WritingPoetry

Tools writing & poetry

Sarah Norton Counselor 2007-09

As I start to write, my mind wanders to the last night of THE 2008 SEEDS OF PEACE Camp in Maine. On this camp-wide “Bunk Night” the nine Seeds and two Counselors from Bunk 7 crowded on and around two beds and fixated on the M&M’s and other treats in front of them. As we joked around with one another and shared hugs and stories, we were suddenly stunned to realize that this was our last night. In retrospect, I was equally amazed at how different this scene was compared to the one I witnessed three weeks earlier, on the first night, when we had all sat rigidly in a circle outside, eager to make friends, but unsure of how to proceed. The awkward and shy glances that had passed between individuals that first night were replaced by direct eyecontact during earnest conversations on that last night. As the M&M’s were devoured, we shared our camp highlights, our epiphanies, and our fears about returning home. The ties that now connected the previously hesitant Americans, Egyptians, Israelis, and Palestinians present were tangible, as everyone had something to say and the words fell on individuals listening with rapt attention. The words spoken by every one of my campers were precious, but one Israeli girl said something that I think of every day. She said, “This place doesn’t change us­—it allows us to become ourselves.” These words resonated—albeit differently—with every member of the group. And, upon reading them, will mean something different to each of you. So I will qualify what follows by saying that this phrase has special meaning to me as a counselor, educator, and mentor at a place as unique as Seeds of Peace. There is something special about this safe-haven in the woods of Maine that allows one to exist in a time and place where much of the societal pressures that youth experience the world over are removed. Here, we are provided the somewhat rare opportunity to think our own thoughts, speak our own minds, and be ourselves. Central to this article is the idea of our unique narratives. Fellow Counselor Carrie O’Neil and I offered a creative writing activity during the summer of 2008. The idea behind this program was to provide a group of Seeds the chance and the space to comprehend and express the intense experience that was life at Camp. The exercises ranged from “free writes,” to observation poems, to quotation prompts. We also ran thematic exercises, where campers were provided with a single word—like “rain,” “garbage,” “friendship”—and asked to either take three minutes for ‘free association,’ jotting down every word that came to mind, or eight minutes to write a piece of prose using that word as a starting point. The campers took advantage of these opportunities, and the responses were, I believe, remarkable. Keeping in mind the fact that the examples on the next page are “first” drafts, I invite you to enjoy some of the activity’s results. Below, you will find observation poems that are representative of the Seeds’ work. These poems were written on a gorgeous summer day while sitting on the girls’ dock. The Seeds were asked to write poems about the different senses. Some time has passed since we sat on the dock and penned these words. As I read over what the campers and I wrote in response to the various exercises, I am amazed by the many different directions our thoughts took, as well as by our willingness to express emotion, to make a difference and to find ourselves. Paramount in the lessons learned through this exercise is that young people (as amazing and unique individuals) all have the capability of expressing their thoughts in different mediums. While not everyone can speak what they feel, many have a unique gift—a gift that allows them to write. A gift to write their own narratives. I will leave you with one thought and one task. Find a scrap of paper, a pen, and a quiet setting. Now, imagine a place that allows you to be yourself—if you are a Delegation Leader, this may be the dock on the Pines Side or your bunk at night. If you are a teacher in Israel or Palestine, this may be your classroom after the students have left for the day. Now, take eight minutes and share your thoughts—on paper, with yourself or with your students. Try ‘free association.’ Tell us what the phrase from the last night of Camp means to you. As was true in our small enclave in the woods of Maine, there is no single correct answer or experience. Even if you find it hard to voice what you are thinking, it is often possible to write. PHOTO CREDIT: SARAH NORTON

14 The Olive Branch Teacher’s Guide Summer 2009