NC poet Phillip Shabazz delighted the fourth, fifth, and sixth grade combined classes at Willow Oak Montessori Charter, making our second Artists-in-Schools residency of the season a smashing success.
“Imagination is an unlimited gift we call art. Everywhere you look is art.
Even science, even math, is art.”
–Phillip Shabazz, Artists-in-Schools residency
Students spent three days in the residency, reading the works of poets like Nikki Giovanni, Tupac Shakur, and Phillip Shabazz himself. Then it was their turn to write!
Mr. Shabazz discussed several different types of poems, including lunes (3-line, 11-word poems), rhyming couplets, list poems, and ode poems. The kids were asked to write one of each over the course of the residency. They were given title prompts like “Thrift Store,” “Gift Shop,” “Grumpy Things,” “Junk,” “Treasure.” The group also read examples of each type of poem, including Phillip’s list poem titled “Shabazz’s Grumpy Things.”
Slip-on dress shoes—black and shiny,
brown number 32 football jersey,
gray coveralls with oil spots,
a gold pocket watch I won in a card game,
brown crush velvet housecoat soft like a cat’s fur,
a thin black comb clean as a guitar,
razor blades sharp as lightning,
a little wad of cash lucky as a four-leaf clover,
white shirts on hangers,
a leather jacket black as a panther for my birthday,
a thousand rolls of quarters,
a scar on my forehead from a car crash,
a bottle of Old Spice, a stick of deodorant,
drives a fast white SUV.
Mr. Shabazz gave the students 10 minutes or less to complete their poems, so the room went quiet. The sound of furious scribbling was all anyone could hear . . . until volunteers were called to read their poems aloud. And the students were eager to share.
One by one, students headed to the front of the class to share their poems. Some were silly. Some were funny. Some explored hard, sad things. All were a release for the kids, who were discovering a new artistic outlet for their feelings.
The kids found poetry to be a gift of new expression, and on the last day of the residency, they had a gift for Mr. Shabazz to show their appreciation. One even wrote an ode poem to him!
“Keep writing. You are the future voices of this country. Make sure your voice is heard–whether you’re in the city or the country. Make your life a work of art.
Make the best out of yourself.”
–Phillip Shabazz
This residency was powered by generous support from Willow Oak Montessori Parents and Families.
Arts for Resilient Kids programming is made possible by partnerships with Chatham County Schools, Chatham County, the North Carolina Arts Council, and many individual, foundation, business donors.
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