Thursday, April 18, 2019

NPM: What Is Supposed to Happen by Naomi Shihab Nye: Post #14

I'm posting one of my favorite poems by Naomi Shihab Nye. I included it in a memory book that I made for my daughter as a high school graduation gift. The book was filled with poems, photographs, and memorabilia from her childhood and high school years. She loved it so much that she took it with her when she went off to college.

WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN
by Naomi Shihab Nye

When you were small,
we watched you sleeping,
waves of breath
filling your chest.
Sometimes we hid behind
the wall of baby, soft cradle
of baby needs.
I loved carrying you between
my own body and the world.

Now you are sharpening pencils,
entering the forest of
lunch boxes, little desks.
People I never saw before
call out your name
and you wave.
Click here to read the rest of the poem.
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BOOK GIVEAWAY
I'll be giving away an autographed copy of A Suitcase of Seaweed & More by Janet Wong. It's not only an excellent poetry book--it's also an excellent classroom writing resource, which could inspire students to write poems about their own life experiences.

To be entered into the drawing for the book, all you have to do is to comment on any of my Wild Rose Reader posts that I publish from April 14th through April 20th. I'll announce the winner on Sunday, April 21st.




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3 comments:

  1. Linda MitchellApril 19, 2019 at 5:53 AM

    OK, you've undone me....or rather Naomi Shihab Nye has undone me here. I have one in college, one just decided on her college and two left in high school. My kids came into my family fast. It was fun and crazy and wonderful. They are leaving just as fast and my eyes grow more ancient every day.
    sob.

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  2. AnonymousApril 19, 2019 at 7:41 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. AnonymousApril 19, 2019 at 7:46 PM

    Naomi Shihab Nye is a favorite poet of mine. This is a great poem. I'm sending a copy to my daughters. My grandchildren are growing up way too fast. A Suitcase of Seaweed is the reason I met Janet Wong. We have known each other since that first came out. I'm looking forward to seeing this new revised edition.

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