Brookhaven resident, Ava Stewart, a ninth grade student with a 3.36 grade point average, 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 Ava's poem, “A Vibrant, Hypnotizing Flower”, she honors her mother, Dessarie Stewart.
“A Vibrant, Hypnotizing Flower”
Sitting at the park,
I see a flower.
It reminds me of my mom, Dessarie.
The flower has pink petals, as bright as Momma’s beautiful smile.
My two most favorite things about the flower
Are its vibrant, yellow center and green leaves.
The yellow makes me feel warm and happy like Momma’s hugs.
My mom has a presence that lights me up every time I see her.
My two most favorite things about her
Are her confidence and her laugh, which comfort me beyond words.
My mom makes me feel important.
The flower and my mom are alike
Because they have a strong, hypnotizing scent that calms me.