First Annual Writer’s Retreat for Your Grandchildren

The other day, I was thinking about color poems.

Isn’t that something that EVERYBODY ponders about in her brain’s downtime?

No?

I don’t understand why not . . .

Not sure what a color poem is?  I’ll explain it in a moment.

First, I want to share an example of a poem about the color purple.

The poem is vivid and rich.  I really like it.  I wish that I knew who the author was so that I could give her/him credit.

But I don’t.  Rats!

Purple
a bruise on your leg,
bunches of grapes in a bowl,
a sweater that goes great with black,
the sound of power,
fruit juice poured into a glass
a school bell ringing, ringing
Grandma’s rhubarb pie.
cold medicine served up on a tablespoon
squishy cough drops,
velvet covered cushions
pointy tip Pentel markers,
the sky before lightning starts
Purple can take you for a sweet ride.

If Joe Shmoe off the street walked up to you and said ‘write a poem,’ you’d probably laugh in his face.  I know I would.  I am not a poet.  (I bet many of you grandmothers out there feel the same as I.)  However, I dare say that by following this outline, you could write a most respectable poem.

Here’s the outline:

Line 1: state the name of the color
Line 2: write a statement of what the specified color is
Line 3: write another statement of what the specified color is
Line 4: write yet one more statement of what the specified color is
Line 5: write a statement of how the specified color tastes
Line 6: write a statement of how the specified color smells
Line 7: write a statement of how the specified color sounds
Line 8: write a statement of how the specified color feels
Line 9: write a statement of how the specified color looks
Line 10: write a complete sentence about the color

I’ve seen some color poems where the last line repeats the name of the color.  So, if the poem above did that, the very last line would simply say ‘purple.’

If you study the purple poem, you will notice it doesn’t exactly follow this outline.  Which is fine.  If you feel so compelled to add to it or take away, no problem.  The outline is merely a tool with which you can craft your poetry.

Let’s take this idea a giant step forward.  Want to do something WAY different with your grandchildren?  Something that your typical granny-who-gives-grandchildren-milk-and-cookies has never done before?

Why not hold a First Annual Writer’s Retreat for your grandchildren?  It could last an hour, an afternoon, or three whole days.  Whatever fits you and your grandchildren best.

Here are some suggestions to consider for your retreat:

• Have a gaggle of pens — gel pens, glitter pens, plain ol’ black ink Bic pens.
• Have a variety of paper choices – lined, not lined, colored, scrapbook-ish paper.
• Give them a blank journal in which to write their final draft of their poems and stories.
• Create a personal journal by covering a 3-ring binder or the covers of a regular notebook or stenographer notebook with fabric or decorative contact paper.
• Write limericks.
• Create a book with your grandchild’s work and your work, illustrate it with photos or clip art, and print a copy for both of you at Snapfish.
• Create comic book stories.
• Write about a day in the life of your grandchild’s pet.
• Pick a character from a movie or book and write a new story about that character.
• Write a story based on an inanimate object (i.e. a tube of mascara, a football, a leaf).
• Write a story about turning into a bowl of green Jell-O, a snowboard, a pencil, or whatever you choose.
• Select a picture that you have taken (or a picture you’ve seen on the web) and write a story based on the things in the picture.

You and your grandchild might want to participate in the National Novel Writing Month.  But better hurry!  It starts November 1 and goes through November 30.  (I think I’m going to put writing a novel in one month on my bucket list . . .)

For those grandmas not interested in writing, have a retreat on a topic of your interest:  an artist’s retreat, a cooking school, a handyman retreat, music retreat, horticulturist/gardening workshop.

Pick a topic that you like then gather your grandchildren around you for creative times.  You’ll be glad you did.