Events, Musings, Poems

It’s In Your Pocket!

darlapoemWhen I first started having my high school students participate in Poem in Your Pocket Day, they thought I was nuts. Carry a poem around in my pocket for a day? What? Take it home and read it to people? What? Have them sign the back of the poem? What? Continue reading “It’s In Your Pocket!”

Musings, Poems

Poetry-Finder

"If smoking occurs during your stay"--don't you think that wording deserves a poem?
“If smoking occurs during your stay”–don’t you think that wording deserves a poem?

I am a thing-finder. I am a word-finder. I am a paper-finder. I cannot walk past something handwritten on a scrap of paper that is lying on the sidewalk or in the ditch or on the seat on the bus. I can’t remember not being a thing-finder. In things, I find poetry. Continue reading “Poetry-Finder”

Musings, Poems

Object Transformation

SuperKnobWhen I was teaching high school English, I spent the month of April on poetry. Yes, the state was going berserk doing tests, TESTS, T E S T S but in between all that nonsense, it was the perfect time for poetry. (And it’s National Poetry Month, after all). If you have made a space for poetry in your classroom, meaning that your students know it is okay to experiment with words, to break rules, to have fun with the language, then give them a break with something like this: Continue reading “Object Transformation”

Events, Musings

Spring is Singing and More

Noah waving his spring flower poem from the treehouse
Noah waving his spring flower poem from the treehouse

One of the best things about living in Oklahoma is that we experience all four seasons. It was wonderful to celebrate spring in poetry, song, fellowship, and folks this weekend at our Spring is Singing event. Our calendar for the year includes events that celebrate each of the seasons. The museum exists to honor nature (rural) and poetry. Continue reading “Spring is Singing and More”

Events, Musings

PCA/ACA Grant

DSC03309It’s official. The check came in the mail yesterday. The Rural Oklahoma Museum of Poetry won the Douglas A. Noverr Grant for Collection enhancement for Institutions to Build Popular Culture and American Culture Research Collections.

I learned I had won the grant back in December, but I didn’t feel I could celebrate until I actually had the funds. Yeah!!!! So come celebrate with me this month–March 22 at our Spring is Singing event. Or April 5 at our first ROMP Poetry Festival. If you have been out to the museum before, come see the changes and additions and the new ROMP Shop. This grant will mean so many great improvements for the museum. Continue reading “PCA/ACA Grant”