Brookhaven resident, Macey Rawls, a fourth grade recipient of awards for "Student of the Month", reading, and math, 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 Macey's poem, “A Unique, Fashionable Flower”, she honors her mother, Jamila Rawls.
“A Unique, Fashionable Flower”
Sitting at the park,
I see a purple flower.
It reminds me of my mom, Jamila.
The flower has unique petals.
They make me think about my mom’s eyes,
Pretty and dark colored.
My favorite thing about the flower
Is how it makes me feel warm and cozy inside.
The flower is beautiful, like my mom
And her stylish sense of fashion.
My favorite thing about her
Is how she cheers me up when I feel sad.
The flower and my mom are alike
Because they both make me feel happy.