NPM 2015: What Are You Wearing, Linda Kulp?

Words zip along the front of my jacket,

hide with lost pennies in my pockets.

Ink nestles in the space between my toes

and the tips of my shoes.

There is no coziness like mine.

I have been wearing poetry.

It's the last week of National Poetry Month 2015. Throughout April, guest bloggers are dressing up in their poetry finery as Author Amok features poems about clothes. Why clothes? Read this post.

In addition to the guest bloggers, every Friday in April I posted a round-up of original and recommended clothing poems. (Send those via email to laurashovan at gmail dot com or leave them in the comments). You'll find this week's writing prompt at the bottom of this post.  I'll post any final poems this Friday, May 1.

Today's guest blogger is poet and educator Linda Kulp of Write Time. 

In middle school, the type of shoes someone wears is a big deal.  Shoes are part of their identity.  As part of our “Who Am I?” unit, I created a lesson in which my students write a poem about their shoes.

I begin the lesson by bringing in a variety of shoes I purchased from a thrift store.

I hold up each pair of shoes and ask students to describe the person they think might have owned these shoes.  We make predictions about the owner such as: age, career, personality, lifestyle, etc.  Next, I read “Ode to Pablo’s Shoes” by Gary Soto. We talk about Pablo’s shoes and what we learn about him. Then we read “Grandpa’s Shoes” by Deborah Chandra.

Grandpa’s Shoes

Lying by the back door,

Grandpa’s shoes

speak in a husky

whisper:

            “Step inside,” they say.

            “We’re big and bruised

            and scuffed, but

            down past the tough

            we’ve worn ourselves soft.”

“We’ve been somewhere.”

               -Deborah Chandra (all rights reserved)

We discuss what our own shoes might say if they could talk. Then I tell them that every summer since I was a teenager, I buy a brand new pair of white canvas sneakers.  I love them because they are so comfortable and practically live in them all summer long!

I read them the poem I wrote about my sneakers.

Used

Lying on the laundry room floor

my old canvas sneakers

speak in a lonely voice.

“All summer long,” they say,

“you wore us during long walks

around the neighborhood

and on trips to shopping malls.”

“Now,” they sigh,

summer is over

and here we sit

worn and dirty,

waiting—

to be washed and worn

again.”

“Have you forgotten us?”

“We feel used!”

-Linda Kulp Trout

Finally, my students write a poem about their shoes. Of course all of this happens over several class periods. We review poetic elements such as structure, personification, sensory details, etc., but mostly, I try to keep it fun so students are free to use their creativity without too many “rules.”   My sixth grade students will be writing their poems next week. I’m looking forward to seeing what their shoes say about them.

What do your shoes say about you? 

Thank you for posting today, Linda. I love the idea of using thrift store shoes as inspiration for portrait poems. 

My shoes say that I am ready for spring.

Linda Kulp Trout is a middle school reading intervention teacher and poet.  She has taught reading and writing to students in kindergarten through adult. She is the author of an early reader and articles for children. Her poems have been published in children's magazines and anthologies. She is currently working on a middle grade novel-in-verse and a collection of poems for young children. Her two sons and grandchildren are the inspiration for many of her poems. She lives in PA with her husband and very bossy cat named Daisy.You can learn more about Linda Kulp at her website.

ICYMI: In our poetry closet, you will find...

Introductory Post

Jane Elkin looks in her childhood closet. Poems by Mark Irwin and Ron Koertge.

Tabatha Yeatts shares an ensemble of clothing poems by Greg Pincus.

Margaret Gibson Simon tries on orange high heels. Poem by Ellen Bass.

Robyn Hood Black borrows Alice Schertle's "Hand-me-down Sweatshirt."

Jone MacCulloch wears her Grandma Mac's aprons.

Heidi Mordhorst pulls on some big, black boots.

Linda Baie's outfit would not be complete without a poem in her pocket.

Catherine Johnson getting dressed with Alexander Resnikoff.

Robyn Campbell is showing off her favorite vintage clothes with a poetic picture book from Mary Ann Hoberman.

Donna Smith twirls her poetic skirts for us.

Jan Godown Annino treasures a rainbow skirt worn by her mentor.

*Your suggested clothing poem prompt for Friday, May 1: Personification

If an article of clothing could talk, what stories would it tell? Whether it's a thrift store find, or an item for your closet, let your clothes speak for themselves. Has that black fedora traveled with you to Mexico? Was your daughter wearing that dress on her first day of kindergarten? Have your white Keds become mud-streaked from your hours spent in the garden? Maybe your jeans are tired of being patched and mended and would love to be retired.

Send your poems any time. I'll post original work and recommended poems on Friday.