Back with my poetry pals this month and the only thing I’m sort of sad about is that our year-long project is drawing to a close. So this month is our 10th of 12, and I took it really seriously. Like, instead of writing one assigned poem I wrote 39. Yes, I got a little obsessed.
Our form for the month was the etheree — a ten line poem wherein each line is one more syllable than the last. Which makes them really … rhythmic, I guess. Yeah, that’s what I like about them.
So, I won’t share all 39 but here are my first 2.
Dear
Martin,
I like you
and I wonder
what you think of me?
I’ll give you two choices:
If you like me, circle yes.
If you don’t like me, circle no.
Give the answer to Maddie at lunch
and don’t tell anyone about this note.
Dear
Sophie
(or Maddie),
Is this a joke
or is it for real?
I want to answer but
I don’t like being laughed at.
Can you give me some kind of sign
so I know that it’s true and it’s you?
P.S. I didn’t tell anybody.
But don’t stop here! Check out more etherees here:
Tanita Davis
Andi Jazmon Sibley
Sara Lewis Holmes
Kelly Fineman
Laura Salas
Tricia Stohr-Hunt
And for more poems of every variety? Poetry Friday at My Juicy Little Universe!
Enjoy!
THIRTY-NINE.
I am so excited you’re on a roll with this NOVEL thing, Liz!!!! MG might just be your thing. And then I expect to see a YA someday… someday…
Also, the “do you like me circle one” note is both the best and the worst thing to get in middle school. ♥love it♥
Ha! I know. Note passing. It was both brutal and exquisite.
So much this. Do you like me? __ yes __ no
Those kids are so straight-up at that stage, right?
I mean, if this etheree thing goes it will really be a small chapter book (don’t know if that counts as a novel) but yes, I do love the longer form. YA — yipes. I dunno….. I might leave that to you and Sara?
The voices are so natural here, and yet you’ve also stealthily shaped them into etherees. LOVE. Let me know if you’d like another read of this chapter book as you revise. I’m always up for reading your poetry…
Thank you, friend!! I totally value your take on things xxoxox
I just love the voices of these two. I feel like I know them already. Can’t wait to see the whole thing!!! Bravo!!
Thanks, Andi. Obviously the etheree thing is something that I really, really like.
These are wonderful. Definitely want to read more about these two. 🙂
Oh, thanks, Jama. I hope you WILL someday 😉
Your poems bring back memories! I remember giving and receiving notes just like this 🙂
Me too! I passed a LOT of notes in school 🙂
I can’t wait to see these as a book. Genius!
I don’t know about genius, but definitely fun xxoxo
I’ve loved each of the etherees your wonderful group has written, that I’ve read so far, at least. I haven’t made my way to them all. But as middle school teacher of many years, I want to say that these are both so, so right, and heart-breaking too. Ah, that young love that floats from hand to hand. I do think that today it’s more like text to text. Best wishes on the book, will look forward to reading it!
We’ll see if it actually turns into a book — I HOPE it does. But thanks so much for the teacher perspective. That means A LOT!! (I think of these two as maybe fourth graders — slightly pre-phone age. Because yes, I think it’s definitely text-to-text a year or two later!)
I’m trying to read between the lines of these comments because if these etherees are part of a growing verse novel, I SO want to read it someday! These characters have come to life in just a few lines, although I imagine them in 3-5th grade, not middle school. The shifting allegiances as kids try to figure out who they are and where they belong…perfect fodder for a middle grade book!
Yes! You’re right! I think of them in 4th grade. And the collection is sort of a short chapter book rather than a long novel — or at least that’s what I imagine right now. Crossing fingers I can actually make it happen 🙂 but thank you so much for the enthusiasm…
If only the yes or no were that easy a choice! When you’re in elementary school (and sometimes for adults), there are a whole lot of options between yes and no. These are fabulous, Liz–can’t wait to see more. Between covers. Published.
Oh, I HOPE the between covers thing happens 🙂
But in the meantime, yes, I agree — are there really any easy choices?
I love the story these two ell and want to know what happens. And the dilemma of young love by note – so sweet and made me feel ten years old again!
Oh, thanks, Sally. I’m so glad!!
I really love these two. Martin seems confused and/or flustered. Sophie is brave. I was too terrified at this age to pass notes or proclaim my crush. I’m so glad Sophie did! The rhythm here is perfect, which is so hard to do with this form. I’m glad it worked for you. You’ve made it look so easy! Can’t wait to read the rest.
There is something about the rhythm of etherees that feels totally conversational — do you know what I mean? I’d never tried one before we did this, and I do seem to have fallen in love…
I love that the challenge has grown into so much more for you, Liz. These two poems have such wonderful voice, and I love that you can capture that in a form poem. Looking forward to following this journey.
Thanks! We’ll see what happens, but I do love it when an idea just grabs you and takes off running…
Liz, these took me back to my school days and made me smile. I passed a lot of notes (not love notes cause I very shy, nerdy and as Sara would attest fairly weird) but I love the way you captured the moments and the kids so well! They make you want to re-read each one and try to guess the outcome.
These kids might well be nerdy too! I think notes allow that 🙂 Thanks for reading, and I’m so impressed with your multiple etherees. Your work blows me away each month…