Category Archives: poetry

#Sol18 March 9 If I’m going to be a writer

March 9, 2018poetry, Slice of Life, TeachersWriteonathought

I am participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge: A slice a day for all of March. You should do it too! Thank you, Two Writing Teachers! Readers, check out their site, and start slicing!

If I'm going to be a writer

I need a room of my own
or at least a quiet desk somewhere
if I'm going to be a writer. 

I need a time of my own
or at least a quiet 20 minutes sometimes
if I'm going to be a writer. 

I need a daily walk of my own 
or at least a quiet walk with the dog
if I'm going to be a writer. 

I need a way to finish my thoughts
or at least a way to start them
if I'm going to be a writer. 

I need a handy writer's notebook
or at least a corner of a page
if I'm going to be a writer. 

I need a bunch of revisions
or at least a few harsh critiques
if I'm going to be a writer. 

I need to send a query letter
or at least do more than a twitter pitch
if I'm going to be a writer.

I need to live a writerly life
or at least a few writerly minutes
if I'm going to be a writer.

#sol18 March 2 Up Up Up Up

March 2, 2018Family, poetry, Slice of Lifeonathought

I am participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge: A slice a day for all of March. You should do it too! Thank you, Two Writing Teachers! Readers, check out their site, and start slicing!

I wake up at 2:30* to the sound of a sick kid. We clean kid, clean sheets, clean rug. Then, I try to settle him back to sleep next to me, and try to fall back to sleep

Up at 3:40

Up at 4:30

Up at 5:30

Up at 6:30

Up at 7:30 – This time to H holding my laptop in front of my face, “Want to read my slice**?”

Screen Shot 2018-03-02 at 12.30.41 PM.png

*All times approximate, I have very little recollection of the details in the middle of the night.

**H’s slice posted here with his permission.

A few slice haiku

February 20, 2018poetry, Slice of Lifeonathought

Part of Slice of Life by Two Writing Teachers

Oh, man – almost March.
Better start writing again
Daily habits – ugh.

Hope writing becomes
My procrastination win
Slice and allow mess

Laundry? Add blog post
Dishes? Lunches to pack? Write!
Kids? Work? Sleep? Slice – duh.

Oh, man – almost March.
Get me out of this slump now.
Allow writing please.

Poetry Friday: This is not my morning

January 19, 2018poetryonathought

This is not my morning

This is not my morning
Wrong
My calendar was wrong
So I'm starting the day
Where I thought it would end

Late
My sockless son refused 
To leave on time

Rushed
In the car I
Grabbed bags and
Jumped out of the car
Seconds passed
Before I noticed my coffee cup tipped --
Coffee spilling out
A skinny stream
But still a stream

This is not my morning. 
Wrong
Late
Rushed
And the coffee in some hidden car crevice

Music
Doesn't help
The only magic of iPhone shuffle + bluetooth
Is the skip skip skip skip skip skip skip skip
Joni Mitchell won't work
Skip
No, U2
Skip
Tori Amos
Skip Skip Skip Skip 
Try Tori again
Precious Things?
Skip 
Iggy Azalea? Loreena McKennitt? Adele? Eminem? Ed Sheeran?
Skip Skip Skip Skip Skip Skip Skip Skip 

This is not my morning 
Almost there - still in my funk
Maybe a little Hamilton 
Will get my spirits up

"I'm Hercules Mulligan
When you knock me (or my coffee) down
I get 
the ****
back up again." 

There you go. 

This is not my morning. 
wrong
late
rushed
but ready.

Thanks Poetry Friday Roundup here

A slice of not nice

November 14, 2017poetry, Slice of Life, Uncategorizedonathought

Part of Slice of Life by Two Writing Teachers

I’m not always nice.
I think maybe I used to be nicer.

There’s this lady down the street
She has a “Love everyone” sign in her yard
But she was so mean to my baby last year.
and when I see her around, I yell at her
in my head
“Love everyone? What about a little kid trying to make his way in this world?”
But on my face, I smile.
Yesterday I saw her running by me in the park
and I’m waiting for my reward since
I did not stick out my foot
and trip her.

I’m not always nice.
I think maybe I used to be nicer.

I went on a walk with my puppy
who pulls and tugs, tail wagging to greet
every
person
he
sees
and when a young college student grimaced and hid in her boyfriend’s arms,
I raised my eyebrows and said,
“He’s just a baby”
In a sarcastic, condescending tone –
Even though I totally get why she was worried

I’m not always nice.
I think maybe I used to be nicer.

A slice of failure

November 7, 2017Family, poetry, Slice of Lifeonathought

Part of Slice of Life by Two Writing Teachers

What if it’s not enough?
What if you have books in your house, you read to your babies,
you read to yourself, you read to your students,
you read about reading,
and what if it’s not enough?
What if you’ve failed this part?

