I haven't posted in a long while, but every Friday I enjoy all of the offerings. I've been wanting to jump back in, but my mind has been filled with distractions. Each week, I intend to join in then talk myself out of it because I don't think I have anything worth sharing. Weeks and months fly by. The longer I'm away from something, the harder it is for me to start up again. But, lately I've been feeling like I need to do something to bring more light and kindness into the world. The Poetry Friday community does exactly that. It is a group of wonderful people who are always kind and supportive. A place where everyone is welcome. So here I am posting two poems on Thursday evening before I change my mind.
The past couple of weeks we've had what forecasters call "a parade of storms" with snow and ice. The snow outside my window covering the ground and trees is so beautiful. I haven't seen many birds lately, but several winters ago I saw a little bird in my yard. Although I'm not sure if what kind of bird it was, my imagination led me to write this poem.
This next poem comes from my book Write With Me, a poetry journal for middle grade and young adults. Each poem in the collection is accompanied by a short vignette about the topic and an invitation for young people to write about their own experiences. This poem is about my first crush in seventh grade.
My crush on the boy in the poem lasted the entire school year. My friend encouraged me to tell him, but I was much too shy. He never said anything, but I wonder if he knew. He'd always smile when we passed in the hallway, and of course my heart would melt. I was sure he was my one and only true love until that day in eighth grade when I moved on to a new crush.
A big thank you to Linda for hosting today's Poetry Friday on her blog TeacherDance. I hope your Valentine's Day is filled with love and happiness!