Poetry Friday....My first one EVER!

After attending the All Write! Conference this past week, I was inspired to really get my hands on some poetry. I purchased a book titled This Place I know: Poems of Comfort . It is an anthology of poetry selected by Georgia Heard. She felt inspired to put together something for the children of 9/11. This is her dedication to children of the world who are dealing with personal pain or pain due to global tragedies.

To You

by Karla Kuskin

I think I could walk

through the simmering sand

if I held your hand.

I think I could swim

the skin shivering sea

if you would accompany me.

And run on ragged, windy heights,

climb rugged rocks

and walk on air:

I think I could do anything at all,

if you were there.

Green Eyes

Green Eyes

by Kirsten Grotemat

Looking up,

The want in those big green eyes.

"Touch me please,"

I hear them beg.

I acknowledge the want,

And so gently touch,

The white of her chin,

The wetness of her nose,

The softness of her ears.

Those big green eyes disappear.

They become slits of gratitude,

Falling into a slumber so deep.

wwwwwssssssssshhhhhhhhhh....

So I have every intention of getting on this blog and posting. I do get on the blogspot, but the posts just are not coming. I literally have nothing going on in my head that I can get organized and written out. (Do I stand alone, or do others experience this?)
So I am posting this for the sheer comfort of posting. I see all my friends and colleagues moving on throughout the summer and posting great things. I seem to have nothing. A TEACHER'S LIFE...(Jen) said maybe if I just write and get things down maybe it will help. Amick's Articles (Sarah) looks for me to find emotion in stories. I tell myself I just need to clear the cobwebs that have developed in the last 3 weeks since schools been out. But to no avail. Tonight there is only the sound of air between my ears. Hopefully tomorrow I will be filled with great thoughts, inspiring ideas, and emotions that won't stop. But for now I sign off with the soft whispers of wwwwwssssshhhhhhhhh.....

one little word...

After reading Ruth's post about a challenge put forth by Ali Edwards back in January, I felt the need to find a word to focus on for the remainder of the year. After giving this some thought, and thinking about my up and coming surgery, the word that I came up with is FREEDOM.

Personal Policies MEME

1. Foot snuggles with Gracie Girl. Every morning when I wake I find my Gracie Girl on the floor next to my bed. She rolls over when she sees me and I snuggle her with my feet. Since I am allergic to cats, this works puuurrrrrfectly!


2. Caffeine. A small jolt of caffeine has become a policy in my life to ward off migraines. (I don't think it works.)


3. A phone call to my mom. My best friend and confidant. A day doesn't go by without a couple of these.


4. A deep cleansing breath. Before my first peek of the day, I always take several deep breaths in to get rid of the fogginess and begin my day.

5. Alex. A day doesn't go by that I don't give a thought to this cutie. He is so compationate and thoughtful. He is going to be something big. (Alex=nephew)

6. Thank God for my mom and dad who are so supportive and thoughtful. They are always so concerned about me and my wellbeing. They never let me down.

So, there ya have it! My personal policies. Thanks Sarah for the MEME!

Unusual topics for Poetry

So I was reading one of sarah's incredible poems http://www.amicksarticles.blogspot.com/ . It seems she can write about anything! Flabby arms, however, well, that is an unusual topic for poetry. I thought about a book I just ordered. It is A Writing Kind of Day Poems for Young Poets by Ralph Fetcher. In it he inserted a Writer's Notebook page titled Squished Squirrel Poem. Sarah's flabby arm poem made me think of this. You can write poetry about anything.

Squished Squirrel Poem

by Ralph Fletcher

I wanted to write about

a squished squirrel

I saw on the road

near my house last week.

You can't write a poem

about a squished squirrel,

my teacher said to me.

I mean, you just can't do it.

Pick a sunrise or an eagle

or a dolphin, he suggested.

Pick something noble

to lift the human spirit.

I tried. I really did. But I kept

coming back to that squirrel.

Did his wife send him out

to fetch some food or something?

There was blood and guts

but here's what really got me:

he had pretty dark eyes

and they glistened still.

You can't write a poem

about a squished squirrel,

my teacher insisted,

but I don't think that's true.

for those of you who will stick by me

My life as I knew it...

For those of you who know me, you know that I am a different person than I was 7 years ago. I have been through some ups and many downs. In the last 2 years my health has taken a turn for the worst. I have gained an immense amount of weight and all things associated with weight gain have followed. I have been stuck in a downward spiral of medical issues and related emotional issues. Although I don't think I always show it and was fairly good at hiding it (that is what people pleasers do), negativity seemed to rule my world.
However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I have been approved for a life altering surgery. It will be taking place this summer. I will be have gastric bypass surgery. The date as of this hour hasn't been set. But I am certain it will be the end of July. People have told me to be careful sharing this information with people. People will change their attitude towards you. I, however, have a strong faith in my good friends that their attitudes towards me will not change. If they do, their friendship wasn't what I thought.
I felt the need to share this positive change that has already begun making a difference in my life after reading Ruth's latest post and seeing the picture of thesteps of change in Chicago that she posted. I am looking forward to the new me... My life as I knew it...hhm!

