Poetry

This semester, I am required to take a Writing Methods course for my degree. Honestly, I was not looking forward to this class at all. I thought it would be difficult and boring, but I have been found completely wrong week after week. The professor I have is so insightful and is such an excellent writer and teacher that I actually am beginning to think that writing may be my favorite subject to teach! There are so many interesting ways to teach writing that never entered my mind before taking this class.

We have focused on three major modes of writing - narrative, expository, and now we are studying poetry. And, of course, poetry is my favorite.

I am not a poet nor do I aspire to be a poet... nor do I claim to really "get" poetry, but I do love it! Ever since my 11th grade English class where we studied poetry in depth and created our own poetry books, I have adored all types of poetry. My first year at the University of Montevallo, I took a class that revolved entirely - and I do mean ENTIRELY - around Edgar Allen Poe!!! It was miserable! :) And now I am learning incredible ways to teach poetry to my own students.

Most people snub their noses at poetry and if you are one of them, please do not write anything on my post!! I love poetry and I don't care if you don't love it! Anyway, without further adieu... some of my favorite poems.

And... if you read long enough, you will see - for the very first time - poems of my own. :)

"Red Wheelbarrow" - William Carlos Williams

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.

"Jabberwocky" - Lewis Carroll

Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Nothing Gold Can Stay" - Robert Frost

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

And... a few of my own:

"A Dash for the Timber" - Katie Lewis; an ekphrastic poem in response to Frederic Remington's painting of the same name (written November 2).

Cowboys fighting greedily,
Horses fleeing swiftly.
Natives chasing courageously,
Weapons shooting. Blood red.
Wild West dying, deserted.
Destruction.
Division.
Hatred.

"Ten Years from Now" - Katie Lewis; Written in 2001 :)

Ten years from now, where will we be?
Married? Single? A family of three?
What will we become? What will we do?
Will we become what we always wanted to?

Ten years from now, where will we be?
In school? At work? Enjoying being "free"?
Will we laugh at the good days and reminisce fun times?
Or regret our days in high school and erase it from our minds?

Ten years from now, where will we be?
Will we have new friends and a new family?
Will we have moved on from our old familiar ways?
Will we remember all our memories like they were just yesterday?

Ten years from now, where will we be?
Will I remember you? Will you remember me?
Will we all still be friends and be as close as family?
Will we all stick together to be the best that we can be?

All these answers we don't know,
But I guess one day we'll see.
Teen years from now I'll meet you here;
I hope you remember me.

"Dreamers" - Katie Lewis; Written in 2001

Dreamers
Hopeful, Imaginative
Thinking, Wondering, Wandering
Making Plans / Activating Plans
Working, Acting, Creating
Successful, Dedicated
Doers

"Emily" - Katie Lewis; Written in 2001

Life is a death trap
We live routinely and methodically
We wander around trying to please everyone
Only to end in the end of earthly life

Congratulations to you if you made it through all of that. :)