Monday, April 28, 2014

Fur Coat - Poem #28 for April 2014 Poetry Project

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Learn about this, my April 2014 Poetry Project, HERE!

Fur Coat
Photo by Amy LV


Students - This was not the first photo I planned to write about today. I was going to write about a cool silver tea set.  But when writing time came (and today writing time was thinking time while driving), I chose this fur coat instead. Why?  I do not know why, but I do know that I tend to follow my gut instinct when it speaks about writing topics.

I tend to write many of my poems with eight syllables per line or four syllables per line, and today I wanted to try something different.  Once again, I advise you to look at the poems you have been writing and mix it up a little here at the end of poetry month.  

If you always write rhyming poems, try some free verse.  If you always write free verse, try some rhyme.  If your lines are generally short, write some long ones.  If your lines are always long, go short.  Experiment!  Try copying the rhyme scheme and meter of a poem exactly.  All of this is good exercise.

Today's poem has a lot of my history in it.  Willa Cather has been quoted as saying, "“Most of the basic material a writer works with is acquired before the age of fifteen," and I think this is true.  Again and again I find bits and scraps of childhood memories woven into my words.

Aunt Kay did have a big brown fur coat.  She did smell like roses.  She did have a big car and a big laugh.  She did tell me stories. But I do not think I ever hid in her coat.  Or maybe I did?

Fur Coat - Draft Page Spread #1
Photo by Amy LV

Most of this verse was written orally, just me talking out loud to myself, trying to remember the lines of the poem as I drove home late in my car.  When I walked in the house, I ran to the couch with my notebook to remember whatever I could.  

Did you notice that for the last few days I have not been writing in the red notebook with the cream pages?  I filled it up this month!

Please share a comment below if you wish.

2 comments:

  1. Amy,
    I feel like I know your Auntie. I like that the child decides she doesn't want to get down from Auntie's lap even before story time.

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  2. Your advice to experiment is good advice. I'll listen.

    Also, I filled up a notebook this month, too! I made mine last until the 29th.

    Now what???

    ReplyDelete