Writer's Workshop Piece: Journal Entry Rewrite

Hi Ladies,

I have been plugging along on my writer's workshop piece a little early because I am going away again. I decided to take up suggestions you had been kind enough to give me in previous posts. However, I need your opinion on the item I have drafted. This is a rewrite of my first journal entry about my pets. I have changed the perspective. My cat was the "boss" until our dog arrived on the scene. I hope I have captured his personality...

Morning’s first light infiltrated the room as my mother tenderly nudged me with her delicate pink tongue. Stretching as I slowly awakened, I basked in her loving attention. Though, the remnants of sleep proved difficult to cast off as I had spent most of the previous day doing my best to attract the interest of others. I had pranced and capered to no avail as a seemingly endless parade of inquisitive humans gawked at me through the glass. Over the last few weeks it had been the pattern that a large soft palm would scoop one of my siblings up and carry them away for either a brief while, or to never return. Occasionally, the chosen individual would be unceremoniously plopped back down into the shredded paper that constituted both our litter box and bed. Upon their return, my mother would commence with a meticulous grooming process to remove “the scent” from their bodies. When mother had finished with my siblings’ toilette, they would always regale me with the antics they had engaged in while entertaining visitors in the “special room”. Though I wondered, if they were so amusing, why were they returned to our pen? By this time, the prettier and healthier of my 7 siblings had been greedily snapped up leaving only my mother and me behind to wonder why we were somehow deficient in comparison. Being the runt of the litter I had a sneaking suspicion as to why I had never been beyond the confines of my clutch. When the lights were still dim, I could catch a glimpse of my own reflection in the glass. In the half-light, a rather dainty bit grey of fluff with black stripes and gold eyes stared back at me. In my appraisal, what I saw was not unattractive. Yet, I simply did not compare with my eldest sibling who had been adopted almost as soon as she could gobble solid food. I wished that I would soon have my turn, though I didn’t want to get my hopes up. The days slid by and eventually, my mother and I were the only ones who remained. We stayed tightly cuddled together, taking comfort in the fact that we had each other. Unfortunately, our united front came to an end this very morning. After my daily grooming, my mother was taken away to the “special room”. I waited for a very long time but she did not return. Wallowing in despair, I found myself alone in the corner of my glass enclosure contemplating how to best deal with my new situation. In my reverie, I felt myself becoming increasingly drowsy. I was just beginning to lightly doze, when a chubby little hand knocked at the glass so hard that it rattled. “Mommy, Mommy! Look at the kitty!” Was it really true? Was someone talking about me? It was then that I heard the words I had longed for, “May we see him?” I was so excited that I put my two front paws on the glass to aid in my being picked up by the assistant. In my impatience to be taken to the “special room” I practically jumped into her hand. As we traveled the short hallway, I tried to coax the human to hurry along by squirming the whole way. As we rounded the corner, the assistant ushered four other humans – two large and two small into the designated space, handed me to the largest one of them all, and closed the door. So there I was in the “special room” with not a clue what to do. Then it hit me! The advice my siblings gave me would surely come in handy. I wriggled out of the largest one’s hands and hit the floor with a thud. I hurried under one of the benches hoping to provide the humans with a lively chase. As I anticipated, the littlest one got down on his knees and peered into my shadowy hiding place. “Kitty, kitty, kitty”, he called. Tentatively, I crept forward not wanting to appear too eager. It was then that the same little hand that rattled my enclosure picked me up by the tail! I let out an indignant yowl and clawed in response to this affront. Luckily, the little one with no manners dropped me forthwith. It was then that the elder female intervened. “Sean that is not the way we handle animals. He is just a baby like you. You have to be gentle. This is the way that you should pick him up.” Delicately, she scooped me up and cradled me to her chest. I