On Ethical ELA today Glenda Funk takes inspiration from what can a poem do? by Darius V. Daughtry. Her invitation to teacher-poets: “Compose a poem in which you celebrate what a poem can do and imagine the possibilities for more poetry specific to an issue or concern.”
In the Non-Rhyming Scheme of Things
A poem cannot
erase the past or
bring back people I’ve loved
and lost
A poem cannot
still the storm or
turn back tides
of war
A poem cannot
repair the whole world or
remake the human heart
but it’s a start
lit bits and pieces 
I love this, Fran. I have been busy, but I know your words await my tired eyes. Yes to the poem. And the poet. And the quote. You, to me, are the wonder I wish I could be. What a way to start my day.
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Thank you for these lovely words, Janet.
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Well, you certainly confounded the can/cannot dichotomy. So what if a poem cannot do something entirely on its own–its contribution to a wider context can make all the difference. This matters.
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