Heidi gave the Inklings our challenge this month: “There are so many ways in which we’ve all (but especially as women, as educators) had to be persistent, despite our weariness. Write a poem (for kids or adults) about PERSISTENCE. If you write for kids, maybe try a definito!” Little did she know her words would hold So. Much. More. Truth. in these past couple of weeks.
Here are the rules for writing a definito: “the definito is a free verse poem of 8-12 lines (aimed at readers 8-12 years old) that highlights wordplay as it demonstrates the meaning of a less common word, which always ends the poem.“
And here’s how the rest of the crew met Heidi’s challenge:
Linda@A Word Edgewise
Heidi @my juicy little universe
Molly@Nix the Comfort Zone
Catherine@Reading to the Core
Margaret@Reflections on the Teche
Janice has this week’s Poetry Friday roundup at Salt City Verse.
A(nother) Year of Reading 
Perfection! All the synonyms right there in poetic display. Love the who/what/where nature of your structure. Great take on the prompt.
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Tip top encapsulation poem, Mary Lee! And your accompanying photo affirms my ‘be-leaf’ in persistence even more. 🙂
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Oh, Mary Lee! You nailed it! I love the questioning structure of your poem and the incorporation of its near relatives–dare I say, it’s family tree? That amazing accompanying photograph is perfection! Fabulous response to the challenge!
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Oh, you brought her to life, Mary Lee! (I think she deserves a capital P.) Placing Persistence among her family, in her community (that word was in my poem too for a minute), in our time–just genius! I hope we don’t have to stand tall all alone, though. Wonderful.
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This is just right, and to end with insistence, persistence rhyme is perfection. Let’s adopt the daughter of patience and keep going.
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This is wonderful. Can’t wait to try these poems with my students.
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What a bold, brash gal Persistence is, I’ve always liked her, but your personification brings out even more wonder as she seamlessly reveals herself—marvelous, thanks!
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Love this, Mary Lee! It reminds me of the bio-poem scaffold that I used with kids many times. Your last vere is powerful! Yes, we must stand tall with insistence.
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No one thing but ALL of these we must enlist! Wishing that everyone could read this & be inspired, Mary Lee. It’s awesome!
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Bravo, Mary Lee! I love everything about this poem! The structure and word choice work together to build to a powerful ending. Your words are an anthem for our time!
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Oooh, I like this, Mary Lee. And there’s something really satisfying for me about using family relationships and familiar directional phrases and such with abstract concepts like this. It really adds more concrete interest to an abstract kind of topic.
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Wow – I just love this poem, Mary Lee. The last two lines really stand out because of your selective use of rhyme.
This is a new poetic form for me. Another one to add to my list of forms to try. Thanks for sharing this!
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Love, love, LOVE this, and the illustration.
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