purred and nuzzled her chin in appreciation for my timely rescue. It was then that she did the unthinkable and handed me back to the rapscallion! Bracing for more indignities I waited for the inevitable, but this interaction was different. His small hands delicately caressed my back as he talked to me in soft tones. Maybe, the youngster was tolerable after all. He just didn’t know how to handle something as small as me. After a few moments, littlest human passed me to the one they called “Kaitlyn”. Now, here was a human I could get used to! She kissed me and hugged me the way I imagine only a little girl could. At one point she gently placed me on the floor and pulled out what she called a “string”. I had never seen such a thing before and was extremely curious as to what it was and how it worked. I had great fun chasing after “the string” as she jiggled it and yanked it into the air. I enjoyed my short-lived game with her immensely. I was so appreciative that I wove myself in and out of her legs to show my delight. Regrettably, I was so entranced in our play that I only caught snippets of the conversation being carried on between the two adults. However, my ears pricked up when I heard the largest one say, “I guess it is settled”. “Settled? What is settled?” I wondered. It was then that the largest human picked me up in one hand, held me to his chest, and opened the door to the “special room”. “Oh no, he is looking for the assistant! They are going send me back!” In my frenzy, I writhed and tried to escape when I was handed back to the assistant. “How could this happen? I did my best!” As I looked over the assistant’s shoulder, I watched the four humans enter another room at the end of the long hallway. Rather than walk back towards the glass pen that I had shared with my family, the assistant took a different route into a room I had been only once before. “Oh, no! This is where they took me to give me “shots”!” Now I was really in lather. “What are they going to do to me?” All the while I was panicking; the assistant continued to gently stroke me about the head and shoulders. It was obvious she was trying to calm me down but I was having none of it. My angst was compounded by the fact that I soon found myself quickly dipped into some sort of repugnant fluid, given a maddening article to wear about my neck, and placed into a portable enclosure with tiny holes. I began to yowl mournfully as the impertinent human closed me inside. “Maybe being returned wasn’t so bad after all!” It was then that I felt my new enclosure move. This was an unfamiliar sensation for me. I had to struggle to remain firmly planted on my feet. In the long run, I had to relent and lay down to keep from falling over. Thankfully, the holes at the top of the carrier allowed some light to penetrate it. It was through these holes that I was able to perceive what exactly was going on. I could hear the humans talking about obtaining the necessities that I would require. Realization slowly began to dawn. I had been adopted! I was going to have a home of my own! I felt electrified and thrilled to the point that I began to sing in my best kitty soprano. As I crooned my little kitty heart out, the elder female opened the carrier a bit to slip a hand inside and scratch me behind the ears. What a wonderfully divine feeling! After a short time traveling, it was obvious that we had arrived at our final destination. I was released from my kitty prison out into a large expanse. The two little ones were waiting for me as I emerged from the carrier and started to soak in my new surroundings. As I was carried throughout my new domain, I was shown where I would sleep, find my food, and do “my business”. It seemed that the humans had thought of everything, even toys and a window to sun myself in! As the weeks went by, I grew immensely in size and became very accustomed to my new abode. I even learned to respond to the dreadful name they gave me- Ember! Now that I am older and established, I understand a bit more about the ways of humans and workings of the world. My disquieting experience was just part of the process of finding the right family. Even though I was the last of the litter to be adopted, I am glad that it took so long, because as the humans say, “good things come to those who wait”. However, my joys in life are tempered by small aggravations. My sweet but silly minded adoptive family didn’t have the good sense to stop at one perfect child. Shortly after my second birthday, they brought home a small black and white terror, they call Liebchen, but that is a story for another time…

