​Three cheers for Poetry Friday! There is so much excitement in the air with all the fun fall activities happening each week! You can find out more about what's happening in our Poetry Friday community this week too by waltzing over to TeacherDance where Linda is hosting the round-up. Thanks for hosting, Linda!

My bluebird friends have returned! I enjoy their company so much throughout the spring, but they seem to go away for awhile during the summer. Now they are back, sitting on the wire and hunting for worms. Soon they will begin scouting out the tiny wooden houses I have posted along the fence line. They will grace my backyard all winter long with their brilliant blue coats. They are so beautiful to me that I just had to write a poem in their honor.

Sometimes we write about things that we are thankful for. Our love for the special people and things in our life often encourages us to express our gratitude to them. Spend some time today thinking about the things you are most grateful for. You might jot down a list or maybe you'll be inspired to write a poem to honor them like I did!

Happy November Poetry Friday friends! Be sure to visit Writing the World for kids, where Laura is graciously hosting today's round-up. 

Every year at the end of October, I place this jar with broken pieces of clay pottery on my mantle. I discovered each one in the soil after a heavy rainstorm had rumbled over the ridge. It was interesting to find them scattered in different areas of my backyard. These pieces are a link to the past and to the history of this beloved hill top I now call home. Though each one is unique, they are all made from the same clay. They are a reminder of all those who came before me and lived upon this land. While I will never know them or the stories of their life, I can honor them by preserving what remains.

Sometimes the stories of the past are left untold or may be easily forgotten with the passing of time. These shards of clay help me to remember. I feel that the past begs us to listen. It wants to tell the story. So I must listen. 

Think about the times you have stumbled across something you had never seen before or had been hidden away. It might be a time you found an interesting rock in the ground or maybe you found an old stuffed animal in a closet. Have you ever found something unexpectedly and wondered about where it came from? If you have, try imagining that it could speak to you. Listen. What is it saying to you? Let it tell you its story. It's when we truly listen, that the stories of the past unfold!

It's been an exciting week of writing! So many people celebrated writing this week by taking part in the NCTE National Day on Writing, which is held every October the 20th. It was neat to see all the #WhyIWrite posts from writers everywhere. To top it all off, we get to celebrate writing even more on this Poetry Friday! You can visit our friend Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect for more of the poetry round-up today.

The poem I am sharing today really expresses one of the very special reasons why I write. I strongly believe that our life in this world is filled with so many wondrous things to write about. For me, I must write to celebrate and honor those things that are truly worthy to be etched in my notebook forever. Writing is like breathing to me, both necessary and essential to my being. It's why these words are here for you today.

Writers, we all have our reasons for writing. Some reasons we may share, while others are unique to us alone. Take a moment to think about the reasons you have for writing. What are those thoughts and words from you that must find their way into the world? Why do you write? 

Let the Poetry Friday Celebrations begin! Violet is hosting the round-up today, so don't miss all the fun over at her space HERE.

Friends, I am really happy that I am able to share this week. I have been feeling a bit under the weather for a few weeks, but thankfully I am getting much better each day. So today's poem is really short and sweet. It's really about clinging to sounds in our memory that soothe and comfort us. Whenever I am not feeling well, I tend to reach for things that will give me some ease. For instance, I like to cozy up in my bed with a good book and a soft blanket. I remember when I was little, my mother used to rock me and sing me lullabies whenever I was sick. The sound of her voice always made me feel so much better. This memory encouraged me to think about other sounds that are soothing to me, and from that my poem was born. 

Perhaps you have sounds that calm your spirit as well when you are not feeling your best. These soothing sounds might be hiding in memory somewhere or they might turn up often in your every day life. Take a moment to reflect on those sounds. You never know what connections might bubble up and settle in to your notebooks.

Think about the sounds around you that provide a sense of calmness and peace to your mind. Reach into memory. Are there any sounds that stir feelings of comfort or relief? Try making a list of these soothing sounds in your notebook. Allow your thoughts and reflections to lead you as you write within the safety of your notebook.