Poetry begins in delight and ends in wisdom. -Robert Frost
As the ice is starting to melt and we begin to catch a hint of spring in the air, it is an inspiring time to think about our own renewal after a long winter’s hibernation. Put a little spring in your step with a poetic creative journaling exercise.
1. If the weather permits, take a short walk before writing in your journal. Find a calm place where you can get some fresh air and collect your thoughts; stroll around your neighborhood or take a lap around a park or school campus. As with other nature journaling exercises, take note of what you see, hear, smell, touch and taste as you are walking.
What signs of spring are starting to show? Do you notice new animals or plants? What is the mood of the people you meet? Does the air smell like cut grass or wood smoke or home cooking? Bring a small notebook with you, and jot down a few thoughts as you stroll.
2. When you get home, think about everything you observed on your walk and reflect on what you associate with spring. Spend about 10 or 15 minutes writing down a stream-of-consciousness list of words that come to mind when you think of the season. Don’t worry about having complete or coherent thoughts (this is creative journaling, so there are no rules!); just write down whatever pops into your head. For example:
Fresh flowers, warm, first love, baseball, bright, allergies, tax season, April Fool’s Day…
3. When your time is up, stop writing and reread your list. Do you notice any common themes? Are you overall positive or negative about the season? Are there any important past experiences that came out on the page?
4. Write a poem about spring using some of the words from your list. It can be anything from a haiku to a long free verse composition, as long as it expresses what you are feeling at the moment. Be thoughtful, be funny, be bold— just be yourself.
While spring cleaning my Word files recently, I came across this circa 2001 seasonal song:
MOVING ON OUT
Went out walking just today
To see how far I’d go
At my feet's pace astonished
My stars I traipsed the road.
First one I saw was birdie red
Though me he did not see?
Was much too busy with his beak
A drilling ardently.
Watched persons as they waited for
The 6:11 bus
They were surprised at my gait gained
While talking through wind's gust.
The March day morn was cold and crisp
And I was quite amazed
How quick I past the 1/2 mile post
I think I was in daze.
Upon return I felt refreshed
So glad I made the trip
These memories will motivate
When a day I think I'll skip.
What were some of the words you wrote down in your creative journaling entry? Please share them and your poems too in the comments section!
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