A Poem Worth Sharing

On this Mother's Day, when news is abuzz with reactions to how the Supreme Court may overturn Roe vs. Wade, I look at my children and wonder why anyone would reject the gift of life. 

Every life is so precious - from conception to natural death - and so many people are ready and willing to welcome babies that other families cannot care for.

Every day, I am grateful to be "tied down" as Edgar Allen Guest so poetically write about in his poem "Tied Down".

Every life is so precious - from conception to natural death - and so many people are ready and willing to welcome babies that other families cannot care for.

What particularly irks me are those that look at children as a burden.

Yes, children can be challenging, but they are also such an incredible blessing. Every day, I am grateful to be "tied down" as Edgar Allen Guest so poetically wrote about in his poem "Tied Down".|

I think the poem is definitely worth sharing:

'They tie you down,' a woman said,

Whose cheeks should have been flaming red

With shame to speak of children so.

'When babies come you cannot go

In search of pleasure with your friends,

And all your happy wandering ends.

The things you like you cannot do,

For babies make a slave of you.'

I looked at her and said: ''Tis true

That children make a slave of you,

And tie you down with many a knot,

But have you never thought to what

It is of happiness and pride

That little babies have you tied?

Do you not miss the greater joys

That come with little girls and boys?

'They tie you down to laughter rare,

To hours of smiles and hours of care,

To nights of watching and to fears;

Sometimes they tie you down to tears

And then repay you with a smile,

And make your trouble all worth while.

They tie you fast to chubby feet,

And cheeks of pink and kisses sweet.

'They fasten you with cords of love

To God divine, who reigns above.

They tie you, whereso'er you roam,

Unto the little place called home;

And over sea or railroad track

They tug at you to bring you back.

The happiest people in the town

Are those the babies have tied down.

'Oh, go your selfish way and free,

But hampered I would rather be,

Yes rather than a kingly crown

I would be, what you term, tied down;

Tied down to dancing eyes and charms,

Held fast by chubby, dimpled arms,

The fettered slave of girl and boy,

And win from them earth's finest joy.'

May the gift of motherhood - and the right to life - prevail in our country!

Be a Reading Mother!

Image: The Fairy Tale by James Sant

What a blessing each Lord's Day is when we purposefully slow down to focus on faith, family, sometimes friends, and, frequently, taking time to refresh ourselves before another week ahead.

As my children grow, we don't spend the entire day every Sunday together, of course, but we dp aim to be together for Mass and at least a bit of family time, too. 

Sometimes, our time together includes read-togethers. For, yes, even with teens and tweens, I still try to include read alouds in our lives. In the minivan and at home, we sometimes all get read to by an audio CD. At home, I also still read aloud to my kids.

Sometimes they grumble about it. Sometimes they eagerly gather. Always I am glad for the time to share time together with books.

I pray that when my children are older, they will look back at our read-together times with thoughts much like Strickland Gillilan writes about in this poem that is in the public domain.

What a fun poem it is and what a blessing it is to be a mother who reads to her children.

The Reading Mother

by Strickland Gillilan

I had a mother who read to me

Sagas of pirates who scoured the sea,

Cutlasses clenched in their yellow teeth,

"Blackbirds" stowed in the hold beneath.

I had a Mother who read me lays

Of ancient and gallant and golden days;

Stories of Marmion and Ivanhoe,

Which every boy has a right to know.

I had a Mother who read me tales

Of Gelert the hound of the hills of Wales,

True to his trust till his tragic death,

Faithfulness blent with his final breath.

I had a Mother who read me the things

That wholesome life to the boy heart brings--

Stories that stir with an upward touch,

Oh, that each mother of boys were such!

You may have tangible wealth untold;

Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.

Richer than I you can never be--

I had a Mother who read to me.

I encourage all mamas to be reading mothers - reading adventure, reading spiritual readings, reading the Word.

God bless!

Read This Pro-Life Poem

The other night, a child came out to me and asked if I would like to hear a poem. Then, the child began to read the newly penned A Baby's Prayer, A Little Dear.

As the child read delivered the poem - simply and powerfully - tears formed in my eyes.

I asked the child if I could share it and was told, "yes", so am doing do here.

Perhaps the poem will speak to someone's heart.

