I glanced at the clock on my way down to the basement.
8:11
The message couldn’t have been clearer: the Universe was validating my decision to donate my classroom poetry collection.
It’s not a small thing to let those books go. They represent a key element of my identity as a teacher. A key element of my identity, period. But this is my fourth year of retirement, and because I retired as an online teacher, it’s been five years since children held those books in their hands every week on Poetry Friday. Five years since children chose a poem by themselves or with a partner, practiced the poem, and read it aloud to the class. It’s time for these books to be back in the hands of children. They’re not doing any good on a shelf in the basement.
As I pulled books down off the shelves to box up, I had to remove lots of sticky notes that had been left behind to mark favorite poems, chosen poems, instructions on how the poem would be performed. I remembered all of the timid voices that grew confident over the course of the year. I remembered strong readers generously coaching less able readers. I remembered the whole class supporting special needs students who could only manage a few words at a time but who got the same enthusiastic finger snaps for their effort. I remembered the looks on the faces of children who found poems that spoke deeply to their cultural or linguistic identity — Black kids finding Langston Hughes, Spanish speakers finding poems in two languages, sports kids finding soccer, basketball, and football poems, sassy kids finding sassy poems, nature kids finding nature poems. I remembered the quiet new kid who knocked us all off our feet with his bold and funny performance on his first Friday in the class. He showed us more about who he really was in those few minutes than he had all the rest of the days he’d spent in the classroom with us. He was well and truly a part of our community after that day. I remembered so many moments in the second half of the year when a student would ask to perform a poem they themselves had written. Yes, yes, YES!
Half a shelf of books remain with me: the first copy of a book eventually replaced three times because of its popularity (we loved calling out, “Who has A BAD CASE OF THE GIGGLES??”), books by poets who are personal friends, books that have poems that still speak to me as an adult reader/poet.
There are seven boxes of poetry books ready to go to the school library where the bulk of the rest of my classroom collection of books now lives — a library that was a desert when my friend began working there, but through which she has transformed the entire school. My poetry books will go to her library and to the classroom libraries throughout her school where they will be read and loved once again.
A(nother) Year of Reading 
This goes deep down the heart. No doubt there will be a grief period of letting go (books and identity) together with the joy of gifting. Someone will be very lucky and happy. Young readers will keep growing.
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oh you are speaking to the choir here. Your post took me right back to loving teaching poetry as a first grade teacher. I kept it alive as a science teacher later. I recently came across a folder of my favorite poems I used in first grade and it did NOT go in the recycling bin. I just love your para about kids finding themselves in poems, and how it built community. The power of poetry- your great post reminds us there is nothing quite like it. I’m glad your act of donating your (7 boxes!) of books caused you to write this reflection.
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Oh wow! This got me teary. This is a true gift to the school libary:-)
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Thanks for sharing – what a great project!
Me
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What a special, heartfelt gift and what lucky students, past and future.
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Ah, I can see the tears through your post for your loss, but also the tears of joy as these book treasures get into the hands of children and teachers. Good for you, friend.
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I’m smiling thinking of all those kids perusing and choosing your poetry books!
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Your poetry books will get a new life, a chance to spark a love of reading in more children! As someone who has had to leave lots of books behind, I feel your pain. It’s something only a teacher and book lover can understand. You are doing the right thing. Glad it brought back so many fond memories!
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I know I am facing this very soon. And with grandchildren to read to, I will have a hard time deciding which books to give away. You are doing the right thing. You are doing the right thing!
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Those books have led such storied lives! I’m so glad you shared some of the moments with us–a tribute to their place in your classroom and in your students’ hands. Love this post and how you’ve chosen to let those poetry books wing their way into the hearts of even more children.
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I left many books in my classroom when I retired and have shared many with my grands, neighbors and my newbie teachers, Yet, parting with each one is like parting with a friend and its memories. I get it. I remind myself that a book in someone’s hands is the happiest kind of book……
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This was a treat to read. I could imagine both the wrenching feeling of giving away the books and also the joy that the receivers will feel. I also loved reading about how you brought poetry into your Fridays–I’m thinking I may want to emulate you!
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