 Happy Poetry Friday! It's great to be back in the round-up again after a short break. I have missed my PF friends! For more offerings, Carol is hosting this week at her space HERE. A few evenings ago, I was listening to a song and a particular line stuck with me. It went something like this, "Can't you see your world won't end, it's just a summer wind." It seemed like an interesting line to me. I began to think about the connection between the feeling of hopelessness and the ever changing natural element of wind. After pondering over this line, I knew I wanted to write about the way I connected it to life. First, I asked myself, What is a summer wind? How would I describe it? How would a summer wind be different than any other wind? You'll get a sense of my response to these questions in my poem. Next, I pushed myself to think more deeply about how it applied to changes in life and feeling overpowered by the strong forces that often come our way. I asked more questions like, How might a summer wind relate to the challenges we often face in life? As I searched for the deeper meaning in this line, I settled upon these thoughts. First, the wind is always changing. So can we. If we just hold on to hope, the winds of change will come. Things might seem very hard at times. We may feel like giving up. Yet even in the darkest despair, there is hope. In life, our challenges are like a summer wind, blowing fierce, overwhelming us with its powerful gusts, and then gone. Second, the wind is strong, but so are we. So what if we harnessed it instead? What if we channeled that warm pressure and let its energy take us closer to our goal? In life our challenges are like a summer wind, full of potential to move us, propelling us forward, growing us, until we are stronger. In the end, we choose how to deal with our challenges. What will you do with a summer wind when it blows your way?  Invitation to Write:Poem ideas can sometimes blow in from some of the most unlikely places, and they can take us to a place of wonder and possibility. The idea for my poem came from a lyric of a song. It led me to all sorts of thoughts and questions. I pushed myself to think about the topic from different angles. You can try this too! Take a line from a song, book, poem, quote, conversation-wherever you choose, and push yourself to evaluate the topic from different lenses of thinking. Don't be afraid to be a bit wishy-washy in this process. Use sentence stems to vary your thoughts about the topic such as, "This makes me think... But, on the other hand..." Pretty soon, you'll end up with many different poem variations from that one line!
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Welcome to the Poetry Friday round-up on the ridge! I am excited to be hosting this week. I can't wait to read all your offerings! Just hook up your link at the bottom of the post.
Now that summer has been unleashed here on the ridge, I find myself wanting to spend my days outdoors having fun in the sun. I especially enjoy taking in the sights and sounds of summer evenings. I like to flip back in my notebook to all my summer entries. They are filled with memories, observations, and all things summer-esque. As I was reading, a few lines from the pages of my notebook merged and inspired me to write my poem offering this week. I wish you all a lovely summer's song all season long! 
Invitation to Write:
As a writer, one of my favorite things to do is to sift back through the pages of my notebook from time to time. This helps me find balance and inspiration for future projects or poems. Sometimes, lifting a line or two from your notebook can renew your writing life. I invite you to time travel back into your notebook as well. What stands out to you? Jot down some of your thinking and reflect on your writing journey so far. Lift a line or two. Copy those lines on a new page. Do you notice any connections? Try writing from those lines to see what emerges.
 Welcome to Whispers from the Ridge! I'm so glad you are joining me on this Poetry Friday. For all the poetry offerings this week, stop by Katie's space The Logonauts. Today, I am honoring the memory of a dear friend of mine who passed away earlier this week. She was such an incredible motivator and mentor to so many. Many lives were inspired by her passion for her family and the work she loved. She will be sorely missed. Yet, her dedication to children and her love of literacy will live on. Her belief in providing an authentic space for real readers and writers to create will continue to positively impact the lives of children in classrooms across our school district. When she wasn't putting her heart and soul into her leadership work as our district ELA curriculum coordinator, she was often hanging out at her special beach spot with her family. She loved the beach. It was where she would spend hours laying in a simple hammock with a notebook and a good book. This poem is in loving memory of her and the place she dearly loved.  Texas Coast-photo by Kiesha Shepard  Invitation to Write:Writing can have the power to heal at times. Often times when we are having a rush of emotions, we can feel overwhelmed with all the words and feelings we want to express. Getting them written on paper can help pin them down. Once on the paper, we can begin to sort them out and make sense of them. Whenever you are full of a blur of emotions, try writing them down. Put the pen to the page, and let yourself go. Spilling thoughts and feelings onto the page during any emotional state can be good for the writer's soul.