What if you don’t find the right book for your kid?
What if they don’t fall in love with stories?
What if they don’t want to live a thousand lives by reading?
What if you are tired of saying “yet” because maybe yet won’t come?
Maybe your child isn’t a reader “yet” but maybe it’s really “ever?”
What if you’ve failed this part?

What if you’ve overdone it with the “I love reading!
Reading is awesome!” shouted from the mountain tops?
What if you’ve missed your chance, the reading boat has sailed on?
What if you’ve failed this part?

What if? What if you’ve failed?
Should you throw in the towel? Hope someone else picks it up?
Someone more inspiring, less momish?
Should you stop trying strategies?
Should you stop timing, book-talking, pretending you don’t care?
Should you stop buying books, reading books?
I mean, what if it’s over?
What if you’ve failed this part?
What if your child just isn’t a reader?

Celebrate Rainy Sunday

October 29, 2017Celebrate, poetryonathought

So happy to Celebrate with Ruth Ayres this weekend!

It’s a Rainy Sunday and I love It: A Series of Sunday Celebration Haikus

The Dog Hates the Rain
Rainy Sunday, chill
Muted color leaves, puddles
Antsy dog won’t walk
IMG_9694 (1)

Halloween: Not My Favorite Holiday:
Anticipating
Sugar, chocolate, fright night
Practice makes perfect

My Sister’s An Artist
“Half Remembered Home”
She paints, lives, miles away
Fully remembered

My Dog Loves Popcorn, and So Do I
Coconut Oil
Pop! Pop! Sizzle, dog runs, sits
Sharing Sunday lunch

It’s a Rainy Sunday, and I Love It
Window frames still life
Rain, leaves, fall, branches flutter
Write in muted hue

Poetry Friday Debut

October 27, 2017poetry, Uncategorizedonathought

I haven’t done Poetry Friday before
Maybe I’m worried I’ll run out of words
Although, have a little chat with me
And you’ll quickly see
how impossible that would be

Just breathe, I remind myself, just listen
Close your mouth, no one needs your opinion unbidden!
I’m used to speaking out
letting words just spout
before my thoughts have a chance to reroute

But I’m learning action starts with reaction
I’m not an expert, I just have passion
And so much more I want learn
I have thoughts I need to overturn
also a pile of decisions to discern

So this is my #whyIwrite I guess
A place for my brain to confess
I’m sure I’ve done it wrong, it’s true
But I’ll toss in this poem, my big debut
Be nice to me, I am new

Thanks for the Poetry Friday Link Up, Friendly Fairy Tales!

Celebrating friends

July 2, 2017Celebrate, poetryonathought

So happy to Celebrate with Ruth Ayres this weekend!

Writing Celebrations,
like expressing gratitude —
what you focus on grows
Something to celebrate.
Friends visit, you haven’t seen them for years
But the laughter is there the moment they arrive,
just like the moment you met in high school
Laughter while studying
Social Studies
Or was it Latin?
Hours of laughing
and exaggerated tales
just the right amount of sarcasm
(maybe a little too much for anyone else listening)
Too many weekend ice creams for the kids
– Sorbets for you!
– Wine for you!
– Late nights of laughing for you!
Isn’t it lucky to have a golden friend?
— Or is it silver?
A friend who knew you
when
and now
a sleepover friend
a roommate friend
a laughing friend
a crying friend
a thanks for travelling friend,
a friend, now a mom
a laughing friend
a rolling eyes friend
a raising eyebrows friend
a sit around after the kids are asleep even though we are all too tired friend…
Isn’t it nice?
Something to celebrate.

#sol17 March 29 A Confession Slice, and some poems

March 29, 2017poetry, Slice of Life, Uncategorizedonathought

I am participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge: A slice a day for all of March. You should do it too! Thank you, Two Writing Teachers! Readers, check out their site, and start slicing!

Confession Slice.

I wrote a poem slice.
But the rhythm was off.
So I started over,
and that one stunk too.
So here, I’ve written a few:

Today: Bulletin Boards

I had to cover bulletin boards today,
So my students won’t cheat on their standardized tests
I might not agree, but it’s what PDE thinks is best.

Today: My Dog

My dog wouldn’t take a walk with me
Even though I had my sneakers on, and treats in my pocket.
Even when I cheered “Let’s go!”
All he did was stand there, unmoving, saying “NO!”
So I took him to the dog park, where he ran and played
Tired out, I took him home, where he chewed and lay.

Today: Writing

As soon as I start writing,
the dog is no longer tired.
He wants to play tug of war,
Now he seems so wired!

He wants to chase, and chew, and tug
Now he probably wants a walk!
But it’s bedtime for the human kids –
I mean, just take a look at the clock!

I’m not trying to bore you with my griping
It’s just that I’m not so good
at playing chase or tug of war,
at least not while I’m typing.