three for one

On this last day of National Poetry Month for 2016, I would like to share three poems that I wrote with the junior high and high school classes that I teach. We were studying the poem, "He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven" by William Butler Yeats this week, and worked on imitating his repetition/rhyme scheme to create new poems. On the last day of poetry month for school, I asked the students to give me four random words to set my end rhyme, and then we all worked on writing our poems at the same time. I did give them a bit of a head start by giving instruction and sharing some thoughts before I began, but it was definitely a good competition. 

I'd like to share all three of my competition pieces with you. I hope you have found as much joy in poetry this month as I have. Trying new things, reading new and old poems, it has all been a growing experience. Thank you for being part of my experience as well. It has been wonderful! Enjoy! 

Sunshine and Mountains

A citrus sunshine day with lime,

Tangy with a splash of happy day.

We smile and shine adding lime

To the mix of lemons for a lemonade day. 

We could sit and cry all day in a chair,

A lovely purple crying chair, but the mountain

Keeps calling us to stand up from the chair,

To no longer sit still, to forever climb the purple shadow mountain.

To Eat and Drink

Knowledge—truth, something we chew,

When it all is shown—comes into light.

The world doesn't seem so bad—no longer can chew

Our hearts to bits—now there's only light. 

Walking together on green grass so moist, 

Softly, quietly, perfectly filling this cup

To overflowing, a life no longer dried up—moist—

Saturated— yet still perforated—a completely full cup. 

Lunch Date 

Held within a dream like peaches and cream, 

You and me, connecting over pizza

In a temporary moment, smooth as whipped cream

On hot chocolate, with lingering thoughts of pizza.

Riding side by side, I almost see a bicycle

Transporting you here and there as if on a cloud

That floats by, coming back on a bicycle

To transport my pizza peaches and cream dreams to the cloud.

holding tight

nearly but not quite
always on the bittersweet edge
between purposefully held tight
and an old, cherished memory

friendship full-fledged
looks and lives like love
when their actions speak aloud
and affection sets us free

love does

Darling, love, flawed, and running
A glimmer of a girl left
To all the devices left behind
Checked by reality unsure,
Checked or left unchecked
In all the running of her mouth,
Flaws falling out causing fallout
Like a nuclear reactor leak.
This love, darling, touches everything;
Nothing will be left behind
Untouched even if you leave her
Untouched wishing for everything
To be locked down in the best ways
To find her way to a darling love story
With a glimmer in her eye
As she writes their story day by day
With a shimmer and a shine on everything
Even every flaw, darling,
Because running never lasts,
But love does.

a peaceful scene

All she wants is a piece
Of something elusive: peace;
A morsel, a bit, a piece
Of a puzzle laced with peace.

All she wants is to be seen
By someone close to the scene
Who, in turn, will be seen
By her and welcomed to the scene.






Rhyme scheme inspired by
"He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven"
By William Butler Yeats

choose

Words have escaped
Made a prison break
Of sorts
Fleeing from dark
Into light
Ready for a real start
Striving toward peace
This love and care
Should not need to hide
The words that ran from
Her mind, her mouth barely smiling,
Display the sweet freedom
To be true
Invite and entice
To be who you will be
Show yourself
Be yourself
Love yourself
Enough to receive
The love you deserve