Friday, June 29, 2012

June Chalk-A-Bration!

         Over at the Teaching Young Writers blog, Betsy and her husband Shawn, who blogs at Beyond Innisfree have shown that there is much out there I haven't experienced (well, today is number three), and one of those things is to write a poem on the sidewalk, or patio, etc., anywhere you feel is a great place to show off your words. Betsy has named this Chalk-a-bration, which began in April during poetry month.  Please visit Betsy's blog to share the link for your own chalk story.  Thanks for hosting Betsy!


         We wrote about summer much of the month of May, waiting, waiting for school to be completed, so we could welcome the season of doing less, getting some R&R, reading the books we wanted, writing the words we wanted.  It was a lovely time of anticipation!  Now that summer is here, some of that has occurred, but here in Colorado, one thing more--fire!  Hence my poem, that began as celebration, but ended still another way.  



                                                  It's a little faded, so here is the text!

Summer comes-
blanket heat.
We smile and relax,
with shorts and halter tops.
We grow flowers
and jump into sprinklers.
Bodies shiver.
But the heat also brings
fire that we relish in
snow time,
not the hot and dry kind-
July.
We want the crackle
only in the fireplace.
Not in the neighborhoods.
Our bodies shiver.



10 comments:

  1. I like your playful spirit, ready to explore, experiment and share. The picture of you writing with chalks on the pavement makes me smile. You stay young forever when using chalk or blowing bubbles.
    It is sad that the poem's mood had to change because of the fires.

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    1. Thank you Terje. It's been a terrible week for many people here. The words just came out.

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  2. The tone of this poem made me shiver. Those times of uncertainty can certainly bring out the words and your words are a great illustration of the feelings that are surrounding you. I hope relief is on the way.

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    1. Yes, even the President arrived yesterday. The army is now helping to fight the biggest fire, but it's just now the beginning of summer. Everyone is apprehensive to think what else could happen. We are very hopeful for lots of rain! Thanks Betsy.

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  3. The pictures I have seen have been utterly heartbreaking... thinking of you and your neighbors! Love the poem and how shivering changes meaning. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thanks Irene. It has been heart-breaking to see the destruction that won't be repaired for years.

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  4. I was wondering about you when I heard about the fires! Are they pretty close to you then? It sounds so awful. Your double use of the word "shiver" in the poem is really powerful. Hope you stay safe! We have had high temps here and a storm with really strong winds last night that knocked out power for some and brought down tons of big trees -- our house is safe though! The power of nature is astonishingly wonderful and terrible.

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    1. HI Jennifer, No, I'm far away from the fires, except for the smoke. It has been so, so sad to hear about & see, however. The clouds have been amazing with the smoke adding to the stormy stuff, which doesn't produce any moisture because it's dried up with the fires-'dry' thunderstorms! I wondered about that storm back east-Jama posted about it on Facebook. Scary there too. Take care!

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    2. Wow, that sounds really interesting (in a sad way, since you know what all the fires have done)! You should take some pictures of that unique sky! Glad you are far away though.

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  5. I love these lines:
    "We grow flowers
    and jump into sprinklers"
    -- you're right, it starts off very light-hearted and ended in quite a somber but still uplifting note. The heat here right now in Las vegas is unrelenting - there are pinpricks of fire in my skin whenever I am outdoors - reminds me of the time I was in the Middle East, really. I did not realize that summer here can also be brutal!

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