Monday, April 2, 2012

Slice of Life Tuesday - April Means Poetry

  The Slice of Life Group Can Be Found at Two Writing Teachers with Stacey and Ruth.  Come read some beautiful writing!  One more thank you for the March challenge.  A friend gave me a book of daily writings from Rilke.  One day this arrived:  I live my life in widening circles That reach out across the world.  Rainer Maria Rilke  It seemed important to share with the slicers!








     Also, be sure to check on the Poetry Tag Group shown at the right!  And check on Jama Rattigan's blog post at Jama's Alphabet Soup  to discover so many Poetry sites in the kidlitosphere doing wonderful things!  Cathy, at Merely Day By Day, is joining Mary Lee, at A Year of Reading in a poem a day this month. Other daily poem writers include Amy at The Poem Farm, and Donna at Mainely Write.


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 I am pursuing a personal project about different ways of looking at children (mine, others, and grandchildren, too) growing up.  It will be a series of poems at different stages in a life, essentially saying goodbye each time.  I hope to put them together in a book with pictures of my grandchildren (now 10 ½, almost 3, 7 months) at the particular stage I am describing in the poem.  Part of this comes from my talks with my daughter, about pregnancy, the children growing and changing so fast.  Another part is that I love telling stories through poetry, and I love poems of goodbye, so I thought this would be a good way to combine both passions.  Someday I hope to put it all together in a book for my grandchildren.  It’s good to have a goal and an audience to write for.  You can find poem number one here, and number two here






(3)

Toddling into two-
on your way to three,
I find I miss your
halting steps,
holding my hand
only to move
off the curb.

Now you begin
learning no and then why
and I do it-
startling
pronouncements
of separation.

Your eyes prowl
for the next adventure,
now.
Wow, you are growing,
your baby steps going
into a run-and-jump song.
If this could be slowed
I would linger a while
keeping your baby smile
only for me.

28 comments:

  1. Startling pronouncemenrs of separation
    What a fantastic observation!
    This is wonderful work

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  2. Thank you for the links. Your own petry takes my breath away. I wonder if there is a common thread in all your poems about preteens....."if you could only linger here a while"

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  3. I like this one the best so far -- I like finding the occasional rhymes tucked in!

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  4. I would ditto all the above comments...and I love how the picture shows the primary focus on the child, with the adult there for support in the background, but becoming fuzzier...attention being focused on "startling pronouncements of separation". Wonderful, Linda. This is going to be an incredible piece!

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  5. I can totally relate to this stage - our "girls" will be two next month and your line "if this could be slowed I would linger a while
    keeping your baby smile only for me." is so true. Time is going by too quickly and they are growing, learning, developing so rapidly, that I just want to linger and enjoy. Thanks for sharing your poems.

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  6. I love this part:


    I find I miss your
    halting steps,
    holding my hand
    only to move
    off the curb.

    So good and something I can totally relate to. Liam, my six year old, still holds my hands when we go somewhere - when he wants to. Luke, who is nine, is not. I miss when they were little but do love who they are now.

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  7. Toddling into two-
    on your way to three,
    I find I miss your
    halting steps,
    holding my hand
    only to move
    off the curb.

    What a great project Linda. I can't wait for more...
    Bonnie

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  8. As Grandma (Judy, just above) stated -- this is the stage we are in now! The independence, the "I do it." On one hand I'm excited for their development and growth, on the other, I hate saying 'goodbye'! Thank you again for such a beautiful poem. Seriously, when you print this book - I'm in line for a copy!!!!

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  9. Aww.... you've gone and made me cry! I had a nostalgia piece in March, and I was slightly sad for days.

    I agree with the other comments "startling
    pronouncements of separation." is a great line!

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  10. In retrospect, it's amazing how quickly those sweet moments go by. My oldest is a tween and sometimes I have to look at him (when he is being a brat) and try to remember those sweet moments.

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  11. I do love your project.

    "your eyes prowl for the next adventure" -- can just see that so clearly.

    I love the nuances, the small details that speak volumes. Of course the Pooh outfit slays me. Why don't they make such things in my size?

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  12. You have touched so many lives with this poem. You've taken me back to seeing my son in that toddling stage. Your words capture this stage of life perfectly. You are a poet extraordinaire!

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  13. I love the poem, coupled with that sweet photograph. I hope you're gathering these in a special book that you can present to your grandkids once they come of age.

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  14. Oh Linda, I love this so much. It reminds me of my youngest son who when a toddler had this floppy run in which he would throw back his legs -- I was constantly following him from behind trying to capture it on video. I knew I would miss it when it was gone. And your project would be such a great gift book for mother's, esp. around Mother's Day or new births or graduations... something to think about!

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  15. This is my favorite. "Your eyes prowl for the next adventure." Great line. And so true of toddlers. This book is going to be so great when you get done!

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  16. No, why, I do it - so much independence comes from the words.

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  17. There are so many great lines in this poem, I think each has been sited by a previous comment! That's how good it is!
    "startling pronouncements"
    "linger a while"
    These portions of two different lines struck me.

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  18. So adorable! (The poem and the picture!) I love "toddling into two", "halting steps", and "a run-and-jump song"! Such a cute image, and such an affectionate tone. I think this project is an amazing gift!

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  19. Linda,
    I liked so many of the things already pointed out such as: "toddling into two."

    I also enjoy sound/feel of these lines. They felt bouncy to me which goes along with what the child is doing.

    "Wow, you are growing,
    your baby steps going
    into a run-and-jump song."

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  20. I'm glad you're working on this project. I'm even more glad that you are sharing it with us.
    Ruth

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  21. I love it! Kids do grow up too fast! I can't believe my oldest will be five in May! My 21-month-old has started saying, "No like it." It's so funny to hear him put words together instead of just saying one word. It's sad that everything seems to get a "No like it" but that's okay!!! Another joy of being almost two!

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  22. What a gift for both your children and your grandchildren! I love this poem. As with your others, it so creatively captures those moments in time that I remember all too well. Lovely!

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  23. What a grand idea! Your poems say so much, and your word choice is perfect. I can't wait to read more! "I find I miss your
    halting steps" - love this!

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  24. Wow, I think this is such a cool project idea!!The finished book will be so special not only for you but for all your grandchildren as well. I hope you can publish multiple copies for all of them.

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  25. The picture is adorable. I love the line "eyes prowl looking for the next adventure". That adventure continues as they explore. I'm not sure I always saw their actions as being adventurous, but in reflection, I see it being so.

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  26. When you publish your book, I want a copy. This is beautiful!

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  27. Oh dearest Linda, I can tell that this is going to be a priceless/ much-treasured book/keepsake. Here are my favorite lines:

    Now you begin
    learning no and then why
    and I do it-
    startling
    pronouncements
    of separation.

    - that's autonomy! the beginnings of fierce independence and freedom of thought. :)

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  28. Pausing at the curb for my hand to otherwise do it herself - I am so living that right now!

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