A Baby's Prayer, A Little Dear

 

A baby's cry, a cry for life in the darkness, begging for life, for rights, begging for love, for care, begging, BEGGING for Mommy to hear.

 

A hardened heart, an unwilling ear, trying, TRYING not to hear, trying, trying not to care.

I don't have the money. I don't have the time.

A hurried decision. A lie for a life. A life for a lie.

 

Please, please, don't make me die.

I'm a child, sweet at heart. I'll love you and care. I won't tear YOU apart.

I know labor's hard, but I beg you from my little heart, from my little hands clasped imploring, from my little brain trying in vain to see how your big brain can think it right to make my world an eternal night...

 

But I know from my little heart with its little beat, you'll do what is right, you'll let me seek that glorious light of life and love. You'll let me share my little joys. You'll help me with my little toys. And you'll let me bring YOU my joy, MY light. I pray as though you might.

 

Hear me, Mommy, hear my prayer.

Don't destroy. Let us share our love - our joy.

It is evident that God has spoken to my child's heart about the beauty and joy of life.

Please join us in praying for the legal protection of the preborn.

Enjoy Art, Music, and Poetry with the Transfiguration

Looking to add some art, music, and poetry to life and learning this week?

Perhaps the plans I just laid our for our upcoming AMP club can help.

Once again this week, we'll spend part of our Art-Music-Poetry club time with a focus on faith, reflecting back on this Sunday's readings about the Transfiguration while doing a picture study. Then, we'll have some free choice mountain-themed music appreciation, a bit of Emily Dickinson for poetry an some drawing time.

Study The Transfiguration by Raphael

Source: Wikipedia

We'll begin by asking if anyone can recall who Raphael is and when he lived (an artist during the High Renaissance.)

Then, we'll recall some of the characteristics common to the High Renaissance, such as:

• perspective.
• precise anatomical correctness.
• authentic emotionality and expression.

We will also see if anyone cane name describe some characteristics of Raphael's individual style, such as:

• clarity
• rich color
• effortless composition
• grandeur

After that, we'll study the last painting Raphael painted - The Transfiguration - a painting that has been described as Raphael's most beautiful and divine and was commissioned in 1517 by Cardinal Giulio de Medici, who later became Pope Clement VII and currently hangs in the Vatican Museums.

To study the painting, we will examine it for 30-60 seconds. Then, I will remove the image and ask each child to narrate some of the details that they noticed.

Then, we will look at the painting again using this Youtube video or looking at a reproduction and reading a reflection of it found at Loyola Press.

Add Some Music Appreciation

Since we'll be talking about the Transfiguration, which happened on a mountain, we'll explore clips of classical music inspired by mountains, letting each child pick one title to listen to a portion of and chatting about whatever resonates with the children.

Chat about Poetry

Continuing with the mountain theme, we'll read a brief poem by Emily Dickinson entitled "The Mountain" and chat about any reactions the children have to it.

The Mountain 

by Emily Dickinson

The mountain sat upon the plain

In his eternal chair,

His observation omnifold,

His inquest everywhere.

The seasons prayed around his knees,

Like children 'round a Sire:

Grandfather of the days is he,

Of dawn the ancestor.

Create Mountain Artwork and Pray 

Finally, we'll create artworks of mountains using a Creating a Masterpiece Mountain Hike drawing project. (You could also choose a video from Youtube at the level of your children or simply create original artwork instead.)

If there is time, we will conclude by recalling that prayer is one of the pillars of Lent and, then, try out an imaginative prayer exercise from IgnatianSpritiuality.com.

I pray these ideas might help you and yours enjoy art, music, and poetry as you continue your Lenten journey.

Enjoy Art, Music, and Poetry as You Prepare for Lent

It's easy to neglect the riches of art, music, and poetry as we move through the busyness of every day life and learning. Thus, I am always thankful when our AMP club gets together, since it encourages us to take some time for the arts.

I appreciate even more when a desire to live the liturgical year dovetails with our AMP plans. That is exactly what happened this week as we prepare for to enter into Lent.

If you'd like some ideas for sharing art, music, and poetry as you enter into Lent as well, perhaps the resources and ideas we used can help you.

