When I was a kid in German elementary school back in the 80s, we had these things called a Poesiealbum, literally poetry album. It was a blank notebook that you passed around to your friends, and each friend would take it home, pick a page, and write down a little poem or rhyme.
We each had our go-to rhymes that we would write in our friends albums, and of course, pages got (more or less) lavishly decorated with stickers and drawings.
Here's a classic example:
Apparently, the practice goes all the way back to the 18th century and beyond. I remember looking at my grandmother's album that she still had from her childhood.
Then, they looked a bit more like this:
Apart from that epic oldschool handwriting (Sütterlin, if you're curious), not much changed in the 50-odd years between the two. Kids were still being poets, sharing wise rhymes about the joys in life.
There is so much I love about this, the witty rhymes, the artsy decorations, and the fact that we were all at some point happily sharing poetry with each other.
So today, we'll bring back an updated version of the Poesiealbum.
The Activity: Your little book of poetry
Step 1: Get a notebook
For all you stationery addicts out there, this might already be the best part. Get yourself a new blank notebook. It can be as simple or as fancy as you like.
Step 2: Collect Some Poetry
Of course, and unfortunately, we're no longer in elementary school. We can no longer rely on a class of 30 mini-Goethe's to provide us with endless eternal wisdom in rhyme form. We're bloody adults and responsible for finding our own wise rhymes - le sigh.
Listen, I'm not much of a poetry aficionado. There's a lot of poetry there that's two deep or high or abstract for me to be able to appreciate. But there are tons of limericks that are hilarious, song lyrics that are epic, and yes, poems, that move something inside.
Here's a funny one to start you off with:
When I'm old and mankey,
I'll never use my hankey.
I'll wee on plants,
and soil my pants,
and sometimes get quite cranky.
Google around a bit, find something that speaks to you. It could be spoken word, a haiku, or whatever else you feel is poetic enough to put in your little book of poetry.
Step 3 - Decorate (optional)
Once more for the stationery lovers in the room: go get your stickers, stamps, and washi tapes and decorate your poem to your hearts desire.
Step 4 - Keep collecting
Keep on collecting poetry (of any shape or form). You might even go back to the original inspiration, and pass it on to some of your friends so they can add their favourite poem or quote or song lyrics.
We want to create a book full of beautiful words - words of wisdom, words of joy, words that remind us of the good times and the good people in our lives. A book our grandchildren can look back on one day, and admire our old-school handwriting, our amazing stickers, and our beautiful collection of poetry.
My Example
As I mentioned, I'm not super intro poetry - or am I? I mean I just wrote a whole prompt about it…
Anyways, I searched around a bit and landed on the first verse of a(n apparently famous) poem by Robert Frost - The Road Not Taken.
The words speak to me, I can definitely recognise myself, especially in this first verse.
Here's the whole poem for your new-found poetry appreciation pleasure:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Have a lovely week!
Love, Lorena