List Poem

I have always been interested in astronomy. The moon has a particular fascination for me. As everyone knows the moon has different phases. However, each month's full moon has one, or more names. I decided to write a list poem to help me remember the special names for each full moon. See if you can guess what the names are...

A Year of Full Moons

January’s moon howls

February’s moon hungers

March’s moon fasts

April’s moon hatches

May’s moon sows

June’s moon flowers

July’s moon thunders

Augusts’ moon grows

September’s moon reaps

October’s moon hunts

November’s moon rimes

December’s moon rejoices

If you are stumped, visit the following website: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/moon/Phases.shtml

Praying Mantis Cinquain

Mantodea
Penitent prophet
Deceptively humble posture
Cunning camouflage employing predator
Carnivorous

Quip

If April showers are said to bring forth May flowers, miserable grey skies also certainly bring forth glowers!

Spring Poem

Tender shoots arise daintily from earthen beds
Ardently worshiping the sun’s radiant splendor
Stretching and basking in its fleeting appearance
Before staccato showers supplant with gelidity,
The mercurial warmth of that intemperate goddess, spring.

Cinquain

Lampyridae
Bioluminescent beetle
Buzzing happily along
Illuminating the velvety dark
Pulsating

Imagery Poem II

Winter's Chill

Winter’s chill seeks to pervade

As sharply as a burnished blade

Biting deeply into wearied bone

Eliciting many a anguished moan

Unrelenting in its determined grip

From its grasp, a yearning to slip

Seeking refuge before a hearty blaze

Sensation returns, as travelers laze

Shaking off the evening’s cold

Happily ensconced in a halo of gold

Imagery Poem I

Indian Summer

Softly I tread along the well worn path
Into the wood, along the river’s edge
Listening intently to the sounds of fall
Rustling leaves, a migratory bird’s call
Brilliant blues skies overhead
A carpet of autumnal hues at my feet
Warmth at my back, a smile on my face
I slow my stride to a dilatory pace
Savoring the vestiges of summer
Imbibing deeply, so I can recall
In the deep of winter, the joy of fall

Journal Entry: The Animals in My Life Part III

Much to my chagrin, I came to the realization that we were soon going to have an indeterminate number of kittens to care for. As exciting as this unforeseen event was, it was also extremely overwhelming. We couldn’t possibly keep all the kittens that would be born, but in good conscious I couldn’t bring Mommy and the kittens to an animal shelter. Now things slowly started to crystallize; perhaps this is why we had no response to our poster blitz and advertisements. After much discussion, my husband and I decided to care for Mommy through the birth of her kittens. Once the kittens were weaned we planned to find momma and her brood a good home. Additionally, we thought that the birth of the kittens would allow us to broach the subject of “the talk” with our children. As the weeks went by, Mommy continued to sleep in the garage at night. However, she was let out and supervised during the daytime to keep her from instigating a fight with our other pets. In her free time, Mommy followed us everywhere we went. She became my husband’s constant companion when he worked outdoors. She seemed quite comfortable in her adoptive domain – a large fenced in yard with lots of places to hide. She stalked our acreage, ran along the tops of the fence and in and out of my children’s jungle gym, snoozed in the sun on our lawn furniture, and even pounced on the dog as she passed under trees the cat had climbed. As expected after a few weeks, Mommy began to slow down because her belly had started to distend. One morning I let her out onto the back porch and she just sat there looking around. I assumed that she was soaking up the morning sun and would soon seek out some amusing activity to pass the time. I was in the midst of grinding beans for a pot of coffee when I heard a curious noise. I went to look out the sliding glass door and to my amazement there was Mommy. She had climbed halfway up the sliding glass door’s screen. It looked as though she was trying to find a way back into the house. I managed to open the screen just enough to squeeze through to the outside. The next task was to remove Mommy from the screen without ruining it in the process. After much cajoling, I managed to get her retract her claws and let go. It was then that I noticed her water had broken. Calling the troops into action, we readied for the arrival of Mommy’s babies. My husband set about organizing the garage, moving out the car, plugging up areas where the cat could hide, and laying out a larger bed for her. My children hovered over her like nervous mother hens. For poor Mommy, the supervision was obviously overbearing as she started to swat and cry at anyone who came near. It was at this point, that we decided that it was best that she be given her private time so that nature could proceed on its own schedule. Being that it was a Saturday, I had tutoring commitments. I left the house for a couple hours and when I came home; my children met me at the front door with ecstatic smiles. Three tiny kittens –two black and one black and white - had been born in my absence. I look back on the weeks that followed quite fondly. It was wonderful to have three tiny newborns to cuddle and love. My children spent every free moment they had observing Mommy’s interactions with her kittens. I must have answered a million questions for them. It was a great learning experience for all of us. Sadly, the day came when the kittens were weaned and eating solid food. By this time, they had already been named and my children were begging to keep them all. Our original pets- Liebchen and Ember had adjusted as best as could be expected, but I couldn’t picture myself with 6 pets. My husband and I agreed that two animals were enough; however we were still debating whether or not to keep Mommy once she was fixed. All of this was carefully explained to our children, who at first thought we “were big meanies” for not keeping the kittens, but they eventually understood our point. Subsequent to having Mommy under our roof for ten weeks, we called our local vet to arrange to have the kittens placed with other families. After oodles of kisses and hugs, my husband packed up the kittens and brought them to Dr. Keish’s office. Within a week, all of the kittens had been adopted. However, we still had Mommy on our hands. We tried for several more weeks to get Mommy to interact positively with our cat and dog. Unfortunately, we finally had to admit that she belonged in a household with no other pets. No one in our immediate families was in a situation to take on a new pet, so we put another advertisement in the paper. A few more weeks went by and it seemed that no one was interested in Mommy cat. It was then decided that we should bring her to the facility where we had chosen Ember. Luckily, this facility does not put animals down if they are not adopted within a given time frame. So, after arranging for the children to stay with my in-laws for the day, we packed up Mommy and her meager belongings and traveled to Newington, crying the whole way. After dropping Mommy off with her new custodians, we headed for the car. It was at this point that my husband made me promise not to take in any more strays. Two days passed, and I decided to call the facility to check up on Mommy. My husband and I had agreed that if she was not taken in a timely manner, we would go back to get her even though it would mean a disruption in our home life. To my joy, I was informed that she had been adopted by an elderly lady whose cat had just passed on. It seemed like the perfect fit! Additionally, since the kittens were placed through our family vet I occasionally get updates on them as well. It seems all of our temporary adoptees found happy homes. Luckily, I haven’t had any pregnant cats show up on my doorstep again, but this doesn’t mean we haven’t had some interesting animal adventures since. My husband jokes that he sometimes feels like Dr. Doolittle. We have had turtles, rabbits, turkeys, skunks, and even gorgeous red foxes show up in our FENCED YARD!

