Lesson Introduction
Trees are our friends. They talk to me, and maybe they talk to you too. They are transformers.
They breathe in what our lungs exhale (carbon dioxide, or CO2), and breathe out what our lungs need (oxygen, or O2). In essence, trees are the lungs of earth and we owe our biological existence to them. Life as we know is impossible on a planet with no oxygen. Remember, carbon dioxide is harmful for humans to breathe, but oxygen is vital to life, and trees cannot make that oxygen without carbon dioxide!
Today we are going to think about human bodies in the same way that we think about trees and wetland plants, except for humans it is negative emotions rather than CO2, and positive emotions as the exhaled oxygen. Because in truth, we have to accept the difficult, and through our willingness, transform it into something positive, we can create air and space for grown around us.
So as you do this exercise, Imagine yourself tall as a tree, think of what kind of tree you are, what season it is, who is living in you. And as this tree, transform, or breathe in sad, painful, scary, yucky and transmute them to happy, connected, nurturing, heart-centered feelings. Breathing in, we acknowledge something difficult, polluting, disrespectful, or painful, and breathing out, we shift our focus to something equal, positive, healthy, compassionate and joyful.
Check out the examples then find me again on the “How to section” of this page.
I want to thank the amazing Mo Hurley of California Poets in the Schools for this wonderful launching pad.
Mitch and Greg from ASAP Science created this song with trees as the music — ONLY TREES and their voices. Check it out!
Created by Mitchell Moffit and Gregory Brown This song is inspired by “Girls” by The Beastie Boys.
Self Quiz:
- What is your favorite local or faraway tree?
- Do you have a tree that you connect to every day?
- Do you think trees are important for our future?
1. If you were a tree would you be – deciduous (lose all of your leaves for part of the year) or evergreen (never lose all leaves at once).
2. If you were a tree, how would you connect with our world? (such as Provide wood for building, Provide pulp for paper, Provide habitats (homes) for insects, birds and other animals, Provide fruit (apples, oranges, plums, pears…), Provide nuts (walnuts, chestnuts, almonds…), Provide sap (maple syrup…), Provide shade or limbs for swings.
3. What continent would you live on? [North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, Antarctica
4. Where would you grow? [In the woods, In a forest, Near the ocean, Near a lake, Near a river, in a park, Near the desert, In the mountains, By a road, In the city.
Directions for Writing Your Own Poem
Things to Consider:
Think of the examples you have read and write poems using the “Breathe in, breathe out” format, breathing in difficult things and breathing out lovely things.
- Extend your thoughts with each line so that your poems move beyond simple list poems.
- Use the repetition of “breathe in” and “breathe out”, repeating those lines as needed to write your poem.
- Use your T-charts as inspiration (if they wish)
- Use colors, other adjectives, specific names of places, plants, and so on
- Write in a “poetic” format (short lines, not paragraphs)
- Title your poem at the end
- And of course, have fun writing
Prompts
- I breathe in (something bad, sad, hard),
- I breathe out (something happy, joyful, peaceful).
- What colors would you breathe in and out?
- What animals and plants
- What environmental problem/solution?
- What kinds of people?
- What weather?
- What sounds and smells? What types of words?
- What emotions?
- What family problems, solutions?
STRUCTURE
I breathe in _________________________________________
I breathe out ________________________________________
Extend your thoughts so that your poem does not become a simple list.
Example Poem (written from the prompts above)
The Breadth of Being
Breathe in like trees do
swallow the dark, billowing plumes of progress
exhale the clear night air and owl-scattered skies
breathe in dead white rules that only serve few
breathe out dignity and respect for all beings
families living in warm houses,
drinking safe water, singing by a fire
grandparents reading to children
comfort your friend
who wonders what she will do without her husband
bare her your heart
breathe in her numb silence
breathe out a waterfall of tears
that carries her down the river back to joy
and acceptance
today, like yesterday and tomorrow
make soup and laugh like black birds
breathe out long afternoons by the sea
light slanting toward dusk
breathe in the storms, breathe out the sun,
the sea mist, the girls making sand castles
the boys scrambling on rocks
breathe in winter, breathe out summer
breath in spring, breathe out fall
climb inside every season and look around
discover where it loves you most
love it back as if your life depends on it
breathe in broken shards of story
breathe out whole pictures
Blake More
****Now It is your turn****
I can't wait to experience what you write!
The above video is an interesting look at the sound of trees!
Audio & Video Inspiration
Wage Peace
(September 11, 2001)
by Judyth Hill
Wage peace with your breath.
Breathe in firemen and rubble,
breathe out whole buildings
and flocks of red-wing songbirds.
Breathe in terrorists
and breathe out sleeping children
and fresh-mown fields.
Breathe in confusion
and breathe out maple trees.
Breathe in the fallen
and breathe out lifelong friendships intact.
Wage peace with your listening:
hearing sirens, pray loud.
Remember your tools:
flower seeds, clothespins, clean rivers.
Play music, memorize the words
for thank-you in three languages.
Learn to knit, and make a hat.
Think of chaos as dancing raspberries,
imagine grief
as the outbreath of beauty
or the gesture of fish.
Swim for the other side.
Wage peace.
Never has the world seemed
so fresh and precious:
Have a cup of tea and rejoice.
Act as if armistice has already arrived.
Celebrate today.
This is Life
by Emma, grade 5
I breathe in the death caused by a president,
I breathe out peace.
I breathe in hunger,
I breathe out slices of pizza for everyone.
I breathe in misunderstandings and fights,
I breathe out a playground without bullies.
I breathe in thirst,
I breathe out sweet dreams.
I breathe in the angry neighbor,
I breathe out love.
My Powerful Lungs
by India B, grade 4
I breathe in falling off my bike,
I breathe out my mom giving me a bandaid.
I breathe in my dad going to war,
I breathe out the joy of when he comes home.
I breathe in trees getting burned,
I breathe out a forest full of purple flowers.
Tree poem
Healthy World
Breathe in masks everywhere I go
Breathe out seeing everyone’s faces
Breathe in distance learning apart from everyone
Breathe out going to school like before
Breathe in stores shut down
Breathe out people shopping freely
Breathe in all sickness
Breathe out a healthy world
by Bri, grade 5
Upbeat Tunes
I breathe in the murky brown ocean
I breathe out a clean vibrant sea
I breathe in a forest made of fire
I breathe out a field of green growth
I breathe in a guitar with broken strings
I breathe out an upbeat tune
I breathe in a tethered dog
I breathe out a litter of happy puppies
I breathe in a heated argument
I breathe out a loving family
I breathe in a kid in front of the screen all day
I breathe out a kid laughing joyfully on the sandy beach
I breathe in the blood red rage of people
I breathe out the soft blue glow of peace
By Amber B., grade 6