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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Can't Forget This Special Day

'' photo (c) 2010, Caitee Smith - license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/









                


















         
              My Leap Day

It takes the earth 365 calendar days
to orbit the sun,
Something termed drifting takes its toll. (I didn’t know we were
drifting; I thought we were barreling through space.)
I think I
am barreling through space,
right here
right now.
They say we cannot feel it because of the earth’s gravity and
other physical stuff like that,
but I feel that movement,
so fast,
so fast the time.
So every year adds up to about six hours
drifting. 
After approximately six hours
in our year of drifting,
we synchronize the season with our selves,
and our calendar.
to check that everything is really okay,
so that the sun
can return to the same
exact
spot 
in its orbit every year.
If we stop
to contemplate this,
we will see why Leap Day
being added as discretely
as possible,
every
four years,
adds to our pleasure as human beings.

        What will you do with this gift of a day?

9 comments:

  1. Love this poem, Linda! Unfortunately, my gift of a day will be spent in grad school tonight. (But with students today, which is always fun!)

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  2. But at least you're learning! I can't believe you are doing all you do! Whew!

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  3. I love the idea of a whole day added, and the mystery of the time. And I've always been fascinated by the idea of someone being born on February 29th.

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    1. There is someone here at school whose wedding anniversary is today. She & her husband chose the day for something interesting! Guess they won't forget!

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  4. I love your poem about drifting as opposed to hurtling through space and time!

    My kids thought I was crazy for thinking of today as an extra day! My classes spent some time today watching The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. We talked about the benefits of re-reading on our state test by watching the short film multiple times to deepen our understanding.

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    1. Oh, I think Leap Day is really special, like gaining that hour because of daylight savings time! It's great you saw that film. I've just seen the trailer, but it looks 'fantastic'! Re-reading is a huge key. We talked about it in my book group that started yesterday. Thanks, Christy.

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  5. I love this poem Linda - the drifting and the speed that time goes. I also really liked the quote at the top with time slipping through like water. See you on SLOLSC tomorrow! Yippee!

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    1. Hey, Katie, I'm so excited! Thanks for the compliment. Isn't that quote/poem at the top beautiful. I'll have to show you where I got it!

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  6. Love this poem. We are actually talking about space, rotation, revolution and gravity... How fitting. Will share with my fifth graders tomorrow. :) Thanks for sharing!

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