I LOVE LISTS: Poetry Hides...

in the soft fur behind Gracie's ears
in the sleepy sound of rain
in my nephew Alex's compationate ways
at Grandpa Grotemat's house
in my china tin
in Gracie's far reaching strrrreeeetches
in the fierce surf
in the dark clouds
in the dark corners of my mind
in the old suit case holding the Grace family pictures
in the stories of "back then" that Grandma Grace tells
in my new house
on the wings of a bird
in my patience with "that kid"
in my classroom with my kiddos
in languages I cannot speak
at the park where I used to play
in the outfield of the diamonds

Sunday Poetry

Rain

by Kirsten

Shhhhhh...

Do you hear that?

A soft tap-tap-tap,

A gentle rap-rap-rap.

A crescendo of sleepy sounds,

Eyes feeling like many pounds.

Do you hear that?

Shhhhhh...

I LOVE LISTS: Things to Accomplish This Summer

My dear friend Jen posted a list about things she wants to accomplish. I thought, what a great idea. Maybe it will keep me focused as my summer passes by. Thanks Jen!

1. Read Mosaic of Thought and discuss with my peers over coffee. (This one is in the bag!)
2. Read books just to read. I think I will begin a Reader's Log, just like Kathy, then I'll have something to take back to the classroom to show my students what it may look like.
3. Edge all my gardens, weed them, and Preen them.
4. Finish painting my garage. Ugh!
5. Begin walking nightly. Just a little.
6. Purge, purge, purge my files from school.
7. Begin mapping out the school year with my reading series and also with writing. Kathy, I may need to lean on you for this one!
8. Organize my home office space. (I got started early and almost have this one done!)
9. Practice patience with certain people in my life.
10. Blog, blog, blog away!
11. Practice taking better care of my plants, indoor and out. I will develop a green thumb!

Here it is. My list of things to accomplish over the summer. Wish me luck!

I've Been Tagged Too?

I am so utterly confused with these tags and memes. But I saw on Sarah's site that she was tagged and she then shared 8 things not many people know about her. So, I thought even if I haven't been tagged, because I am not sure if I have or haven't, this could be an enlightening cool thing for me to do.

8 Things Not Many People Know About Me...
1. I sleep with my blue blankey. I've had it since childhood and am not about to give it up!
2. I long to be comfortable with myself.
3. I obsessively tweeze the little pricklies I feel on my eyebrows.
4. I lay my hands on my Gracie Girl's squishy, furry belly and can feel the stress leave me. (Gracie Girl = Cat)
5. I absolutely despise people who smack their lips when they eat. I just don't usually say anything.
6. I once made it to Indy in an hour. It is normally an hour and a half easily, but I had a tailgate party to attend.
7. I don't think many people notice, but after dropping anyone off at their car, I always wait to make sure they are safe and sound and on their way home before I leave them. It's all because I care!
8. Most people's perfumes give me a headache. Again, I just don't usually say anything.

Wrapped in Hugs and Kisses

Mom, Mamacita, Ma, Best Friend.....

I could never thank you enough for all you do. You are my mom and my best friend. What would I do without you? You are my voice of reason, although I don't always listen to that voice. You make me laugh with your goofeyness. You sometimes frustrate me with your pushiness....althought I don't always show it, I appreciate it. I appreciate you. You and I have a blast together. I know that lately I've been a little difficult. I've got a lot on my mind. Yet, you are still always there for me. Cheering me on. Helping me. Guiding me. You are my strength. You are my ride to the hospital ;) I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have someone so special, so sweet in my life. You are what I long to be. So I wrap all these thank you, spoken and not, in many hugs and kisses. Thank You XXXOOO

4 New X 2 To You...

So I think I get this tagged - meme thing. Is it all the same? Maybe I don't yet get it, but I am going to post my 4 New X 2 To You....For all of You!

4 New things I've tried in the past 4 Years...

*Building a house! Great experience! Loved most every second of it!
*Counseling....it is not just for the crazies! Very therapudic. I think I am normal and I enjoy it!
*Parasailing....all I can say is.... Invigorating!
*Having sole responsiblity for a living being. Granted it is a cat, but I am not always the most responsible person...this is sometimes a challenge for me. So Sad!

4 New things I want to try in the next 4 years...

*Running.....I will get there again someday! (Not so new to me. Just haven't done it in 7 years)
*Experiencing child birth (Note to self: Must find man!)
*Becoming an avid gardener. Bugs scare me!
*Going to a dinner and movie. BY MYSELF! Never done it, think I should try.

There. I've exposed myself to the world of bloggers and it was fun!