Journal Entry: The Animals in My Life Part II

OK, so it wasn’t exactly our idea. Sometimes the fates just conspire against you. On a beautiful Sunday morning in the fall of 2005, my husband and I were preparing for an impending visit from my parents. Upon arrival, my mother came through the front door with a rather puzzled if not concerned expression on her face. I asked her what was wrong, and she said that a beautiful cat had run up to her as she had exited her car. Apparently, the cat was crying and rubbing up against my mother to the point that she thought the cat must be extremely hungry. Much to my husband’s dismay, I immediately charged out into the driveway to look for the cat. There, beneath one of my rose bushes sat a gorgeous Siamese with brilliant blue eyes. Immediately, the cat ran up to me, flopped over on her back, and in a very coquettish way asked to have her tummy rubbed. By this time, my children’s curiosity had gotten the better of them and they had come out into the front yard to see what was going on. My children both lay down on the grass and began to pet the cat. She reciprocated their attention, purring and nuzzling. It was at this point that my heart melted. I felt very badly for the cat, as she seemed to be quite young and had no collar. Therefore, even though my husband admonished me not to do so, I had my daughter run inside to get a bowl of milk and some cat chow. Of course, my mother put the icing on the proverbial cake when she just had to remind me that we live near a very busy road. Her comment was all it took for me to take the cat in for what we initially thought would be a day or so. After bringing the cat into the house, my husband set about trying to locate her owner. On the day we found her, he canvassed the neighborhood and put up signs. Unfortunately, no one seemed to have any idea who she might belong to. So there we were with this adorable cat and no idea what to do with her. We decided to place an advertisement in the local paper and bide our time in the hope that her owner would soon lay claim. In our haste, we once again we did not take into consideration the opinion of our furry family members. Needless to say, chaos erupted almost immediately. It seemed as though all three animals took great delight in antagonizing each other and attempting to assert their dominance. We were most surprised by our seemingly helpless little girl who actually provoked a fight with our twenty pound Ember and chased him under a bed. She also managed to embed one of her claws in our dog’s nose as retribution for the dog getting a little too close for comfort. After both of our pets had a negative interaction with our guest, it was decided that she should stay in the garage. Several days went by and no calls came in. It began to look as though we would not find the cat’s owner. However, over the course of the first few days that we had her, our little hell cat began to ingratiate herself. We all grew very quickly attached to her, so much so that the kids wanted to name her. Both my husband and I knew that the minute we gave her a name that we were on the slippery slope to keeping her. So the cat eventually came to be named, though it was not a very creative name that was chosen for her. Her name evolved out of the situation that she found herself in. Not only was our little waif homeless, she also was in the “family way”. After a few days with her, I began to notice the tell tale signs that we would soon have more than one foundling on our hands. From that point on, we called her "Mommy"...

