Poetry Project Bridges Generation Gap

By Sarah Byrn Rickman, author /journalist, Pen Woman

Fourth-graders and senior citizens working together to create poetry. That is the inspiring story that two dynamic members of the Des Moines Branch of the National League of American Pen Women (NLAPW) have brought to life.

Branch President Laura Walth grasped the incentive in a curriculum “Poetry in the Schools” developed by another NLAPW branch. Shelly Thieman, branch treasurer, believed in the project because of a memory from her childhood.

“Haiku made a lifelong impression on this fifth-grader many decades ago,” says Thieman. “When the opportunity arose to share my love of this ancient Japanese poetic form with young students and seniors in my own community, I leapt.”

Thieman and Walth volunteered to teach Haiku to both seniors and young school children.

They worked with fourth-graders at Des Moines’ Moore Elementary and with seniors at the North West Community Center to explore their creative juices through Haiku — an exquisite, very readable form of poetry created by the Japanese. For seniors who thought they “couldn’t”write poetry, Thieman led a free, monthly class to help them discover their creative side through Haiku.

The outcome? The young students paid an end-of-the-year visit to the community center. There, seniors and students alike read their poetry — aloud — for all to enjoy. And, said Walth, “Enjoy they did! Some are considering entering poetry contests, hoping maybe someday to have their poetry published.” Thieman continues to offer a Haiku workshop at the center for a very small but dedicated group.

The National League of American Pen Women, Inc., is an organization of professional artists, writers and musicians, headquartered in Washington D.C. The league is hosting its biennial conference in Des Moines, April 18-22.

For more information, go to http://www.nlapw.org/iowa2018