It seemed like a good idea at the time – go through my folders of old writing from back in Junior High and High School and post an old poem or two for Poetry Friday. Then I started to read them. Oh my. They were bad. Some of them very bad. (And yet, I always got “A”s in class). The themes were easily categorized into:
I love you now and forever no matter what
(complete with product placements like Bic Click pens and historically correct details like tie-dyed t-shirts)
You broke my heart and I will never be whole again
(tear stains still quite evident even after almost 35 years)
Horses
(and how they helped heal my broken heart)
Hmmm. Not quite what I was looking for and I’m not anywhere near brave enough to share them. After a bit more digging I found some early haiku, (dating back to around 1971/1972 – 7th/8th grade) that doesn’t embarrass me too much to share here.
wet with morning dew
I watch the flowers open
early comes the dawn
a kite in the sky
and the sun is overhead
picnics can begin
flowers in the field
I silently stalk my prey
picking some for mom
My previous Poetry Friday entries can be found here:
Evolution of a poem from Hugging the Rock
Current WIP – Character update in a poem
old poems
I have a book full of poems my college boyfriend and I wrote during our four year relationship. I copied them all into a little journal and they are hidden deep in a closet. I’m sure they are just horrid. We broke up every few weeks and my poems were all about begging to work things out! Oh, the drama.
Re: old poems
I know just what you mean, Kim. And even worse, when I first starting writing with the intent to get published, I actually SENT THEM OUT! Omigosh!!! (buries head at her desk)
i know! you can spend all night with those old poems! wine is necessary after reading them! oh, the memories! 🙂
Actually I did all that old reading sans wine. If I had been drinking, I probably would have posted them.
Poetry Friday – Haiku
I used to be in possession of some of those old classics you wrote. Some personal, some not. Remember “Moving” printed at the end of each year at MDHS?
Alas, they are gone now. (My wife said it was time to quit being a pack rat when we built our new house last year!) Thanks for jarring loose some memories!
Fred Higgins
Re: Poetry Friday – Haiku
FRED!!!! Hello old friend. Lovely to “see” you here. I do remember sharing poems with you way back when (we really don’t have a 30 year reunion coming up, do we? Yikes!)
I actually looked at a couple of issues of “Moving” just last night. (The layout of it hurt my eyes.) I almost posted something from there. Maybe next time. I thought it would be fun to post an old one and then post a revised version.
I have lost a lot of papers with each move I made. Sigh. A lot of my old writing is gone and my mom never really kept much from then.
Yeah on building a new house!
About those A’s in writing class. I sometimes wonder what kids who have me in Jr. High will think of their art down the road. But I don’t grade on how good their art is (although sometimes ….) I grade more on did they understand the concepts I was trying to teach, did they put real effort into this, did they show attention to detail or show that they cared about their work? Someone might pick up their art some day and wonder why they got an A in it. But there is far more into grading than talent. Understanding is a much more valuable skill.
On the other hand…..my poetry stunk back then too…..
I have one published in a journal from 5th grade:
The hills are covered with snowy white
filling the world with a sparkly delight…
Horses? But I wanted to hear about the horses!