Ryan wrote this as a school assignment back in sixth grade. His teacher was taken with the imagery, submitted it to Creative Kids magazine, and he became a published author. I remember reading this for the first time and shedding some tears myself, thankful for being able to see things through his eyes, and that he could describe a perfectly average scene from his window so beautifully. I'm not impartial in any way, but I do love this poem. In honor of National Poetry Month, my oldest poet son who still has a way with words, I'm sharing:
Gutter Filled With White Flakes
Gutter filled with white flakes as they billowed out-
ward, roof dappled with melting snow. I sat watching
birds. By chance, I saw them, flooding by like water in
the rapids, rippling, fluttering about madly as dragon-
flies. Small, dark, brown birds with tan flecks all down
their bodies ending in bristled curls on their tails. One
halted its skyward ascent to sit on the edge of the
snow-filled gutter. A twig snapped above the bird's
head and plummeted. The bird, startled, slapped its
wings and gracefully soared away from its certain peril.
One bird gone, yet another replaced it almost immedi-
ately, squatting down, making itself look ever more
pudgy, so pudgy in fact, that I almost had to laugh.
That bird's visit, too, was cut short. A heavy truck rum-
bled down the road startling the bird, it drove onward
in its trek to an unknown destination. A cardinal sits
on a tree branch, tree's trunk striped with ribbons of
rolling droplets as if in tears, weeping with sorrow
at the cardinal's departure. As the smudges of dirt with
which my window is speckled begin to cloud my view,
I begin to slip into the world of knowingness. I turn
away, in tears, vowing to look back on this day and
behold again all the glory and peace it brought.
Justin wrote a lot during his high school years. Most of his writing was penned only for himself, privately filling many journals. He wrote this one in high school and it was published in the school literary magazine. He told me the other day that he is still writing poetry, and this makes me and my heart happy. As his mother, I'm completely partial, but I do love this poem, even as it breaks my heart. In honor of National Poetry Month, my youngest poet son who has the ability to use just the right words and has things to teach me, I'm sharing:
Callous Liasons
Sympathetic?
No.
Malicious?
Yes.
Everyday,
Struggling to hear
Yearning for the words.
Why can't they say
Yes?
We all covet it
At some point.
Sometimes at
Ten,
Twenty,
Forty.
Arduous for some
Effortless for others.
High school.
Should be simple,
Right?
Not for me.
Not for them.
Not an ordinary
Weekend.
Met once before
Mesmerized then
Still now.
Must restrict myself
But I asked.
I got an answer.
She said
She must shout.
So my heart can hear
The lethal response.
No.
WOW! Just wow! Bonny, these are two amazing poems. So good, so vivid. And heart wrenching. Thank you so much for sharing. I'm glad Justin is still writing...is Ryan?
ReplyDeleteMy first instinct is the same as Vera's...WOW. Thank-you for sharing. You've got a couple of amazing sons there!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing these poems! Your sons seem like talented and thoughtful people, you must be proud of them!
ReplyDeleteBoth of your boys are talented poets. Our son still writes (and sometimes even gets paid for it) --
ReplyDeleteI don't read much poetry on my own -- mostly only what my friends share on their blogs. They always share the GOOD ones. Thanks Bonny!
ReplyDeleteWOW. Your sons have lovely gifts with words. Beautiful poem. I wrote little poems in high school. Friends saved them, oddly enough.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kathy! I appreciate your kind words. (And I think it's lovely that friends saved your poems!)
DeleteI read a lot of poetry in my youth, but not so much now. These poems are very good! I'm impressed that a high school student wrote them. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletePoets stun me with the way their words come together to create art. The two are completely different in their approaches and both very talented. Poetry must be part of their DNA to have come to it so young.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, Bonny. And, I agree with Margene - poetry can instantly create a picture in my "minds eye" or touch my heart in ways nothing else can. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOh, Bonny. I just loved reading the poems by Ryan and Justin. They are wonderful! Erin was an editor of her high school literary magazine, and I was always impressed by the quality of the student contributions she shared with me. Words . . . have so much power. Thanks for sharing! XOXO
ReplyDeleteWow! I think it's special that boys read poetry ... but write it - and as beautifully as yours do? - that's a true gift! Thank you so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWhat talented sons you have. Thank you for sharing their work. Poetry is so very peaceful.
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