Daily Prompt: Snowball Ode

Last week, through my work as a mentor with California Poets in the Schools, I visited C.K. McClatchy High School with student poet-teacher Diana Hallare of Visalia. She led classes of juniors through "snowball odes." The students fell silent as they counted syllables on their fingers. Their poems were funny and sad. Everyone practiced poetry for a few minutes.

Back on a campus, I became nostalgic for those days long ago playing on the Georgetown Day High School volleyball team. I ended up thinking about a friendship that started on the court and endured across time and distance. Writing this quick poem made me take time to honor that memory.

Ode to a Teammate

Net
between
opposing
team & me. Friend
to my right setting
the ball high for a spike--
slam score scream high five we won.
Friend, we were a team on the court,
remain so years since & far apart.

Daily Prompt: Write a snowball ode to a time, place or friend. Follow the snowball format, increasing each line by one syllable. An ode is a celebratory poem.