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