Yesterday I sat in Cowin Auditorium at Teachers College and listened to Naomi Shihab Nye.
Love flowed from her to us and back again. We are her tribe. She spoke, and we held on. The power of writing lifts us up and fills us with what we know to be true.
Nye offered four pieces of sound writerly advice:
1. Be a fan of writers, artists, musicians, the weird gardner down the street. This gives you fuel, it gives you energy to go on.
2. Believe in the tiny increments of time, they stack up and allow you to build.
3. Share your work
4. Have rituals, they promote confidence
In the spirit of this, hello Poetry Friday. No apologies necessary. The ritual begins.
Naming
allows identity.
Writing
allows memory.
It gives us a place
to be heard
and know we matter.
With that power
we think
and become more.
We find the form,
the shape
and name it.
We exist.
©Julieanne Harmatz
Thank you, Carol, at Carol’s Corner for hosting this week.
To Read To Write To Be 
Love this advice … Tiny increments do add up. Thank you for sharing your learning and your work. Always inspiring, Julieanne.
The rituals of Poetry Friday and Slice of Life have promoted confidence in us both, Julieanne. Thank you for sharing your lovely poem and Naomi Shihab Nye’s wise advice. I’m so glad you got to here her speak. Will you be at the Reading Institute next week?
Bravo, my friend. When we name it, we own it – and what better thing to own than one’s own voice?!
Naomi is one of my all time favorite poet friends. Her advice is so real and true. I’m happy to see you in this community of poetry love. Your poem is just right for me right now. I exist.
I love that poetry AKA poets are important at TCRWP. The food for souls that abounds in poetry does allow us to fuel our passions. Naming has been the most powerful strategy for my professional and personal life. Such a source of growth!
Happy Friday!
I often forget that the little moments add up. I waste little moments all too frequently. I’m going to try naming a moment and see if I can claim more of it!
You had me at “a week at TCRWP” and “with Naomi Shihab Nye.” JEALOUS!
Thanks for her 4 bits of advice, and for your wise and true poem! Hope to see you back often!