Making of a Poet strikes a chord in all of us who enjoy writing-and reading-language which lifts our thoughts to dreams and hopes beyond the humdrum reality of life. When Deidre signed into a poetry course in junior high school, she found her perceptions and imaginings awakened to realms that widened her world to new enjoyment. Teachers and experiences in high school and college increased her appreciation of life and the world and friends about her. Recognition came in 1980 when "Self-Acceptance" appeared in Eddie Lou Cole's World Treasury of Great Poems, which also included "Time to Dream" by her aunt Olive Jean Hope. Deidre's verses have also appeared in Our Western World's Greatest Poems (1983), Best-Loved Contemporary Poems (1979), The Dawn of Inspiration (1999), and Our Twentieth Century's Greatest Poems (1982). Deidre continues to share life and inspiration with friends in "The Poetry Circle" of writers near her home in northern California. Her story can be your story too.

MAKING OF A POET

Reflections in VerseBy Deidre Alexander

Trafford Publishing

Copyright © 2012 Deidre Alexander
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4669-4548-7

Contents

Introduction.......................................viiiPublications I've Appeared In......................xForeword...........................................xiiOne: Junior High School............................1Two: Yosemite......................................11Three: Freshman English............................21Four: Views of the World...........................29Five: People I've Known............................35Six: Christ Enlightens My Life.....................49Seven: Abraham Lincoln.............................73Eight: Lost Loves..................................85Appendix...........................................90

Chapter One

Junior High School

Poetry was always "nice to hear", but writing it was challenging and exciting. Mrs. Sobin and Mrs. McCaig inspired me to try all the standard forms of rhymed and unrhymed verse. Here are examples from my class notes from the spring and fall of 1972.

Couplets: The Trip to Kibbie Lake On My Way to School

Limericks: Ten-Foot Turtle Man from the Moon Mysterious Hand Boy from Troy Little Young Pig Ten-foot Glider Teacher and Preacher

Cinquain: Dogs—Snow—Turtles

Haiku: Rain—Snow—People— Hands—Gardening—Feathers

Similes, Metaphors, Personification: Cat's Tail—twig yarn pencil garbage cans—barrels chewing gum under the counter—clay cement spring rain—waterfall drying up summer shower a freshly polished fender fresh dittos

      Couplets

    The Trip to Kibbie Lake

    Last night when I was doing dishes,
    I saw a lot of hungry fishes.

    I got my pole and went to the shore.
    I cast my line, and caught only four.

    I went back to camp to get ready for bed.
    I lost my way back, and,

    early next morning, I packed my way out.
    I soon got hungry, and ate the four trout.

    When I was out, I started for home.
    The car needed gas, so I stopped in Rome.

    "I did not enjoy it" some people say.
    Now I was sick, and died the next day.

    One morning on my way to school,
    I saw my brother fall in the pool.

    He shouted "Help", but noone heard.
    Most likely he drowned without a word.

    Along came a rescuer to save his death.
    When he got out, he took a big breath.


      Limericks

    There once was a ten-foot turtle
    who thought he had lost his girdle.
    He said with a roar,
    "I'll crawl to the store
    and get me another girdle."

    There once was a man from the moon
    who came down in his beautiful balloon.
    He started to sink
    and soon he turned pink
    and then headed back to the moon.

    There was a mysterious hand
    which reached from the sky for some sand.
    When it got there,
    it turned into hair,
    and then sang along with the band.

    There was a little boy
    who went to the island of Troy.
    When he got there,
    it was quite a scare,
    and all he found was one toy.

    There once was a little young pig
    who wanted to buy a nice wig.
    When he got there,
    the shelves were bare,
    and decided he would buy a twig.

    There was a ten-foot glider
    who happened to swallow a spider.
    She ate it with glee
    and landed in the sea
    and swallowed the sea inside her.

    There once was a teacher
    who chose to be a preacher.
    He started to pray,
    then he paused to say,
    "I'm glad I chose to be a preacher."


      Cinquain—Free Form

      DOGS

    Handy watchdogs
    Playing, growling, biting
    when intruders are near.
    Rough.


      SNOW

    Frozen rain
    Sliding, sledding, gliding
    when winter is here.
    Fun.


      TURTLES

    Boring pets
    Sleeping, eating, staring
    from morning to night.
    Slow.


      Haiku

    Rain on the window
    Dew belonging to the tree
    Sprinklers on the lawn.

    Snow on a hilltop
    Ice chilling pink lemonade
    Frozen rain on me.

    People in a store
    Only customers are here
    Piled high in clothing.

    Hands shaking my hands
    Treetops shaking off the dew
    Friends greeting people today.

    Working in the yard
    to grow plants and furnish food
    Farmers tilling soil.

    Feathers on a bird
    flapping away for dear life
    Airplanes in the air.

Similes, Metaphors, and Personification

A. cat's tail—twig yarn pencil

M. The cat's tail is a twig on a tree. S. The cat's tail is like a piece of yarn. P. The cat's tail made a frog with a magic wand.

B. garbage cans—barrels

M. Garbage cans are barrels of unwanted junk. S. The garbage cans are like barrels. P. The cans could smell from a mile away.

C. chewing gum under the counter—clay cement

M. The chewing gum is dried-up clay. S. The chewing gum under the counter is like cement. P. The chewing gum under a counter can be hazardous to your health.

D. spring rain—waterfall drying up summer shower

M. Spring rains are like summer showers. S. Spring rain is like a summer shower. P. The spring rain whispered to...