Friday, January 27, 2012

Poetry Friday & ...and then we play



Mr. Fluffles
Photo by Amy LV

Henry's Cross for Mr. Fluffles
Photo by Amy LV


Students - I'm sometimes confused by life, how it comes and goes and is so quickly full of hellos and goodbyes. Our bunny Fluffles died in the fall, and his empty hutch still sits out in the yard. This morning as I walked up to the barn, I saw it and felt that small sad pang in my heart.

But even as I remember that fluffy little guy, there are so many today-joys to bring me forward. Yesterday I met with Suzanne Hunter's second grade class in Holland, NY, and we talked about how our bodies are full of all kinds of feelings: happy, sad, serious, silly...and when we write, we can explore any one we wish.

Today when you write, just be quiet inside for a few moments.  See what feeling, what idea comes to the top.  Listen to it; let it guide your pencil.

Margaret Brown's THE DEAD BIRD, reminds me to love life even in the face of loss. This book surely rang in my heart as I wrote today's poem.


Taking a rainy drive through a country cemetery yesterday, I thought about one of my favorite poems, a perspective-helping poem, W.S. Merwin's For the Anniversary of my Death.

        Every year without knowing it I have passed the day
        When the last fires will wave to me


Read the rest of the poem here.

Today's npr StoryCorps speaks to cherishing our days too.  Life is so precious.

Thank you to Jim for hosting today's Poetry Friday over at Hey, Jim Hill! There you will find all kinds of poetry goodness to sustain you through the week.

(Please click on POST A COMMENT below to share a thought.)

9 comments:

  1. A poignant post, Amy. My brother has such a graveyard site on his land. I will send him your poem & know that he will love it. Merwin's poem is interesting, to think of writing that before! I loved this: "When the last fires will wave to me". And the little book looks sweet for young children, to help have a conversation. And-thanks for your comment on the 'cyber' post. Are you on Pinterest under your name? In poetry? I will look for you.

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  2. Oh, sorry to hear about Fluffles (what a great bunny name). Definitely a tug at the heartstrings poem. Love that essential element of hope with the puppy.

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  3. Your poem is timely for us, Amy. Our lovebird died suddenly last month and it was hard. I'll share this with my kids.

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  4. Aw, those pets and their two-short life spans. I like the layers of simple and complicated here. Our bodies are full of feelings, that's for sure.

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  5. Amy, love and loss-- whether human, pet or inanimate -- are my favorite subjects to write and read about. Thanks for this poem.

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  6. Just last night, I spent the evening with a four-year-old who was very sad because her goldfish, Bumblebee, had died last week. She spent twenty minutes telling me where she had gotten the fish, why she had named it, how it had died, where they had buried it, etc. I'm going to have to print out your poem and take it to her this morning!

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  7. i sometimes tell my current cats about the good ones who came before them. i like to tell myself that it makes my cats feel better knowing i will remember them to others and that they won't be forgotten. you know, in case they were wondering.

    thanks for sharing mr fluffles with us.

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  8. "I sit remember wish"....
    your post reminded me of a long line of family pets we've loved and livid wit and then buried. Like Linda, I am struck by Merwin's poem and that sense of looking forward to look back. Thank you for this thoughtful post.

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  9. Yup. Life is short. Life is precious. All we have is what we have right now at this moment. Give thanks and give hugs and don't think about the loss or it will be too unbearable to love. (although I sometimes slip and think about life without my man or my current cat, or the broken heart of my man without the current cat who is so much HIS cat, HIS buddy, the worshipper at HIS throne...)

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