Study The Fight Between Carnival and Lent

Begin by saying that you will be focusing on an artwork painted of a Dutch town. Ask if anyone knows where "Dutch" people and things come from ( the Netherlands). Then, find the Netherlands on a map or globe.

Source: Wikipedia

Invite children to share what they think they might see in a Dutch artwork. Then, without giving its title, study an image of Pieter Brueghel the Elder's The Fight Between Carnival and Lent from 1559 by having everyone examine it in silence for 30-60 seconds, looking at its details.

After 30-60 seconds have passed, remove the image and ask each child to narrate some of the details that they noticed.

Reveal the painting again, and ask if anyone has any idea what time period it comes from based on its characteristics.

Discuss the children's ideas, bearing in mind that the painting is from the Renaissance and some common characteristics of Renaissance art are:

• individualism: Artworks often highlighted individual people or the individuality in people. 
• secularism - There were fewer church paintings. 
• classicism - Some artworks showed classic Roman and Greek influence.
• nature - Artworks often depicted the outdoors.
• anatomy - Art focused on defined and precise human anatomy.
• linear perspective - Art showed an appearance of things relative to one another as determined by their distance from the viewer
• realism - Artistic representation aimed for visual accuracy.
• depth - Light and shading were used to create a sense of depth.
• symmetry - Balanced proportions were often included.

Include Some Music Appreciation

After chatting about the The Fight Between Carnival and Lent as an example of Renaissance art, suggest that everyone look at it closely once again, noticing more details and guessing at what the artwork's title might be. While doing so, as music appreciation, listen to a period composition or two.

One way to do this is with the following Youtube video. (Just preset the video to begin after the portion with the title showing so that you don't spoil the fun of having children come up with their own names for the painting.)

If using the Youtube video above, note that the music in it is composed by two composers, the first of which was a Dutch composer who was known for his church music and composed many Masses.

After the video concludes, chat about new details children noticed within the painting and what they thought of the music.

Connect to Faith

Ask if anyone might offer an idea for what the painting could be titled, then reveal it's true title and chat about Lent and Carnival / Shrove Tuesday / Fat Tuesday / Pancake Tuesday.

Watch the following Youtube video or look at the painting once more while reading this reflection from Loyola Press.

Pause for a moment to ask students to look inward and ask themselves what keeps them from following God? Invite them to think about this as they enter into Lent.

Transition to Poetry with the Symbol of Fish

Ask what the children know about Lent and how we observe Lent. Chat about ideas and, at some point, talk about the idea that a symbol often used in Lent is fish.

Chat about why we might be see the symbol of fish during Lent and at other times of the year. Children might point out that a fish is a symbol of Christ or that there are fish drawn on calendars to remind us to abstain. Let the conversation flow with their ideas.

Then, tell children that you will read some letter poems from a human to a fish and a fish to human which have little to do with Lent, but are interesting and fun poems.

Present "To a Fish" and "A Fish Answers" by Leigh Hunt.

Discuss any reactions the children have to each poem.

Wonder and Invite.

Wonder aloud about such things as:

• How does the human feel about the fish?
• How does the fish feel about the human?
• What makes each poem a poem and not just a letter?
• What poetic devices did you notice?
• What imagery stood out to you?
• What was humorous?
• What did you like about each poem?
• What do these poems speak to you about or make you think about?
• What emotion do these poems show?

With older children, wonder how people may have looked upon Jesus during the time he was traveling and teaching and how he looked upon them... how each person at the for of the cross might have looked at Jesus and how he looked at them... how we look to God and how He looks upon us... 

If pairing your study of the painting and the poems as you think about Lent has made any connections for you, share them with the children.

Invite children to write their own perspective letter poems later about an animal, a symbol of Lent, Jesus' ministry and passion, etc.

Invite them to research more later about the Catholic rules of abstinence and why we can eat fish and reptiles during Lent, but not red meat or poultry.

If it did not come up during conversation, invite children to look into why a fish is a symbol for Christ later.  You might even point them to ideas from Catholic.com:

 "What did the fish represent? Above all, it was Jesus Christ. The dominant language of the early Church was Greek, and in Greek the phrase “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior” produced the acronym ICHTHYS, the Greek word for fish. A Christian poem of the second century spells the word with the first letters of each line. Thus, the fish is a simple creed: It professes belief in Jesus’ divinity and his identity as the Christ, the anointed Savior (see Matt. 16:16)." 

