I'm trying something new, taking a risk this month - participating in#VerseLove with Sarah Donovan,
hoping to write poetry every day this April.
Today's challenge is to write an "I am From" poem, following a provided template. I am familiar with this fun poem style; my school often uses this as an icebreaker for staff at the outset of a new teaching year. These poems are a great way to get to know others.
A couple lines from each poem written for the challenge will be added to a collaborative poem.
I Am From
I am from dolls,
Sears and Roebuck, and
Pontiac station wagon with woodgrain paneling.
I am from Navy base housing,
hard-working, strong, and the smell of cigars.
I am from fresh tomatoes in August,
grown at the side of the house.
I'm from praying the rosary and dogmatic,
from Alice and Ted.
I from the silent treatment and rough-housing.
From 'blessed are the peacemakers," and "don't be so sensitive."
I'm from Massachusetts and Irish,
canned brown bread, and frozen dinners.
From summer days outside, and neighborhood games of capture the flag.
I'm from Mom's laying down, she doesn't feel well.
So many memories packed in shoeboxes,
on the shelf above Dad's tool bench in the garage,
if not already thrown out from an earlier move.
glenda funk, from Sarah Donovan's website:
ReplyDeleteMaureen,
I smiled reading about the wood-paneled station wagon. We had a yellow Country Squire. Love this allusion to the beatitudes and the irony that follows. “From ‘blessed are the peacemakers,” and “don’t be so sensitive.’” I was a super sensitive crier. This line is now layered on stories you’ve told on your blog and in your poetry: “I’m from Mom’s laying down, she doesn’t feel well.” I hear the subtext and the words left unsaid. Hugs. Peace. Thank you.
—Glenda
Stefani, from Sarah Donovan website (she was inspiration writer today):
ReplyDeleteMaureen,
Thank you for your poem today. I appreciate your line about the silent treatment and memories packed in a shoebox–so many referenced the latter in their poetry today.
Allison Berryhill, from Sarah Donovan website:
ReplyDeleteMaureen, I am from dolls, too, and almost chose that to start my poem! My poem DID mention the Rambler station wagon (ours had wood paneling too)! You said Capture the Flag; I said Kick the Can. We are kindred!
I loved these lines: “I from the silent treatment and rough-housing.
From ‘blessed are the peacemakers,’ and ‘don’t be so sensitive.'”
Some writing is windows, some writing is mirrors. Your poem was a mirror for me! I loved it.