In a Word: Fire

Each Wednesday afternoon, the Farm School students are given a word as they leave school. They go home and write a creative composition using that word. Thursday morning at tea / snack time, they read their composition to the group. The exercise has very few boundaries. It might be poetry, prose, a story, a fable, a diaglogue, etc. The given word may be a common word, such as this week's "fire," or it may be a new vocabulary word requiring research before use. Often the words are an extension of something happening in the school community. This week, the word "fire" was chosen because the students are studying the Maya culture, and are digging a fire pit in which to recreate ancient pottery firing techniques. However, the students may interpret the word as they wish. In this case, the author uses the word as a noun, verb, and adjective. Each week we will share one example of the "In a Word" series.

FIRE

If you watch as the fire burns bright
You will see me dancing in the flickering flames
Waving back and forth with the power of fire

Some love me, some fear me, but all respect me
For they know my strength is that of the earth
The earth that they come from and to which they'll return

I am real, more real than you can comprehend
I am the spark of life that flickers within each of you
Anyone can look for me but only believers will succeed

I am the fire queen, dancing for life
Burning bright in the darkness to show the way
I am the essence of the element of fire

-Zoe, 8th year student