Create Fish Artworks

Finally create artwork of fish.

Like our AMP club did you might use a Creating a Masterpiece beginner drawing fish cartoon project. Or, you might choose an appropriate video from Youtube at the level of your children or simply create original artwork.

If, like us, you choose a happy-looking cartoon fish, ask children why we might have created such silly, smiling fish when discussing such a solemn time as Lent.

Tie into the idea that while we fast and sacrifice during Lent, we do so with a heart for Jesus. We do not moan, complain, and look glum. Rather, we sacrifice with inner joy and peace. Our fish artworks can remind us of this.

Finally, ask children to reflect on how we might wean ourselves from sin and selfishness throughout Lent through prayer, fasting, almsgiving... how we might better discern and live God's will for our lives... and how we might make His kingdom come first in our hearts.

I pray these ideas might help you and yours enjoy art, music, and poetry as you prepare and enter into a fruitful Lenten season.

Celebrate St. Luke's Feast Day with Art, Music, and Poetry

If you're looking to include some art, music, and poetry in your observance of St. Luke's feast day, then I have some ideas for you.

Since our family's next AMP Club meeting happens to fall on St. Luke's feast day, and St. Luke is my son's name day, I have decided to marry feast day inspiration with our usual and AMP meeting activities, so we can observe the feast day with friends.

As I often do, I am sharing our saint-inspired AMP plans here in case you, too, would like to celebrate the liturgical year through the riches of art, music, and poetry.

Invite Children to Share What They Know about St. Luke

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St. Luke the Evangelists images, peg dolls, Figgies & Jammies "books", a reading about St. Luke, a candle, and perhaps another treat can make a wonderful invitation to welcome children to the feast day celebration.

Once everyone has gathered, looking at the symbols painted on the doll, the edible books, etc., ask children to share what they know about St. Luke.


Share about St. Luke

If you have time, after children share what they know about St. Luke, perhaps watch a few different Youtube biographies about St. Luke online, taking notes which can be used in a poem lately.

Or, read the brief St. Luke iography which can be found free online at Loyola Press and is excerpted from Voices of the Saints.


St. Luke Art Appreciation

St. Luke Painting the Virgin; source: Wikipedia

Offer children, or pairs or trios of children, different images of St. Luke(as pictured in this section) and encourage the children to study the image they receive or 30-60 seconds.  Then, to turn it over and recall what they can from the image in terms of "art words" and what was actually depicted.

A Painting by Hermen Rode; source: Wikimedia Commons

Chat about the things they note and, then, lay all of the images out side by side. Challenge the children to discover something that is the same about each of the images: Each has an ox in it!

St Luke the Apostle and Evangelist; source: Wikimedia Commons

Ask if anyone knows why St. Luke is often depicted with or by the symbol of a winged ox. Point out, as is explained on Catholic Culture, that:

The ox, recognized as the animal of sacrifice, was applied to St. Luke because his Gospel emphasizes the atonement made by Christ's sacrifice of himself on the Cross.

St. Luke Displaying a Painting of the Virgin; source: Wikimedia Commons 

Detail, as explained on Catholic Exchange:

Oxen were used in temple sacrifices. For instance, when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem, an ox and a fatling were sacrificed every six steps (2 Sm 6). St. Luke begins his Gospel with the announcement of the birth of St. John the Baptizer to his father, the priest Zechariah, who was offering sacrifice in the Temple (Lk 1). St. Luke also includes the parable of the Prodigal Son, in which the fatted calf is slaughtered, not only to celebrate the younger son’s return, but also to foreshadow the joy we must have in receiving reconciliation through our most merciful Savior who as Priest offered Himself in sacrifice to forgive our sins. Therefore, the winged ox reminds us of the priestly character of our Lord and His sacrifice for our redemption.

St. Luke Painting the Madonna; source: Wikimedia Commons

Then, take specific note of all the different oxen in the images - their placement, the way they are painted, etc.

St. Luke Painting the Virgin Mary; source: Wikimedia Commons

The Ox (or, Rather, Cattle) Music Appreciation 

Connecting to the idea of Luke's symbol being a flying ox, ask children if they think any classical music has ever been composed about an ox, or cattle.

