Around: A Poem of Life in Transit

Around : A Poem of Life in Transit


Around 1992 it was cold. Frigid to be exact. A premature baby boy was welcomed into the world. 
                       Two pairs of wide eyes gazed in amazement at the beautiful creation. 

Around 1993 the boy turned one. What a year. Lack of sleep. Cries galore. 

Around 1995 sickness. The boy? No, the giver of life. She prevailed. That year, the elves took 
                       the boy's bottles. Frustration, yet satisfaction of all parties. 

Around 1997 he entered the place where a few hours away from her seemed like an eternity. 
                       Once more, cries galore. Shyness. 

Around 1998 loss introduced. Confusion. Questions. Answers wanted. Answers received. 

Around 2000 the boy found travel. Disney to be precise. The millennium was in full swing, and so 
                       were the piles of batteries and cases of water. Panic. Worry. Ah, at ease. 

Around 2001 changes were evident. Sadness was the theme. Loss of life. So many lives. Those 
                       known and unknown. Sheltered from the dismay. Eyes opened to the world. 

Around 2002 a pair of loving eyes struck. It smelled. Mangy. He became family. He was different. 
                       Four legs, but one commonality: his name. 

Around 2003 he met her. Instant connection. Laughs upon laughs. Smiles upon smiles. Friends 
                       forever. 

Around 2006 where had the time gone? Oh, middle school. That explains it. Angst. Thoughts 
                       swirling. Mind racing.  

Around 2007 journeys too far away, for the parents that is. Freedom. Wonder. Exploration.

Around 2010 changes occurred. The feeling when the baby bird leaves the nest. Heartache, yet 
                       excitement. The year of findings, both physically and mentally. 

Around 2012 quaintness rattled. Questions needed to be answered. Resentment? Anger? 
                       Acceptance found. Acceptance gained. Weight lifted off like a balloon soaring 
                       on a blue transparent day. 
                     
Around 2014 you came out of the dark. Bliss... or so I thought. We had joy, we had fun, we had 
                       seasons in the sun. It lasted longer than a summer, two years to be exact. 

Around 2015 things changed. Movement, both big and small. Joy and sorrow came knocking. 
                       Twenty-one bright smiles made each and every day inspiring. 

Around 2016 aspirations became reality. Keep going. Chase it. Goals desired. 

Around 2017 life became a blur. Fast. Out of control. Speed-racer gone wild. Changes turned 
                       ideas into flourishing concrete pillars. Focused. Driven. 

Around Present was contentment. Although, a yearning unfulfilled lingered. Life was still 
                            going... going... in transit. Hold on. 
                       
                       

Comments

  1. MandyJuly 14, 2018 at 7:33 PM

    Your format is very interesting. I love the time line frame - did you think of this or read about it somewhere. It really helped your poem flow and I love the lines that follow each without much details I could get the gist of growth and change.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Learner4LifeJuly 17, 2018 at 9:07 AM

      Hi Mandy! Thank you for the wonderful compliments! Yes, I saw the format for the poem during my wonderful visit to the Ohio Writing Project. Each line of the poem started with "Around (year)." One of the goals, if using with students, is to encourage them to build upon each sentence, building not only elaboration, but also author's craft.

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