Jackson resident, Alisson Mendez, a sixth grade student at Blackburn Laboratory Middle School, attended The Magnolia Literacy Project’s (MLP) Spring 2022 Poetry Workshop Series for Young Mississippians. The theme was: “Comparing a Beautiful Creation of Nature to My Mother and/or Grandmother”. Students from various counties in Mississippi participated.
During the workshops, youth in elementary, middle, and high school were engaged in lessons on basic elements of poetry. They received a template to use as a springboard for developing their poems. Afterwards, each youth was asked to select a bright, multi-colored nature sticker from one of three bins – one with flowers, another with birds, and a third one with butterflies. The goals were to choose a sticker that reminded them of their mothers and/or grandmothers and write a poem(s), showing similarities between the sticker’s image(s) and the woman (or women) they wished to honor.
The Spring 2022 Poetry Workshop Series for Young Mississippians was sponsored by The MLP in partnership with the Lincoln County Public Library; Walmart (Flowood and Madison); Angel’s Attic Thrift Store in Brookhaven; Bank of Brookhaven; Boys & Girls Club of Lincoln County; and Blackburn Laboratory Middle School in Jackson.
In Alisson's poem, “Birds, Rain, Sunlight, and Flower Blossoms”, she honors her mother.
“Birds, Rain, Sunlight, and Flower Blossoms”
Sitting at the park,
I see a beautiful bird.
It reminds me of my mom, Mirna "Mamá Querida".
The colorful pajaro (bird) has a beautiful pollito (chick), Ama Bird.
It chirps for its mother, wanting and waiting for her amor (love).
The chick and its mother se abrazan (hug each other),
And their plumas (feathers) seemed like flores (flowers).
My favorite thing about the pajaro and pollito
Is the amor they share for each other.
They seem inseparable.
They are delightful to look at
With the full sunlight shining on them.
The pajaro makes me feel peaceful.
My mamá has glowing eyes,
Making me sonrío (smile) with her amor.
I feel joy seeing someone so amable (nice) like you,
Querida mamá.
My favorite thing about her is
Seeing her precious sonrisa (smile),
Making her rosy cachetes (cheeks)
Look so full of various shades of pink.
My Mom makes me feel amada (loved) and special.
Ama Bird and my Mamá Querida are alike
Because they blossom when it rains and brighten my day.
Ellos me dan una sonrisa cuando estoy triste.
Te quiero querida Mamá. (They make me smile when I am sad. I love you, dear Mother!)