 Happy Poetry Friday to all! It's a short and sweet haiku this week inspired by the summer scent on the ridge. For more poetry goodies, head to Tabatha's at the Opposite of Indifference.  photo taken at dusk on the ridge by Kiesha Shepard Invitation to Write:Keeping up with our writing lives isn't always easy. The summer months can be especially busy with traveling and spending time with friends and family. Finding time to write can be a challenge, but it can be done! Whenever I find myself on the go and in danger of neglecting my writing, I remind myself of how important my writing is to my daily life. It provides a natural energy boost that keeps me going from one daily event to the next. Like my PF friend Jone MacCulloch says, "It's important to keep a writing practice."
I couldn't agree more. So wherever your day takes you, be sure to schedule in a little writing practice!  Happy Poetry Friday and July full moon week! On the ridge this week I am sharing a poem in honor of my friend, the moon. For more Poetry Friday friends and offerings, visit Carol at Beyond LiteracyLink. There's just something about a full moon that really helps ignite my writing ideas. It's fun to watch the moon grow and rise. My writing seems to grow more full and heavy with emotions the more time I spend under the moonlight. Perhaps that's why the moon is one of my favorite magnet topics. I can always find inspiration from its glow. In this way, I consider the moon as one of my "topic friends." As a writer, I think it's so important to have topic friends to count on as well as people in your life that you consider writing friends. These might be members of a writing group, colleagues, or even members of your family. If you would like to see the full moon this week, be sure to look to the sky on Sunday July 9th. My dear friend, moon, will be there waiting to light the way to many new words and writing ideas for you!  full moon on the ridge photo taken by Kiesha Shepard  Invitation to Write: Make a list of your "topic friends" and other writing friends. Think about one of your topics and spend a little time collecting ideas around this friend. Sometimes having a conversation with your topic and listening to your topic speak to you is helpful, too! After you have collected around your "topic friend", choose a writing friend from your other list as someone you can talk to about your writing. Writing with friends can be a rewarding and joyful experience!
 Welcome Poetry Friday friends! It's great to be back with the Poetry Friday community this week. To join in the fun this last week of June, head over to Diane's space at Random Noodling. Some nights, I have a really hard time sleeping. I find myself wandering into the darkness of my sleeping house. There's something quite magical that happens late at night when my mind is still awake. It is during those times, that I reach for my notebook and write. I let my imagination run wild, allowing the night time world to whisper its stories and secrets. The poem I am sharing this week has a bit of the magic and whimsy I experienced one night. I wish each of you a night of mystical writing, too1  Invitation to Write:If you ever have trouble sleeping, writing in your notebook can often soothe you right to sleep. I like to keep a notebook by my bed in case I can't sleep, or if I want to scribble down a dream I want to remember. So many magical ideas can come late at night in the quiet dark. Before you sleep away, jot your thoughts down so they are sure to not slip away!
 Welcome to the ridge! Thanks for stopping by this week. For more of the Poetry Friday collection, visit Carol at Carol's Corner. I am back this week from my relaxing trip to the beach. I took advantage of the ocean's poetic whispers while I was there. As I sat on the shoreline, I started generating a list in my notebook. I used my five senses and the imagery of this coastal scene to get some words onto the page. Then, I started playing with the words and phrases from my list. The result is my "Ocean Scene" poem. Working from a list is a quick strategy I use often to get my ideas flowing.  word list from my day at the beach  Invitation to Write:Try creating a word list in your notebook. Once you have your list, try putting words and phrases together. Play with different combinations until you find one you like. Collecting lists can be great fun!
 Happy Poetry Friday! I'm away from the ridge this week, so thanks for visiting my home while I am at the beach this week. For more PF posts visit Mary Lee at A Year of Reading. In honor of my trip to the coast of Texas this week, I decided to try a beach haiku. I am so grateful to our Poetry Friday host this week, Mary Lee, who gave me a helpful tip to consider when writing a haiku. This week, you'll notice that my form is a little more "loose". It definitely works. Thanks again for the advice, Mary Lee!  Invitation to Write:You can try Mary Lee's invitation as well! Take any piece you are working on, and see how you might break "loose" from the traditional form or structure. Allow yourself some wiggle room. Have fun loosening the reigns with your poetry writing this week!
