetry for the Planet.
Learn more and sign up: https://writeout.nwp.org
This is my seventh year with WriteOut with all my WriteOut posts here.
cross post at What Else: WriteOut Elm’s Life Lesson
I wonder, if I draw a line... 