Journal Entry: The Animals in My Life Part I

I have always been an animal lover. When I was growing up my family owned a series of dogs. To this day, I have pictures of each of these animals prominently displayed in my home. As an animal lover, I have a tremendous soft spot for anything fluffy and cute. Unfortunately, my passion for animals has occasionally come back to haunt me. When my husband and I first married we decided that once we had children we would introduce a furry family member into our lives. Our daughter was born in 1996 and our son in 1998. We waited until my son was 6 months old to pick out our first family pet. On the appointed morning we packed up the children and journeyed to the local animal shelter. We meandered around the facility looking at a wide variety of animals and eventually we honed in on a tiny kitten. One of the assistants asked us if we would like to take the kitten into a petting room and of course we jumped at the chance. Once behind closed doors we set about interacting with the little bundle of energy. He pranced, jumped up and down, and wove himself in and out of my daughter’s legs. We were sold in that instant. After a $45 dollar donation, a flea dip, and placement in a cardboard carrier, he was ours for the taking. On the way home to our apartment, my husband stopped at a local pet store to garner the necessary supplies – a litter box, toys, food dishes, etc. While Scott was running around the store, the children and I sat in the car and listened to a cat serenade. It seems our little kitten had quite the range of interesting mewls he could make. Once we arrived home we set about establishing the cat in his new domain. We set out his food and water bowls, and showed him where his bed and litter box were. The next task was to decide upon a name. We eventually decided upon the name “Ember” as he is a grey and black tiger. However, he also eventually gained the nickname “Harry” as all he seemed to do was shed. Ember quickly became a central fixture. He was playful and interacted beautifully with my children. All seemed right with the world. Eventually, the time came when my husband and I had saved enough money to purchase a home. After several years in an apartment we were overjoyed to be making such a change. We were also excited at the prospect of introducing a dog into the formula, as we thought that every child should have the opportunity to romp with one in a big backyard. Our move went very smoothly thanks to my husband’s brothers who helped schlep all of our worldly belongings to our new abode. The only hitch in the plan was transporting Ember who was not very happy about being crammed into a cat carrier. He of course cried the entire way and hid under furniture for two days after being released from his kitty prison. After six months in our new home, we decided to investigate breeders in the hopes of giving our children a dog for Valentine’s Day. After much discussion, we settled on getting a schnauzer. Though not my first choice of breed, I was excited to be picking out a new fluffy child. A week after we decided upon what kind of dog to purchase, we drove up to Massachusetts to visit a breeder. The trip took over an hour. By the time we arrived our children were antsy and my daughter was carsick. Luckily, my daughter’s queasiness dissipated upon arrival. After scrambling out of the car, we entered a building that resembled a renovated barn. To the right and left of us were converted horse stalls that held dogs and their puppies. After our initial look around, an older woman directed us to the last stall on the left. There, in a pile of cedar chips lay a mother and her pup. A tiny black and white ball of fur was tightly curled into the momma dog’s belly. Both of my children squealed with delight. After playing with the puppy, we knew instantly that this was the dog for us. Unlike our cat, she would cost a small fortune. This time we bought all of the essential supplies at the breeder’s establishment including a massive dog crate. With beaming smiles on our children’s faces and our wallet crying we made our way back home. My husband and I were just as excited as the children. If we had only known what we were in for! We had forgotten about another member of the family when making this newest purchase. Ember expressed his disdain that very evening. My husband and I had always been very proud of our white leather couches, especially considering we had managed to keep both of them clean with two small children. Unfortunately, we never foresaw that our first furry child would be horribly insulted by the introduction of a younger sibling. Needless to say, his initial encounter with Liebchen was quite strained. He skittered upstairs and hid under a hutch. Later that evening, after everyone had gone to sleep, he skulked down and urinated right in the center of larger of the two couches. He had never done such a thing before. Anyone who owns cats knows what it is like to try and rectify such an offensive situation. Much to our dismay, my husband and I had to retire the couch I am sure much to Ember’s delight. This was a side of our beloved cat that we had never seen before. My husband, who had grown up with cats, gave me a long speech about what we were probably in for. Eventually, the cat and dog came to an accord. The dog stayed in the lower floor of the house and the cat upstairs. An uneasy peace descended over the household and remained for several years. However, this was not the last time the cat would make a statement, and he would now have a co-conspirator – the dog! My husband and I made the mistake of bring a third animal into the fold…

