This is the first year I’m participating in the KidLit Progressive Poem. Luckily, the last week or two has been so nutty that I haven’t had too much time to stress about that. (Silver lining!) The general idea is that each participating writer sends two lines to the next poet who chooses one, then writes another two options to send on down the line. It’s been fun to follow along and watch the poem evolve.
After choosing her line from the two sent to her, this year’s Progressive Poem organizer, Margaret Simon (Reflections on the Teche) and one of her students, Chloe, each wrote an option to send my way:
Friends can be found when you open a door.
Or
A never-ending sign connects hand to hand.
Great lines, right? This decision-making is tough stuff! After hemming and hawing, I finally opted for this one: Friends can be found when you open a door.
Here’s the poem after I chose between those two options (and Margaret, you’ll have to tell me later if it’s your line or Chloe’s!):
I’m a case of kindness – come and catch me if you can!
Easily contagious – sharing smiles is my plan.
I’ll spread my joy both far and wide,
As a force of Nature I’ll be undenied.
Words like, “how can I help?” will bloom in the street.
A new girl alone on the playground – let’s meet, let’s meet!
We can jump-skip together in a double-dutch round.
Over, under, jump and wonder, touch the ground.
Friends can be found when you open a door.
…?
What will the next line be? Here are my two choices for Buffy Silverman:
Hold it wide, step inside, where there’s one, there are more.
or
Side by side, let’s walk through, there’s a world to explore.
Below is the full list of participants. Feel free to go back and look at previous options and lines to see how this poem has progressed.
Here is the full list of participants for this year:
April 1 Kat Apel at Kat Whiskers
2 Linda Mitchell at A Word Edgewise
3 Mary Lee at A Year of Reading
4 Donna Smith at Mainly Write
5 Irene Latham at Live your Poem
6 Jan Godown Annino at BookseedStudio
7 Rose Cappelli at Imagine the Possibilities
8 Denise Krebs at Dare to Care
9 Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche
10 Molly Hogan at Nix the Comfort Zone
11 Buffy Silverman
12 Janet Fagel at Reflections on the Teche
13 Jone Rush MacCulloch
14 Susan Bruck at Soul Blossom Living
15 Wendy Taleo at Tales in eLearning
16 Heidi Mordhorst at my juicy little universe
17 Tricia Stohr Hunt at The Miss Rumphius Effect
18 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
19 Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link
20 Robyn Hood Black at Life on the Deckle Edge
21 Leigh Anne Eck at A Day in the Life
22 Ruth Hersey at There is No Such Thing as a God-forsaken Town
23 Janice Scully at Salt City Verse
24 Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference
25 Shari Daniels at Islands of my Soul
26 Tim Gels at Yet There is Method
27 Rebecca Newman
28 Catherine Flynn at Reading to the Core
29 Christie Wyman at Wondering and Wondering
30 Michelle Kogan at More Art 4 All
Nix the comfort zone 
[…] Hogan takes over today, choosing a line from two gifted to her by Margaret. You may read her lines here on her blog, Nix the Comfort Zone. I’m excited to provide the 29th and penultimate line on Thursday, April 29th. I hope you’ll […]
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I love this sweet poem, and the direction it’s headed. Thanks, Molly!
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It was fun to participate this year, and it probably helped that I was too busy to stress about it much.
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Oh, this is going to head off in an interesting direction, I can just sense that. I await Buffy’s contribution tomorrow as I promise myself I am not going to stress about getting my lines ready for poet and friend, Jone McCulloch. I love the open door and its possibility! Thanks, Molly.
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It is fun to see the twists and turns, isn’t it?
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Love this, Molly! Both of your lines encourage exploration and hint that kindness is there for us to find.
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Thanks, Rose! I couldn’t turn down that open door invitation 🙂
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Yikes–I just remembered that I am up! Thanks for the two great lines. Time to put my thinking cap on.
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I love your two options!
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Thanks, Molly. The door is mine. I like how you used the metaphor I set up in both of your lines. This is fun! Now Chloe wants to start one with our writing club.
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I love how you’re spreading that poetry love by inviting your students to participate in all your writing activities.
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When you open a door, so much can happen. This is a bit of a mystery unfolding.
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I was excited to see what Buffy would do with it!
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Oh, nice job! Both these lines are great! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
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Thanks, Ruth!
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I missed your post yesterday, Molly. Both are great matches with Margaret’s line & I love that you’ve “opened the door” for others!
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I’m looking forward to seeing where we travel together on our poetic journey!
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So many delightful openings offered by either line. Almost caught up, what fun for a Sunday afternoon!
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Oh. Your first time! What fun. I love your two lines, Molly. (And that they rhyme within themselves.) Looking forward to seeing which door Buffy steps through.
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🤦♀️ Of course they rhyme! They had to! Second lines.🤦♀️
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I love the line you chose, Molly, and the choices you’ve left for Buffy. What a fun poem!
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Niiiiiiiiice choices! I appreciate your attention to the meter of the lines, too.
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Hmmm… intriguing choices, both, Molly! Great options – off to see which one continues this tale of kindness & friendship. :0)
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Molly, I am backtracking today to feel the flow of the poem. This will help me decide where to move forward with my day 19 lines. Thank you for your thoughtful alignment to the poem.
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I’m behind on checking the posts for the progressive poem, so just going back and catching up now. I love your two welcoming options, so cozy-sounding. 🙂
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