Poetry and Action:
Activities inspired by poems in Safe Harbor
It’s launch week for Safe Harbor! And over the past days I’ve been thinking a lot about how poetry inspires us to take action. I hope very much that Safe Harbor will, among other things, inspire readers act in ways that are more compassionate toward one another and more thoughtful about our green Earth, our blue seas, and all the creatures that share our planet with us. In that spirit, I’d like to share a “safe harbor bingo” game I created - which lists many activities that encourage readers to consider changing their lifestyles a little, to care more for our world and all its inhabitants. Enjoy!
Photograph of the Safe Harbor Bingo created by Padma Venkatraman
Below is one poem from Safe Harbor which is very dear to me. It’s on a theme you might not expect, given the cover and the emphasis on oceans - but the fabric of this novel, like my others, has many intricately woven themes. One of them is my love of - as you can see below, libraries and books. Read along, and I’ll end this post with a writing prompt inspired by the poem.
Photograph of the poem Safe Spaces from Safe Harbor by Padma Venkatraman
My second activity suggestion/ writing prompt / lesson plan starter is to ask yourself what your safe space(s) is(are) - you can interpret that literally or as figuratively or imaginatively as you wish. Write a poem about this real or imaginary safe space. And may you find many safe spaces in 2025!
Padma Venkatraman, founder of Diverse Verse and author of Safe Harbor
Padma Venkatraman’s is the author of SAFE HARBOR, which received a starred review in School Library Journal, and which Kirkus Reviews described as “A tender coming-of-age tale with special resonance for nature lovers” and Booklist described as “Simple and relatable, Safe Harbor mixes themes of coming-of-age, immigration, and conservation into a sweet story accessible to younger elementary readers…”
Padma’s earlier novels include BORN BEHIND BARS (Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin Random House), THE BRIDGE HOME, A TIME TO DANCE, ISLAND’S END and CLIMBING THE STAIRS. She is the winner of a WNDB Walter Dean Myers Award, Golden Kite Award, Crystal Kite Award, two Nerdy Book Awards, two Paterson Prizes, three South Asia Book Awards and many other awards and honors. Her novels have been shortlisted for over 20 state awards, received over 20 starred reviews, appeared on numerous best book lists, such as the ALA Notable, NYPL Best Book, Kirkus Best Book, Booklist editor's Choice and Junior Library Guild selection. Her poetry has been published in Poetry magazine and elsewhere. Before becoming an American author, Dr. Venkatraman spent time under the ocean and in rainforests, served as chief scientist on oceanographic research vessels where she was the only BIPOC female, and also worked as a teacher and diversity director. When she’s not writing, she loves speaking to others about her love for books and her passion for diversity, equity and inclusion and has presented keynote addresses, conducted writing workshops and attended festivals and conferences around the world. She is the founder of www.diverseverse.com and www.authorstakeaction.com . Visit her and sign up for her biannual newsletter at www.padmavenkatraman.com ; arrange for a visit via https://theauthorvillage.com/presenters/padma-venkatraman/; follow her on twitter (@padmatv); (@venkatraman.padma) on fb and ig.
