APPENDIX B: THE PEN AND THE PATH 149
̊ (15 min) Poetic response: Instruct participants that the
next 15 minutes will be used for giving expression to their
experience through poetry.̊ Example poetry prompt:- “Underline words or phrases in your poetry that are most
meaningful for you.” - “Using your own language from your walk, create a poem
of your own structure or use the following ‘I am’ format”
(have pre-printed for participants).
̊ Line 1: I am... Include a color.- Example: “I am the blue sky behind the clouds.”
̊ Line 2: I am... Include a texture.- Example: “I am the bark of the sturdy oak.”
̊ Line 3: I am... Include a sound.- Example: “I am the leaves crunching underfoot.”
̊ Line 4: I am... Include a smell.- Example: “I am the smell of sweet grass and coming
spring.”
̊ Line 5: Connect back to challenge.- Example: “I am here through the ravaging storm of
my loss.”
̊ Line 6: Refer back to question.- “You ask how to walk now, through crippling grief.”
̊ Line 5: Bring in resource or ally.- “I am the caterpillar whom you saw only when you
allowed yourself to crawl.”