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Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Pancakes-The Good Old Days

Slice 21 of 31
@ Two Writing Teachers for hosting the Slice of Life Challenge 2013

Pancakes-The Good Old Days
Inspired by Mentor Text Keynote Address
Shared by Ralph Fletcher at the Dublin Literacy Conference
February 24, 2013

Hearing Ralph Fletcher speak at the conference was incredible.  He gave such insightful information on developing writers.  He shared with us ideas on uses for mentor texts which was helpful.  He took us through a writing experience where we wrote with the help of the mentor text, "The Good Old Days".  The poem was used as a guide to create our own poems about a special memory we have from something long ago.  That day, I wrote about how my married life was different b.k. (before kids).I was able to meet Mary Lee Hahn and Maria Caplan.  They were sitting behind me.  Mary Lee snapped this pic while I was trying to capture Ralph's words!




I decided to try another after reflecting on how I remembered my mom making pancakes on Sunday mornings especially in the early Spring and Summer.  I loved waking up to my mom's cooking...

Sometimes I remember
the good old days,

Hearing the chirping birds
Awakening with the sun

Cool morning air
floating in the downstairs windows

Snuggling under the cozy covers
warmish yet cooled at the same time

The smell of mom's home-made pancakes
sneaking down the stairs

And then the call to breakfast
Warmed syrup making runny puddles

Eating the tasty bites
blended with melting butter

I still can't imagine
tasty breakfasts better than that!


24 comments:

  1. B.K. = Before Kids (Never heard that before, but I think I may use that. Though mine would be singular.)

    Anyway, I loved this poem. What wonderful images it evokes! I'm having trouble sleeping. I've been up for 2 hours and therefore I'm now thinking about making pancakes. (BUT IT IS 4 AM so I'll refrain!)

    I hope one day my daughter writes a poem like this about her mama's pancakes. Because it's not just about the food... it's about the comfort of home.

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    1. That's sweet! I am sure Isabelle will have lots of wonderful things to say about her momma when she is grown! ;)

      You're right, it is about the comfort of home!

      Hope you got some shut eye!

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  2. Ha! I often think of my life as BK and AK. Your poem brings back many memories for me which is what a good poem can do. The images of syrup and smells sneaking are strong ones. Stacey's right about the comfort that seeps out of your poem.

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    1. Thanks Melanie!

      Yes, we use BK and AK often...life definitely changed!

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  3. My mother's pancakes are the best! I've never been able to make them right, so my kids have grown up looking forward to my mother's pancakes too, not mine. I am hungry now. And I have a longing for home.

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    1. Sweet! Margaret,
      How often do you get to go home?

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  4. I love the smell sneaking down the stairs. And I love Ralph!

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    1. It's kinda funny how I imagined the smell as another person moving down the steps to tap me on the shoulder...

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  5. "And then the call to breakfast
    Warmed syrup making runny puddles"
    Amy, I love these lines and my mom used to warm the syrup too. I'm off to write my own pancake post!

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    1. Love the turtle pancake story! Moms sure know how to save the day!

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  6. Love this! I will have to find the one I wrote when I heard Ralph last summer at All Write. Maybe it will give me another Slice post! :)

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    1. Good luck with writing your slice...

      Glad you liked it!

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  7. Your conference sounds amazing....Ralph Fletcher, Mary Lee and Maria! Pancakes are a summer thing in our house, too. Your lovely poem reminded me of deliciously lazy summer mornings on this dreary winter day, thank you!

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    1. You're welcome! It was so dreary outside here too!

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  8. How fun to learn at a conference. I want some of your mom's pancakes too. My favorite memory of my mom is hearing the popcorn pop on the stove.

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    1. Yep! I was thinking of writing about my dad this way too...his forte was the popcorn at night!

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  9. This poem makes me hungry, and it's the third reference to pancakes I've encountered today! It's a good thing we've had dinner already. Otherwise, we'd be having pancakes. Thanks for sharing your memory!

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    1. We sometimes had pancakes for dinner when I was little!

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  10. Your poem reminded me that it has been way too long since I made crapes (=the pancakes that we ate when I was growing up). Maybe this weekend....

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    1. Jaana,
      My grandma use to make crepes...she would make them with several different fillings and that would make us want to try lots of different kinds...

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  11. Ya! I am finally reading one of your posts:) I love the description of your mom's pancakes. I have the sweetest story in an old writer's notebook about the teddy bear pancakes my grandma used to make me with her homemade syrup. mmmmm. I love Ralph Fletcher too. I use his mini lessons all the time. It would be great to see him at a workshop!

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    1. Yay! Margie!
      Teddy bear pancakes sound sweet!
      Are you going to share your story?

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  12. I just did these poems with my students! I was there for that conference too! Love love love these! (I can't eat pancakes with cold syrup! It's GOT to be warmed!)
    Thanks for sharing!
    Trish

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