Septet Poem

A Septet poem is made up of seven lines. The shortest lines in the poem are made up of three syllables, while the longest central is made up of nine.

Thunderstorm
Rumbling and crashing
Waking me in the dark night
Daddy, angels are bowling again
Listen to their happy game
Watching and counting
Until sleep

Narrative Poem

After researching various types of poetry, I decided to attempt writing a narrative poem. A narrative poem does exactly what is sounds like, it tells a story. To push myself a little bit further, I also tried to make this one rhyme. I am starting to feel a little more confident about this whole poetry thing...

The Spat

Listening to footsteps die, I expelled a sigh
And thought to myself, “Why”?
I cannot possibly see, how there should be,
A lasting friendship between you and me.

Once two peas from one pod,
Now were as different as strangers, how odd!

Shared roots may possibly be moot,
After demanding that you should scoot!
Memories of yesteryear, I hold dear,
Yet, no new ones will be made, I fear.

Cherished times heretofore passed,
Might assuredly have to be made to last.

Our shared dream, it does seem,
Has been frittered away by a hasty scream.
This most ugly tear, I am quite aware
Results from words hurled without care.

I thought about the phone
and leaving a message before you get home.

My mood black, after such a blistering attack
I picked up it and then put it right back.
A tactless approach for such a subject to broach,
Would likely lead to reproach.

What exactly was it
That led to this hostile split?

I must confess that the whole mess
Was nothing more than a reaction to stress.
An unceremonious ousting and two individuals grousing
All started with friendly verbal jousting.

As I sat contemplating my next move
I knew that mother would disapprove.

How do you win, fighting with kin
Especially when its’ your own twin?
Impossible it would seem, to reign supreme
When someone knows you in the extreme.

Knocking interrupted my daydreaming
And abated tears I didn’t know were streaming.

Hurrying across the floor and reaching the door,
I hoped to encounter someone I adore.
To my glee, I did see
Someone who looked exactly like me.

“Don’t worry” she said, “it was just a small spat”,
And thankfully that was that!

Constrained Poetry

Horrors of horrors, when I got up this morning we were out of coffee. I am sure that other coffee addicts can relate to my pain.

Hello coffee
My morning friend
Beckoning and steaming
Driving sleep from my eyes
Sending me reeling
Out into the day
Yet once again

Double Acrostic

While I have been on vacation the weather has been very inconsistent and my children have been rather grumpy about it. The grumblings of my little ones inspired me to try out writing a different kind of acrostic. This type of acrostic spells out a word from the top down on the left hand side and from the bottom up on the right hand side.

