Since April is poetry month I thought of a poetry class I took a few years ago. On my list of things to do as I aged was to take a class in poetry writing.l At the Junior College in my town. They have a group of classes called Mature Learning, however, they did not have any poetry classes listed.
Being the crazy old lady that I am, I signed up for a class with kids fresh out of high-school. It was the most fun class I ever took. I thought the kids might resent an old lady in their class, but they proved me wrong. I had more friends and more fun with some really great kids than any other class I ever took.
The professor asked us to pick one of our favorite poets and then write a poem using his/her style. I am a lover of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass and really enjoy A child went forth from Leaves. It has always frascinated me to think about the fact that each thing we come in contact with each day does become a part of us for a long or short time in our lives So, here is my attempt posted because it is poetry month.
Autumn Becoming
An old woman went our every day,
and each thing she saw, that thing she became,
and that thing became part of her for the day,
or a certain part of
the day, or for many years, or stretching
circles of years.
The misting pond became a part
of this woman,
and ducks, and brown and orange lilies, and
brown and
orange leaves, and whistle of
the meadow lark,
and the eight-month-corn, and the tomatoes'
red shiniong skins
and the green-bean vines, and the
verdant cukes
and the abundant harvest of the field, or in the
kitchen garden.
And the ants, trudging slowly
through there, and
the rich, moist earth,
and the wiggling worms with their long, thin
forms all became a part of her.
The school-books of ninth-month and tenth
month became a part of her.
Osmiroid-lettering pens, and
black ink and the
parchment paper in profusion, and the paint
pots, filled with color, and the
pioctures afterward.
And note-books, and the simplest pencils in
their box,
and the young girl of arbergine hair
and rose tatoo,
drawing pictures on the chalk board, and the
boy that swaggered past on
his way to the library
and the happty girls that passed,
and the lonely girls,
and the tall word-wise professor, and the
colorful art instructor, and all the new
attitudes in both school and public
whereever she went.
This became a part of that old woman who
went out every day and who
now becomes, and will always
become every day.
Thanks Walt
Lots of fun, hope you enjoyed.
Oh, by the way, I got a nice reply from my last blog. Daniel Edmondson, who is a great artist,commented on my message. If you would like to see some of his great work, check him out on the internet. He also has a newsletter called Painting Tips and Tricks and he has a short video each day with great tips for painters. Well, until next time,
Great Blessings to all of you.