Of course! There is actually a piece called "Pictures at an Exhibition" with a portion of it called "Bydlo" (The Cattle) which was composed by Mussorgsky in 1874 and, later, redone by other composers. (An audio of the piece can be found here.)

Play The Cattle for the children and ask them to try to imagine a scene.

Discuss how the piece was inspired by "a Polish cart on enormous wheels, drawn by oxen."

Listen for how it begins fortissimo (ff) (loudly), suggesting that the lumbering oxcart's journey begins in the listener's foreground. 

Then, listen for how it reaches a climax (con tutta forza), followed by a diminuendo (decrease in loudness) to a final pianississimo (ppp) (quieter playing), suggesting the oxcart receding into the distance.

Have students name the instrument the piece was played on: a piano!

Then, without showing the Youtube video above, just listening to it, see if children can guess what the main instrument the piece is being played with in it: string instruments like cellos. (Perhaps, recall how the piano is also a string instrument, but crosses over to being percussion instrument.)

Finally, play the Ravel version of the same piece.  Have children listen for a different depiction of where the ox cart begins and goes to. See, if they notice how in the Rael version, you can hear the cart come from a distance, get closer, then go away.

Share and Write Letter Poetry

Ask children what they might say if they had a chance to talk to the oxcart man?  To the ox itself? To one of the composers? To Mama Mary and the Child Jesus? To St. Luke?

As how God talks to us. As about one way we know His Will and Word - the Bible, the inspired word of God, a sort of "letter" to God's people.Read about what inspired Luke to write his Gospel and, then, suggest that instead of waiting to get to Heaven to ask St. Luke about writing the Gospel, we could compose our thoughts now into a Letter Poem - or we could write a letter poem to anyone else.

Recall the different types of poetry we have studied before, such as Persona Poems, Direct Address Poems, Haiku, and more, and then explain that a Letter Poem is a letter we write in a poetic form.

Source: Amazon

Read about Letter Poems in Poetry from A to Z and suggest that we each write a letter poem - perhaps a thank you letter as a poem - to someone we know who St Luke is patron to - artists, bachelors, bookbinders, brewers, butchers, glassworkers, goldsmiths, lacemakers, notaries, painters, physicians, sculptors, stained glass workers, and surgeons - or to St. Luke, Mama Mary, the Child Jesus, or even an oxcart man.

Begin drafting quick writes of such poetry, and, after five minutes, share poetry with one another.

Create Art

Finally, create some art.

You might model artworks after the art examined during the picture study.

You might draw an ox with wings.

You might create images of the Blessed Virgin Mother and the Baby Jesus.

Or, you could do a completely different art project, such  as Simplicity by Creating a Masterpiece, but challenge children to somehow add a symbol of St. Luke into their finished work.

Symbols include a winged ox, a winged calf, an ox, a picture of the Virgin, a palette and brushes, vials of medicine, physician's robes, an easel, a book and pen, hatchet, a wooden horse, books of his Gospel and of the Acts, a bishop, or someone painting an icon of our Lady.

More Feasting, Fun, and Learning with St. Luke

You might also consider adding other. St. Luke day fun, learning, and food to your day:

Rock Art and More

Planning a St. Luke's Feast Day Resource Round Up

I'd love to hear about how you celebrate St. Luke's feast day. Please do pop back to comment here or on our Facebook page to let me know. 

 Lord God, who chose Saint Luke to reveal by his preaching and writings the mystery of your love for the poor, grant that those who already glory in your name may persevere as one heart and one soul and that all nations may merit to see your salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

~The Collect

 St. Luke the Evangelist, pray for us!

Celebrate St Francis of Assisi through Art, Music, and Poetry

If you're looking for a way to include the riches of art, music, and poetry into your day on October 4th, feel free to borrow ideas from the plans I've made for our AMP Club meeting. 

When I realized meeting was schedules for St. Francis of Assisi's feast day, I decided to connect all of our activities to Saint Francis.

Invite Children to Share What They Know about St. Francis

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St. Francis images, statues, books, a candle, and some Little Ducks gummies,  K-Kritter animal crackers (due to St. Francis' connection with animals) honey-almond cookies (said to be a favorite of St. Francis), or another treat can make a wonderful invitation to welcome children to the feast day celebration.