Rainbow

R ain pelted relentlessly at my bedroom window
A fter my friends and I had made big plans too
I was so miserable that I started to stomp and sob
N ever does this happen when I have a bus to get on
B oy, there never was a kid as unhappy as I
O bligations slipping away, just like abracadabra
W allowing in my misery, I growled like a tiger
R aging and caterwauling, angry down to my marrow
A cknowledging defeat, I kissed hope ciao!
I ncredulous, the loss was too much to absorb
N othing but a change in the forecast could assuage my pain
B lotchy faced, I stood looking out the door to the lanai
O bstinately wishing for a vision a la polychromatica
W anting nothing more than to control the weather!

Cinquain

Following up on a well appreciated suggestion, I decided to try and write a cinquain. It is a very simple five line poem that can be written a couple of different ways. It is a wonderful form for any beginning poet. As my family and I are currently on vacation, I am only writing when I have down time between activities. By the way, when I say “family”, I mean the whole family including the dog. We are definitely “dog people” which means seeking out a place that also allows for our four legged family member. When we arrived in Rhode Island two days ago, our eight year old schnauzer, Liebchen immediately took over the place. She is a very spunky little girl who definitely lives up to her name. (Liebchen means “sweetheart” in German.) Last year, we traipsed her all over Rhode Island. Today, we will be taking her back to one of our favorite locations, Watch Hill. As you can see from the picture I have posted, she is quite comfortable in her surroundings!

Our Family Pet

Liebchen

Furry companion

Barking, romping, snuggling

Joy of my heart

Irreplaceable

Constrained Poetry

I am still trying my hand at this poetry thing. I have tried writing free verse and acrostics so far. For this entry I decided to try out writing some constrained poetry. In writing this poem, I used only three syllables per line.

Seaside Fun

Crying gulls
Crashing waves
Sun baked sand
Fragrant breeze
Drowsy bliss
Gleaming tans
Laughing kids
Sculpting forts
Melting treats
Setting sun
Homeward bound

Free Verse

Last Tree in a Forest

Last tree standing in a forest
Surely someone will attest
That this trend is not for the best
They have laid this area bare
Doing so without even a care
Felling away my siblings and saplings
Scaring away the buntings and starlings
Losing sight of what it means to the human race
Destroying resources at an unmitigated pace
Caring naught for the havoc left in its place

Free Verse

A Bird's View

Alighting upon a branch, I settle in and look out over rolling golden hills.
Fluffy white clouds flow by over head.
A crisp autumn breeze blows and my perch sways in response.
As I eavesdrop on leaves muttering to themselves, I listen intently cocking my head from side to side.
A cacophony of happy twitters melds with my own vocalizations.
My restless spirit dissatisfied with its current roost, impels me to take flight once again.

Journal Entry

It is funny how events in one's life have an impact on their writing ability...

August 5th, 2005

The summer of 2005 was one of the busiest that I can remember. Even though I was on vacation from school, I was still running around like a mad woman. I had signed myself up for a variety of seminars, some of which I was really interested in, others such as Advanced Placement training I was required to attend. On top of my professional development commitments, I was teaching SAT classes and private tutoring at night. Needless to say, I was running from one item to another and it felt like the summer was rushing by at lightning speed.

As summer rolled on, Advanced Placement training loomed on the horizon. It was not something I was looking forward to however; three of my coworkers had also enrolled so at least we were going to make the best of it together over the course of the five day time span. The first four days were uneventful and thankfully less painful than anticipated.

August 5th was expected to be the busiest day of my week as I was scheduled to start teaching a new class that evening. I had to be in Avon by 5:00 pm to proctor a diagnostic exam for 20 SAT students. Not a big deal I thought to myself considering that our class let out at 4:00 pm.

As expected, I left Willimantic on time. As I traveled along routes 66, 384, and 84 I met with very little traffic. I was actually quite delighted that I would probably arrive early. To avoid going through the center of Hartford, I decided to take exit 42 which would allow me to take Trout Brook Rd. Trout Brook Rd intersects with Route 44. Route 44 would take me up over the much maligned Avon Mountain and on to my eventual destination. I exited the ramp and turned left. I chose to enter the center lane. To my right was a mass transit vehicle; to my front and rear were two other cars. As I came to a curve in the road, a vehicle coming from the other direction veered into my lane. I had no place to go. I remember thinking in the split second before the impact, "this is going to be ugly", and it was.

