Poemcrazy: I Am

A Series of Posts:  The author of Poemcrazy, Susan Goldsmith Wolldridge, conducts poetry workshops around the country.  She knows her stuff.  Poemcrazy is a torrent of writing assignments that are simple and rewarding.  Grab a pencil and paper, and start writing.  Playing with words is fun.

I asked my friend Michelle to contribute to this series of posts by completing the first assignment. Why?  I respect her voice, and she's too nice to say no.  

Michelle is a vibrant, passionate woman.  She exudes confidence.  People feel comfortable around her because she’s genuine.  Almost instantly, you appreciate the candor of her spirit.   Michelle love poetry, and I happen to like that in a person.   I consider Michelle a kindred spirit.  Here is a story that proves my point:

My husband sat down at the table the other night and exclaimed,  “Look at this food!  Who in a fifty-mile radius gets coriander-crusted salmon with field greens and homemade avocado dressing for their supper!"  I beamed and thought, “Yes, this is me: the great chef.”   Meanwhile, Michelle is fifteen blocks south of us serving her family herb-crusted tuna steak with a salad of quinoa, endive, fennel and goat cheese.

We both love to cook; but more to the point, Michelle's love of cooking stems from a deep need to partake in what is beautiful.  This is such a haunting part of me, that I understand this same force in Michelle. 

So here was Michelle’s assignment (and your assignment too if you choose to accept it):

Take an emotion that is strong inside of you, and write about it.  The challenge is to allow others to experience that emotion through word imagery (metaphor).

Rushing River

by Michelle Weatherly

I am the rushing river.

Always moving forward.

There is no going back.

Even in my stillness, I churn.

Restless.

I carve my own path

Gathering branches, leaves, and earth along the way.

Depositing downstream where it is needed.

I am unsure of my destination,

But I must trust the current

To take me where I am meant to be.

I am the rushing river.

I always learn something new about myself when I write an "I am" poem.  Do you know what I learned from Michelle’s writing?  That maybe my feelings of restlessness come from a desire to live well.  If so, I'm glad for those feelings.  Thank you, Michelle.

This is the perfect assignment to do with children.  On a long car trip to visit grandparents, I helped my kids write “I am” poems.  (They would have rather played the Ipad, but they love me enough to humor me.)  I liked my youngest son's poem best because he searched and searched for the right metaphor.  His favorite candy bar was the perfect choice.