Poem Renovation

Poem Renovation Like word games? Try poemrenovation.com, then share your creations here. See all contributors' creations by clicking the "community" tab. Use

Artist's Statement:

As a kid, I played Scrabble alone, took the wooden-tile words created during each game and wove them into a story. I’ve never lost that early fascination with wordplay. As a teen, I began arranging words into poetry and later became a journalist. Not long ago, I printed one of my vintage self-portrait poems onto magnetic paper, disassembled it word by word, stuck the words on the fridge and rearranged them. I was astounded to see how many of the same old words could be used in new ways to pinpoint my present reality. That exercise was so interesting and gratifying, I knew I had to find a way to share the concept. This website is one facet of my effort to do so. Here, you’ll reposition others’ words to discover new meanings. I hope it inspires you and that you’ll return daily for a new challenge!

~Kelly de la Rocha

Special thanks to:

Site designer Emily Houlihan, who, with great patience, creativity and ingenuity, transformed this dream into reality. Co-poem-renovator, co-dreamer and sister, Becky Burre, who contributed immensely to the creative vision. Graphic designer Jane Burre, who created our amazing logo. Artist Emily de la Rocha, who hand-painted the color swatch in our logo. Graphic designer Jenn Ozgur, who curated the site’s stunning color palette.

This weekend I received a photo and video that reaffirmed the fact that creativity knows no age. In one, a second grader...
02/17/2026

This weekend I received a photo and video that reaffirmed the fact that creativity knows no age. In one, a second grader carefully rearranged poemRENOVATION’s “Sleigh Ride” word block set. In the other, an older adult worked with the exact same set of words.
Two different stages of life.
One shared creative language.
How cool is that???
The child and adult were photographed miles apart, but I like to think of them playing with the word blocks side-by-side, sharing stories, laughter and perspectives.

Intergenerational wordplay is magical. Imagine what could happen if more of our spaces invited people of every age to create together. Let’s make it happen!

Things to do on a Tuesday night in addition to losing with style at trivia night.
02/11/2026

Things to do on a Tuesday night in addition to losing with style at trivia night.

A little advice
02/07/2026

A little advice

Packing up word block samples to send to Alabama for my upcoming presentation at ‘s annual training conference!
02/05/2026

Packing up word block samples to send to Alabama for my upcoming presentation at ‘s annual training conference!

Testing out the three new spring word block sets. I’m Inspired by how the words are speaking to me! The series is called...
02/03/2026

Testing out the three new spring word block sets. I’m Inspired by how the words are speaking to me! The series is called “What Shines.” These sets will be available soon at poemRENOVATION.com!

Hope is the best crowbar
01/25/2026

Hope is the best crowbar

Sneak peek at words from our upcoming “What Shines” series, designed to draw our eyes to the light. ✨
01/25/2026

Sneak peek at words from our upcoming “What Shines” series, designed to draw our eyes to the light. ✨

Let’s all draw!
01/21/2026

Let’s all draw!

The 2026 to-do list
01/18/2026

The 2026 to-do list

Picking out new colors for our spring word block set release. These three new sets will debut in March. The theme: What ...
01/13/2026

Picking out new colors for our spring word block set release. These three new sets will debut in March. The theme: What Shines!

Inspired by Ted Kooser’s book Winter Morning Walks: one hundred postcards to Jim Harrison, I set out today to purposeful...
01/08/2026

Inspired by Ted Kooser’s book Winter Morning Walks: one hundred postcards to Jim Harrison, I set out today to purposefully notice. Here is what came of that:
January 8, 2026
Mostly sunny, 43 degrees

Slush-encrusted bootprints
are unmarked graves
cradling
the dead
red oak
leaves
on a path
that pantomimes
the icy
Farmington River.

This NYT letter about dementia and language is a poignant reminder that even when memory shifts, words don’t disappear c...
01/08/2026

This NYT letter about dementia and language is a poignant reminder that even when memory shifts, words don’t disappear completely. They change shape. They find new paths. They still carry feeling.
That belief is at the heart of poemRENOVATION.
In elder care settings, we use wordplay not to test memory, but to create moments of connection. Rearranging words from familiar poems, songs or books gives people something to hold onto without asking them to “get it right.” It opens the door to conversation, laughter, reflection, and sometimes quiet recognition.
Caregivers and elder care professionals tell us they love how poemRENOVATION creates shared moments without pressure. No one is put on the spot. Everyone belongs at the table.
Language can still be a bridge. Sometimes all it takes is a few words, laid out gently, and the space to see what emerges.

Alzheimer’s stole my mother’s words. She spoke poetry instead.

Address

Farmington, CT
06032, 06085

Website

https://linktr.ee/poemrenovation

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