I don’t remember very much after my Mitsubishi was struck head on. The events of the next few hours are very hazy. I remember a very loud banging and crunching sound, voices yelling to each other, sirens in the distance, and someone stroking my head reassuring me that I was alone in the car. I later learned that the jaws of life were used to pull me from the car. I was taken out the back window because it was the easiest way to get me onto the backboard. After I was removed from the car I was transported to Hartford Hospital. The other driver, an elderly man who had suffered a diabetic seizure was taken to St. Francis Hospital. He was in much better condition than I was because he was driving what my husband would refer to as “a land yacht”.

On the six mile trip to Hartford Hospital, I stopped breathing and was resuscitated;I only know this from reading the transport records. As I was being extracted and transported, my husband was notified of the accident by the West Hartford police. On the way to the hospital, he called my parents and his own. From there, word went out to my extended family. Hartford Hospital didn’t know what it was in for! The family began to descend en mass.

The next thing I remember I was being in the emergency room. There was a flurry of activity around me as several doctors were reviewing my injuries. A male doctor informed me that my husband and children had arrived. He explained to me that he wanted them to see me before I was wheeled in for surgery. I didn’t want my children to see me as I wasn’t sure what was wrong with me, but the doctor insisted. My husband and children were ushered in. My husband was crying and my children were wide eyed. By this time, the doctors had obviously started pumping me full of pain medication as I was repeating over and over again that I loved them. At the same time my immediate family was comforting me, the head doctor announced that the priest had arrived to see me. It was at that point that I freaked out. I refused to allow the priest to see me. Being raised Catholic I had immediately done the math. I was being prepared to possibly meet my maker. Needless to say, after some poor behavior and choice words on my part, the priest was sent away. After the priest was dispatched, my parents and brother-in-law were allowed to quickly see me.

Finally, as I was then prepped for surgery a tube was slid down my throat to combat the blood that was pooling in my stomach. I was then sedated and spent the next few hours in surgery. After surgery, I was taken to the intensive care unit. It is here that I finally learned the extent of the damage. It was indeed gruesome, but the other driver and I were both incredibly lucky. I had a multiple scalp lacerations, seven broken ribs, internal bleeding, kidney damage, a dislocated elbow, and a compound fracture of my dominant arm which required 12 pins to set it. I would later learn that the surgery I had on my arm would result in permanent graphology problems. To this day, I have a very hard time gripping a writing implement.

After a day in the ICU, I was brought to the step down unit. Seven days later I was released. All I could think of at the time was that I had to start school on August 25th. I also was in a panic over all of my other teaching commitments. Thankfully, I have a wonderful support system. Learning to let go and allowing others to help was integral to getting back on my feet. My husband, children, extended family, and coworkers were absolutely amazing during my recovery.

The first day of school arrived very quickly. I managed to be there with all the other teachers, but I felt like the female version of Frankenstein and was very self-conscious. Apparently, I had made the Hartford Courant and the whole school system was aware of my situation. Now as I reflect back on the whole ordeal, I am amazed how much of a distant memory it seems. I am thankful for every day I have had since.

Perspective Prompt

I decided to write to a classic writer's workshop prompt...

Prompt: Describe a building from the point of view of a man who just lost his only son in war. Do it without mentioning death, war, his son, or himself.

The Building

Between the noise and the sorrow, there is silence for the moment.

Its vacant eyes seem to stare back at each hesitant passerby.

Vestiges of glassy panes reflect a distorted view of what is now reality.

Twisted remains of foresaken vehicles litter the once busy boulevard.

Broken bricks lay scattered along formerly pristine walkways.

Families, once in residence, are now scattered to the four winds by the aggression of man.

What can be recovered, will be.

Many wonder how much is lost for good.

Will this shattered home ever hear the low sweet rumble of a baritone voice comforting a newborn babe again?

All it can do is patiently wait for some semblance of an almost forgotten yesterday to reappear.

Sadly, it has more time than others.

Regeneration is not an option for all.