22 October 2020
It’s been a long time since I’ve attempted to write poetry, so I thought I’d have a go at it.
As a bonus, I rediscovered what must be the last poem that I had written. I was still in high school at the time, and it is delightful. I’ve included it here at the end, for your enjoyment.
Dedicated to a Short Lived Leaf
Watch fierce winds knock free a leaf from branch,
and as it pirouettes toward the earth
like it was nothing,
tell me which is greater.
Untitled
The ice grows thicker, sharper,
encircles her,
more habit than intent.
The only voice she hears
is her own
and it’s rarely kind.
But inside there is a light
to nourish the hearts
of the patient
and the worthy.
A garden which thrives in winter.
This is not her prison.
It is a measure of control
in a maelstrom.
If it speaks to you,
then chip away.
A Terrible Poem About a Dog (2009)
I pull the leash,
drag you along
so I can poop
on Neighbor’s lawn.
I sniff your butt,
I hump your leg.
Give me the treat!
Don’t make me beg.
God, I was so classy back then. What happened to me? /s
This was a class assignment, and I was absolutely determined not to display a shred of vulnerability. I think that this is the purest example of the emotional growth that I have made in adulthood.
I’m not proud of the poem (it’s a bit crass for my tastes these days), but it does makes me smile. Even thinking about it today, it feels like someone else’s memory. Like my imaginary brother wrote it, and I just remember it somehow? I feel the same way when I look at a photo of myself pre-transition.
Anyway, I need to shake off some of the poetry rust, but I think I would do this again.