Hooray for Poetry Friday! Celebrate with more of my friends from the round-up today atDori Reads. Thanks for hosting today, Dori!
Today is the Friday before school starts! I am very excited to begin a new school year. I look forward to all the new faces and new beginnings. Every year I can't get over how quickly the summer flies by. It seems just as we end, we begin again. I think about this beginning and ending throughout the days and across years of my life. It always gives me hope when I think about all the things in my life that have ended or may end so that new things may begin. The seasons and our natural world give us proof of this all the time. So while I am sad to see the summer season go, I know that it leaves behind the promise of something new. A new opportunity to grow and change will emerge from every season. I look forward to my new beginnings, but I will always remember this summer's end. Have a wonderful beginning to your new school year! 
Listen to my poem: Summer's End
Invitation to Write:
I often think about the beginnings and endings throughout my life. It can be great thinking and writing work. Try making a list in your notebook of beginnings and endings throughout your life. It might be the first time or the last time you felt a certain way or it might be an event that you began or ended. This list can help you generate even more ideas for writing in your notebook!
 Happy Poetry Friday! I am new to the Poetry Friday round-up, so I am super excited to join in the fun! Today I am sharing a poem from my collection of poems about summer. All month long, I have been thinking about how fast the summer flies by. Since I am a teacher, I try to take advantage of my time off during the summer to really seize the moments with family and friends. For me, summer really inspires me to think about time and how much I want to make the most of it. This poem came to me as I was thinking about this idea of wanting to squeeze every ounce of every moment in my life. Carpe Diem seemed like a perfect title for this poem since in Latin it means "seize the day!" Somehow that phrase just really summed up everything I was wanting to say in this poem. So with that, I leave you with a wish that you might seize the day and that all your possibilities throughout the moments of today turn golden. For more inspiring thoughts and poetry in today's Poetry Friday round-up, check out our host Chelanne's site below. Invitation to Write: This poem really comes from my thoughts about two topics. I had already been thinking a lot about summer and all the possibilities and moments that seem to bubble up throughout this season. It got me thinking about another big topic which is time. Summer is generally thought of as a season of fun times and relaxation. It flies by way to fast for me! So I took my thoughts about summer and paired it with the big idea of time. I asked myself questions like, "What do I think about the relationship between time and the season of summer? How do I feel about time as we measure it?
Thinking about big ideas and asking yourself questions about what you feel can be a great way to explore in your writing. Lately, I have been going back and rereading some of the poems and notebook entries that I have written about summer. Boy do I have a lot to say about summer! Just the other day, I was thinking about how hot it has been. It made me think about the summer rain that is much needed. I hope the poem I am sharing today might bring a summer shower to the fields around our river ridge. Even just a sprinkle would be welcome and refreshing to the land. Invitation to Write:
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AuthorWelcome! I'm Kiesha Shepard, and I have a love for writing and the teaching of writing. Whispers From the Ridge is a place where I can share my words and ideas for teaching writing. It's also a place for you to find inspiration for writing the words inside of you. I invite you into my world of writing as I capture the whispers from the ridge. 
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July
2 Laura at Laura Shovan 9 Margaret at Reflections on the Teche 16 Molly at Nix the Comfort Zone 23 Kat at Kathryn Apel 30 Becky at Sloth Reads August 6 Mary Lee at A(nother) Year of Reading 13 Christie at Wondering and Wandering 20 Carol at The Apples in My Orchard 27 Elisabeth at Unexpected Intersections September 3 Heidi at my juicy little universe 10 Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect 17 Denise at Dare to Care 24 Laura at Laura Purdie Salas October 1 Catherine at Reading to the Core 8 Irene at Live Your Poem 15 Bridget at wee words for wee ones 22 Jama at Jama's Alphabet Soup 29 Linda at TeacherDance November 5 Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference 12 Matt at Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme 19 Carol at Beyond LiteracyLink 26 Ruth at there is no such thing as a God-forsaken town December 3 Michelle at Michelle Kogan 10 Cathy at Merely Day by Day 17 Jone at Jone Rush MacCulloch 24 Buffy at Buffy Silverman 31 Carol at Carol's Corner |
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Photos used under Creative Commons from Kristine Paulus, Ryan Hodnett, Marie Hale, gurdonark, btrentler, Kelly Colgan Azar, jeffreyw, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region
