Blog #2: Where I've Stemmed
I am from kindness
from eskimo kisses & The Giving Tree before bed
& hold my hand
unveiling seashells
treasures I keep
as if they were gold
I am from Joe and Bridget
The Misfits
& The Beastie Boys
From tanned, tattooed arms
From tanned, tattooed arms
& the fair skinned
From drive thru dinners
& home cooked
From Thrasher magazines
& solved crossword puzzles
& solved crossword puzzles
sprawled on the table
who found their way
loving every second of it
I am from wandering with cousins
Constructing unimaginable estates
hanging blankets from chairs
stacking pillows as tall as our bodies
From shadows covering the walls
Instilled in me is acceptance
of everyone
regardless of who they are
always love
You don’t need to understand everyone’s situation
Just be kind
Analysis:
When starting this poem, I was a little hesitant. I've never done well with poetry,but having the mentor text
as a crutch to lean on helped out immensely. Following such a simple pattern gave a solid
foundation, as well as a lot of room for creativity.
as a crutch to lean on helped out immensely. Following such a simple pattern gave a solid
foundation, as well as a lot of room for creativity.
Whenever I'm writing a piece of writing, whether an essay or even a poem, I write down any possible
ideas on scratch paper. From this I was able to pick and choose which details I wanted to include in
my writing. To start the poem, I printed out the poem and substituted the original text with my own
details. From this I was able to add extra lines into the text and modified the lengths of them as well.
ideas on scratch paper. From this I was able to pick and choose which details I wanted to include in
my writing. To start the poem, I printed out the poem and substituted the original text with my own
details. From this I was able to add extra lines into the text and modified the lengths of them as well.
Reflecting back on my childhood was fun and something I haven't done in a while. The theme of my poem is kindness. Kindness has always been emphasized to me by my parents ever since I was little. Both of my parents are very accepting of every person no matter their situation. I think acceptance is something they hope I can carry out through my life as well.
I'm happy with how my poem turned out. I think it really gives a good background of how I've been brought up and the things that are important to me. As mentioned in my poem, both of my parents are very different people, but they never fail to show me that you don't have to be so alike with someone in order to love and accept them.
Hi Anna,
ReplyDeleteI really liked your poem! I think you did a beautiful job showing how two different worlds came together and nothing could have been better. Out of two different worlds, there was still love, and out of that came something bigger, life. Within your poem I see the way that being exposed to both has shaped you. You state within your poem how acceptance of everyone is instilled in you, the important thing is love. You have no idea everything I have learned about you just by your words. I love how you included small details, from the way your parents look physically, as well as internally by throwing in their favorite bands (I’m assuming) and activities.
As I read your analysis I connect to the part you said you write down any possible ideas on scratch paper. I must admit that is what I did with this poem assignment.
Do you think you live enough in the moment that it might be the reason you don't reflect back on your past?
Anna,
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved reading your poem! Even within just the first few stanzas, I felt connected and very relatable to you. You very artistically, yet clearly, described your childhood and what was important to you. Reading about the small things, like your homecooked/drive thru dinners and your your taste in music reminded me of my own childhood. When I think of growing up, I think of my parents playing The Beastie Boys in the house while I played around with my brothers and my cousins. I love that you included the physical appearance of your father as well, regarding his tanned skin and tattooed arms. The way you ended the poem with accepting everyone as who they are highlighted this line even moreso. As a heavily tattooed woman myself, I feel that I’ve received judgement on my ability to care and love based on the fact that I have tattoos. Reading your poem is a reminder that love is beyond the surface level.
Thanks for sharing,
Sabrina
Anna,
ReplyDeleteYour poem was absolutely beautiful. I feel like I was able to connect with you through this poem very quickly. I think that you described your childhood beautifully, and you showed how important it was to you, which I felt that I could relate to. I also connect with you when you talked about The Misfits and the Beastie Boys, because those were artists that my parents also loved and they would play often when I was a child. I thought it was amazing how you were able to describe your father in the way that you did. Parents come in all forms and sizes and it was really amazing to get a glimpse as to what your dad was like. This poem was beautifully constructed. Thank you.
-Sheyenne Powers