Life is

In a poetry lesson with the Grade 10s, we discussed the images Langston Hughes uses in the poem Life is fine. I encouraged the class to write their own poem starting with the words Life is... After many grumbles and blank faces I went around the classroom trying to create a poem where each person had to think of an imagine of what life is on their way to school: "life is a creased suit...life is a cup of coffee...life is butterflies in your tummy as your crush walks by...life is a bus, a train ticket...life is traffic...life is rice crispies...life is black and white...life is hugs...Life is a snail"

Eventually some got into the rhythm of the conversation and wrote a few lines. While the kids wrote their poems quietly, penning down their musings about their teenage life, I decided to make use of the rare occasion.

life is...
ink in my skin
kink in my hair
watching flowers bursting, giving birth to flames
life is laughter dancing through my body, wiggling my toes,
hugs squeezing my neck softly, a little hand curled around my fingers
a peck on the cheek
life is healing food with a soft breeze brushing my back
life is a brand new book
life is full of wonder, wonderful