Sentenced to poetry and octopus ballet



Now that we've all lived through the great blogger meltdown of 2011, I can post again! Love blogger, hated the meltdown. 


As writers we're always looking for inspiration. Sometimes we look for it sitting on the couch, channel surfing and watching re-runs, but mostly we know that inspiration is everywhere, and we have to train our creative eye to find it. 


Here are a couple of examples I found this week. 


A judge in Florida recognized the power of literature when she sentences some youth to writing. Here's the article from the South Florida Sun Sentinel


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A Broward County judge is giving some juvenile offenders some poetic justice.

Circuit Judge Merrilee Ehrlich has ordered about a dozen young offenders over the last six months to write poetry and read their work in court as part of their conditions for probation.
As a reward, some defendants can lose as many as 20 hours from their community service sentences.


Ehrlich says it's too early to tell if the alternative sentences are making any difference in the defendants' lives, but she points out how many have chosen to participate in the poetry readings.
Friday was the third poetry reading in Ehrlich's courtroom. Young offenders read from handwritten notes about their hardships and temptations in their neighborhoods.



And here's a video of some deep water octopi performing a ballet of the ocean. No calamari were harmed in the making of this video. 





Have an inspiring writing day!   

Comments

Angie said…
That was lovely! Very inspiring. I like the idea of sentencing kids to write poetry.
Jan Markley said…
Yes, the octopus ballet was very inspiring and creative. I love the sentencing to poetry as well.
Anne R. Allen said…
How gorgeous. And what a fantastic judge to think of such a positive way of helping these kids instead of pushing them into a life of crime, which seems to be the aim of much of our juvenile justice system.
Jan Markley said…
Yes, Anne, that judge is thinking creatively. Exposing those kids to literature and giving them something that they haven't had in their lives, could alter the path they are on.
JennaQuentin said…
Loved the post and had to link to it in mine http://jennaquentin.blogspot.com/2011/05/little-too-real-life.html . Thanks!!!
Jan Markley said…
Glad you liked it Jenna and thanks for the cross posting!
Jan Markley said…
Glad to be of help Martha!

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