Some days writing is a chore.
Common Core Writing Chores: The paired text essay based on a prompt–nobody’s idea of fun. This is a chore. This is not real-world writing. Informational essays that answer questions about texts do little to engage students. Sometimes the question asked is just not one that anyone cares to answer. Sure I can try to engage students in thinking, comparing, engaging, crafting, creating and revising. Sometimes, though, the prompt is just not engaging, and kids feel confined.
Spelling Word Writing Chores: My daughter’s homework tonight is to write a story using at least 5 spelling words. This is a chore. This is not real-world writing. After pushing her for quite awhile, she finally crafted an entertaining bit of prose, yet once again, she’s confined by the prompt/words to use in her story.
Blog Writing Chore: I’ve been pushing people to write and work all day, and now I’ve got nothing left. I’ll attempt to wax poetic (or perhaps just vent) about my frustration of going from trying to get my students to write to trying to get my daughter to write. And now, it’s my turn to write–greeeaaaat! Today there has been no passion or authenticity in writing for me, and I’m tired.
Confined
Forced to write,
My pen, a hostage tied to a chair,
Bound and constrained,
Mouth gagged with a handkerchief
I’ve lost my words,
my voice a mumble,
unheard and slumped down.
My energy depleted
Out of fuel–
in need of sustenance.
Let me go–
Unbound me.
I need to be released,
free from constraint.
My words need
a place
a space
in order for my voice
to be found,
and for me
to know who I am.
Meandering Maya 
It is an excellent poem. Your voice did shine through. You did have the energy. You had the emotions to let these words push out of you and onto the page. Good for you. If it makes you feel better, it was a chore for me today too. I too was depleted. I am not proud of my piece, but we both did it! Hooray for you and hooray for me!
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Thanks.
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Sometimes writing is a chore, like going to the gym, but I always feel better after it’s done (like going to the gym! womp womp). Hope you felt better after writing today–it was a great Slice!
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I love the vision of your pen bound and gagged….your end result sure didn’t seem like a loss!! Great job!
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This makes me think that sometimes the “chores” are what bring us to the table, but the feeling of writing is what keeps us coming back for more. Thank you for putting your writing night in perspective; it helps us have empathy for our young writers and for each other.
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Even if you were tired of writing, this poem is powerful!
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