Poetry Exercises from Last Term: Teaching Writing

Exercise 1 - Number your paper 1 to 15. Open any book or magazine. Choose a starting point on any page in your selection. From that point, choose one word that you like out of every consecutive sentence for 15 sentences. After your words have been chosen, write words around those chosen to create a poem.

from page 1 - by Jasmine
violently SNATCHED from some
FOUND place
the ruby SQUARES giving direction to chaos
you're SCARY, she whispers
that's not FUNNY you reply...because it's not

PUDGY appendages smear grace over a white page
a concrete CATHEDRAL looming above
DEAF ears and broken perspective
colors REFLECTED on grey murals...inspected
like GERMS on glass

his voice SOUNDED gravelly, but riveting
NICKEL-COLORED pennies and dollars at his feet
i wish, SOMETIMES, to be like him but he's empty
an impenetrable FROST suffocating his heart...
the place LEAST recognized


Exercise 2 - Consider where you are from. Interpret it how you will and explain in a few lines.

i am from - by jasmine

i am from a young mother betrayed, cheated-on & abandoned
i am from culture exposed & embraced
i am from simple thoughts & complicated theories
i am from ashes...burnt, humiliated - but salvaged
i am from survivors
i am from blue and green eyes that have my shape, my mouth and my undivided attention
i am from small hands that seek me out in the dark to be warmed and comforted
i am from some far off place where a father watches over me and offers me passage by blood spilt and grace administered
i am from harsh stumbling, blatant error and dumb luck
i am from tender hopes and belief in the power of love
i am from joy & laughter, tears & hiccups
i am from no season...but from every weather

I am more from inside.
I've internalized everywhere I've been - everything I've done.
I've seen things & made decisions about what I want to take from them & become, but it seems despite my choices, the residue of the remnants surface occasionally.
I am influenced by all around me to become a greater i am.

Likes that Make Me...well, ME

- The Vegan Cake at Real Food Daily in Santa Monica

- Fredrick Fekkai Glossy Shampoo & Conditioner (Green Bottles)

- New Fragrance: Euphoria Blossom by Calvin Klein (this changes frequently)

- Aveda Moisturizer

- Earth Shoes (give that negative heel a whirl, you'll never go back)

- mac

- M.A.C.

- Catalina Island on a beautiful clear day/night in July

- Molokai

- Michael Christian and his passion for architecture, travel, agaves, antique european cars...

- Cafe Zack's in Ventura

- The Taj in Ventura

- Salzer's

- Imogene Heap, Damian Marley, Bitter:Sweet, Massive Attack, Coldplay, The Police, oh, too many

- Photographs

- The Getty

- Tuberose

- The low dive

- bare feet

- red toe nail polish

- cardigans or v-neck sweaters

- black t-shirts

- long skirts and dresses

- 3/4 sleeve shirts

- giving Potato Boy a new dialogue

- lola

- aminals...

Kid Update

WINTER

2! I'm 2! My burthay was really fun! My Mom got all kinds of heart balloons because I was born on Valentimesday and I'm her valentime. We ate spaghetti because I love spaghetti and my uncles and aunties came over and got me a firetruck to ride on and puh-jammas. My Pua and Poppa got me close because I always need close. The only thing that wasn't fun was that I had to get shots because I'm 2...I didn't like that very much and I made sure the nurse-lady knew it. I yelled at her really loud and a lot. My brother and sister came, too...they watched...well, kinda...Jussy covered his eyes and Emry covered her ears when I yelled...but my mom knew what to do and she gave me a cup and I was kinda happy for a while...then she fed me and I was fine. But my burthay was really fun. I ate cake and ice cream, too. And some valentimes candy and Mike gave me yummy bears. I like those a lot. I took a bath after my party because I was really dirty and then I went to sleep. Burthays are fun!

EMRY

I'm Emry. I'm 4...at least, I THINK I'm 4. Everytime I say that, my Mom says I'm 3. But just you wait, in May I WILL be 4...and then I'll say I'm 5 because I HAVE to catch up with Justus! My latest news is that I'm in ballet! Mom takes me every Saturday morning. I like to spin around and run and jump across the floor! I'm starting preschool in a couple of weeks and that'll be good because then I'll be as smart as Justus! I'm in Sunbeams now! I like it alot. I like going to church because I get to see my friends and my teacher. My Pua is in primary with me and Justus and my uncle. I can count and I'm trying really hard to learn how to spell even though I don't what all of my letters sound like. You never know when someone is going to ask you how to spell NUGGET, so I ask my Mom every day how to do it. I love to color and do puzzles. I LOVE Bob the Builder. I'm a happy girl!