Once everyone has gathered, you might ask whose feast day it is and what children know about St. Francis.


Share about St. Francis and the Birds

Source: Wikimedia Commons

During the sharing, if no one pipes up with the story of St. Francis and the Birds, wonder aloud about how many St. Francis statues and images include birds and why that could be... Then, wait for the children to chime in.

If a child can retell the story of St. Francis and the Birds, encourage that child to do so, adding details as seems fitting. You may even wish to read or listen to the words of the Sermon to the Birds:

My little sisters, the birds, much bounden are ye unto God, your Creator, and always in every place ought ye to praise Him, for that He hath given you liberty to fly about everywhere, and hath also given you double and triple raiment; moreover He preserved your seed in the ark of Noah, that your race might not perish out of the world; still more are ye beholden to Him for the element of the air which He hath appointed for you; beyond all this, ye sow not, neither do you reap; and God feedeth you, and giveth you the streams and fountains for your drink; the mountains and valleys for your refuge and the high trees whereon to make your nests; and because ye know not how to spin or sow, God clotheth you, you and your children; wherefore your Creator loveth you much, seeing that He hath bestowed on you so many benefits; and therefore, my little sisters, beware of the sin of ingratitude, and study always to give praises unto God.

Saint Francis of Assisi - c1220

Source: Amazon

You might also wish to read a picture book related to St. Francis and the Birds, such as The Song of Saint Francis or Saint Francis Preaches to the Birds.

Source: Amazon

You could also listen to a story on YouTube.

St. Francis and the Birds Art Appreciation

Source: WikiArt

Next, introduce Giotti's image of Saint Francis Preaching to the Birds, the fresco of St. Francis Preaching to the Birds, or another great artwork on the same theme.

Source: Wikimedia

Encourage the children to study the image for 30-60 seconds.  Then, turn it over and ask the children what they recall from the image.

(If you've never done a picture study before, Simply Charlotte Mason has a good explanation with a demo video, Well-Trained Mind explains how to lead with simple questions, and Mater Amabilis offers an approach. A Humble Place also offers a FREE Giotti Picture Study Resource!)

Source: Amazon

You might also wish to share The Story of St. Francis or The Message of Saint Francis for browsing.

Source: Amazon

St. Francis and the Birds Music Appreciation and Creation

Share that many musical compositions have been inspired by birds and ask children to name some famous composers.

Vivaldi Handel, Beethoven, Saint-Saens, or others may come up. (If they don't, you can cue such names.) As they do, share clips of classical music that these famous classic composers created with the inspiration of birds.  Squilt, Spinditty, and Classical-music.com all have curated some with YouTube videos.

While listening, you may wish to do some "musical sketching" by  "drawing what they hear". Or, you could simply listen to one piece, and, then, play the others while children create their own bird artworks.

My children and I may also try our hand at creating pencil drawings of owls with Creating a Masterpiece. You might enjoy that too.  Or use one of many free online tutorials for creating bird art, such as this one:

Share and Write Poetry

Finally, invite children to share any poems they might know about birds and share Robert Louis Stevenson's "Time To Rise":

A birdie with a yellow bill
Hopped upon my window sill,
Cocked his shining eye and said:
"Ain't you 'shamed, you sleepy-head!"

Notice how in the poem, the bird addresses someone. Recall how St. Francis addressed the birds. Chat about how there are different types of poetry and one is "Direct Address", or a poem that talks directly to another person or thing, such as a bird!

Source: Amazon

If desired, read a bit more about Direct Address poems in Poetry from A to Z and suggest at the end of reading about them that the poems can also be written to inspire! Much like St. Francis' Sermon to the Birds inspires us to be grateful and praise God.

Then, challenge children to write a direct address poem to a bird or other animal that has a faith-inspired message.

More Feasting, Fun, and Learning with St. Francis

You might also consider adding other. St. Francis feast day fun, leading, and food to your day:

Celebrate with St. Francis

Go on a St. Francis Nature Hunt

Enjoy a Game

I'd love to hear if you use any of these ideas and how your feast day celebrations go. Please do pop back to comment here or on our Facebook page to let me know.  I also, of course, welcome your ideas, inspiration, and links for celebrating!

 St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!