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This is my playground for poetry written for children with ideas and inspiration for writing your own poems. Come on in. Sit for a spell, have a cup of words to swirl around and make your own cup of poetry. I'm so glad you are here. I hope you'll find the Kingdom of Poetry a fun place to be.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Memory Poem



Knocking

Cycling in fifth grade
I pedaled a ride
with the girl scout troop.

The leader's
dimpled daughter,
with the platinum pageboy,
Loyal, bicycled first.

Packed in the middle
I was told
not to go ahead
of her complaining
I went too fast for
her aching knees.

The troop leader took
the rear
though there was nothing
to fear because she was
the only one
to go so slowly.

For two hours
I turned my wheels
to the sounds
of Loyal's silky, taunting,
"You can't' go ahead of me."

"You mustn't go in front."
"Do NOT go beyond me."

Her words a rasp--
the cheese grater
biting into my skin.

Finally,
I'd had enough
of NOTs and CAN'Ts,
wanting to feel
wind through my hair,
I made my dash--
pedaled for freedom
fast as I could
raced to my house,
hid in the closet.

Mother was shopping.
Loyal's mother chased.
She pumped so hard
her pedal pushers
showed the sweat.
Panting,
she knocked on my door.
My older sister answered
said I wasn't home.



Lately I've been working on some memory poems about things that happened when I was a kid.  Can you write a poem about something that happened to you today?  This morning there was a lizard running around in my bedroom.  I couldn't catch him. Every time I'd get close, he would scoot away.  I was trying to be careful because I didn't want him to drop his tail in fright.  I finally just opened the door to the outside and chased him to the doorway and he found his way out.  I'm thinking about that poem.  My friend Sally Buckner told me that Theodore Roethke had things he called thinkies the beginning thoughts for poems.  I think this event is a thinkie.  Have a good time writing. 

2 comments:

  1. Joy,

    I especially liked the title of this one. It reminded me that opportunity knocks (chance to race ahead) and knocking was the action that brought fear to you as you hid. Well done!

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