JUSTUS

I really like school. I'm in first grade and I like to read. I've read over 100 AR books and going strong. I also like math and computers...oh, and recess - I have 4 of them everyday (Can you believe it!!). I'm a big helper with my Mom. I like to make my lunch in the mornings - peanut butter sandwiches (the best). I'm learning how to bring the trash cans in so that I can get an allowance and pay tithing. I started reading the Book of Mormon this year. My primary leader gave me a copy of my own. When I get baptized I'll get a set with my name on it (only a year and a half to go! woo hoo!)! My Grampa has started to teach me how to play basketball and Mike got me a golf club to play with in our back yard. I've been anxious to learn how to ride a skateboard, but Mom says I have to learn how to ride a 2-wheeled bike first - something about learning how to balance and taking steps. I sure love to ride my scooter, though and if skateboarding is half as fun, I'm ALL OVER IT! Umm, eating isn't my favorite thing unless it's candy or peanut butter sandwiches...but I do like carrots and hamburgers...ooh, and pancakes...and cucumbers. I guess I do like to eat. My Mom and I dance a lot in the kitchen on Saturdays when we're cleaning up after breakfast. I'm turning 7 this year. I've told my Mom that I want to learn how to play tennis and swim. Yeah. That'll be good.

EPILOGUE

You can't stop progress. Growth rolls on whether you're prepared or not. Walking, talking...remember when they were just trying to figure that out? And now they're eloquent and insightful. They consider what events and phrases really mean within a personal application. I look at them and I see the true fruition of a patriarchal promise. They are a reflection of everything they see and hear. I am taken aback by their physical growth - their development and change. I am moved by their acts of kindness and consideration. I am, then, infuriated by their thoughtless cruelty and occasional disdain...but they learn. By example, they establish order and reason. To bring up a child in the world is a tremendous responsibility...it is in NO way an easy task. There is a real amount of pain. Contrastly, there is an equal, if not more abundant realization of joy in that mix.

2 years. Almost 4 years. and Nearly 7 years. I know exactly where the time has gone...

(N)ANTS or (W)EEDS

Lists. Lists can be comical...while stumbling across the "Create Profile" of this whole blog machine, I noticed the "Add Wish List" entry. Curious, I clicked and clicked until I reached the "suggestions for wish list." Apparently, this is what America has been looking for:

A few of the items recently found with Froogle:
cookie jar natural gas grill paella pan home theater system fuel injectors
space pen harry potter costume ski boots spa pump proxima projector
leather armchair garbage disposal scrapbook paper chess set
patio furniture polk audio chai tea cordless drill gamecube console
huffy green machine canopy bed smartwool socks window washer

I can't say that any of these options are relevant to me personally, but perhaps in the future I shall create a list where fuel injectors and space pen occupy the same page; however, for now I appreciate the fact that my needs are a bit more simplistic: paper towels, organic veggies, and some tea tree shampoo...oh, and conditioner...I'm always in the market for a good conditioner (Fredrick Fekkai Olive Oil will give you killer shiney hair).

I suppose what this list brings to the forefront is what we really NEED. Has our society merged the word WANT and NEED? Are the two concepts now synonimous? Will I die withouta huffy green machine? And isn't a space pen a pen that can write upside down??? Can't we just use a pencil if we really need to write upside down? Maybe it's just me. I'm weird for getting frustrated with the amount of STUFF we collect to define ourselves. Yes, we need things, don't get me wrong, but it seems like we can go overboard and STUFF ourselves silly. I'm NOT saying that I'm looking down on people who make this their life's ambition. And I'm NOT going to step over the line to rant and rave about consumption and how that will effect our environment...you can go there if you want, but that's not my real purpose...it's simply to point out that there is some humor in the froogle list, don't you think? And independently they might not be so obvious it's just together they seem silly. To each his own, I suppose...but for now I'll just focus on finishing my profile...and creating my list: paper towels, organic veggies and tea tree shampoo...Oh, and conditioner...I'm always in the market for a good conditioner (Frederick Fekkai Olive Oil will give you killer shiney hair)...

;)

February

It's interesting to look back on progress made from birthday to birthday. It's even more amazing and (somewhat) melancholy (depending on the day) when it's reflection on the growth of your children. Winter will be 2 this month...my valentine. He's walking, talking, teeth-brushing, exploring, car-driving-pantomiming sweet pea. The latest doctor's visit affirmed CLEAR lungs - a very good sign after some scary episodes last year.

It's crazy to think what 2 years means...what it brings...how much a person can change. Last year he still seemed so small and now he's on the brink of being a BOY...not a baby any longer. There are days when I wish they all were still small...and there are instances when I can still share tender moments with them like I did when they were tiny...but I am astounded at how quickly they adapt and how intensely they comprehend and retain upon which to build other skills and thoughts.

He's a precious boy...I admit it, I'm biased. But you should see him...you should hear him say "keess" and pucker up his tiny little lips. You should hear him make the smooch sound as he holds your cheeks and kisses you. You should see his green eyes light up when you walk into the room. You are lucky when he runs to hug your knee caps. Your heart melts when he says "bye" to his brother when he leaves for school. You can't help but love him when he follows you around with a muffin in one hand and your pant leg in the other. He's a precious boy.

2 years has brought me to see remarkable similarities between him and his brother. Almost identical...but distinctly different. 2 years has brought me to feel so blessed to have 3 little ones in my life...who help me to keep focused...who help me to realize the greater picture...who help me to giggle and play. As crazy as things can be at times...there is nothing like being mother to them. I wouldn't change it for anything!

Pictures to come after Winter's birthday!