martinzoo

A diamante poem follows a very specific format – there are seven lines, and each line must have a specific number and type of words. When it’s finished, the poem will be in the shape of a diamond.

Line 1= Topic (noun)
Line 2 = Two describing words (adjectives)
Line 3 = Three action words (-ing verbs)
Line 4 = Four words: (nouns) the first two words relate to line 1 and the last two words relate to line 7
Line 5 = Three action words for the ending noun (-ing verbs)
Line 6 = Two words to describe ending noun (adjectives)
Line 7 = Ending noun (opposite of Line 1)

GB wrote this diamante poem today.

*                                 War

*                      Violent, Destructive

*               Killing, Fighting, Shooting

*         Battle,     Gun,     People,     Home

*              Hoping, Working, Talking

*                        Secure, Calm

*                               Peace

Have you ever read a book and loved it so much that you wanted to read slower? You know, make it last?

I can usually whip out a book in a couple of days if I’m really interested. But this past two weeks I have *slowly* been reading The Golden Gate, by Vikram Seth. My daughter gave me this book a while ago. It was required reading in her World Lit class, and she had really enjoyed it. Well, my bedside stack of books is quite high, so it took me a while to get to this book. But, oh, it was so worth it.

The entire book is written in verse.

Each sonnet is rhymed in an a-b-a-b-c-c-d-d-e-f-f-e-g-g  pattern. And each sentence  required such a high quality of thought process, that you must appreciate the talent it took to create such a masterpiece. I normally love poetry in the traditional way. This was the first time I’ve ever read an entire book, 307 pages, of verse in story format. And it was very modern, which is what made it so intriguing.

It’s about four California yuppies and their loves and losses. These are my two favorite stanzas. The first involves John, a silicon valley executive, who had realized how lonely he had become, and in desperation confides in his friend/ex-lover. She in turn puts an ad in the singles section of the newspaper for him. Through the ad he finds Liz. This is the first morning after he and Liz have moved in together, and he is surveying his new life and love. The second stanza immediately follows the first and shows you that his newfound happiness is not going to last.

John looks about him with enjoyment.

What a man needs, he thinks, is health;

Well-paid, congenial employment;

A house; a modicum of wealth;

Some sunlight; coffee and the papers;

Artichoke hearts adorned with capers;

A Burberry trench coat; a Peugeot;

And in the evening, some Rameau

Or Couperin; a home-cooked dinner;

A Stilton, and a little port;

And so to a duvet. In short,

In life’s brief game to be a winner

A man must have… oh yes, above

All else, of course, someone to love.

*

Ah, John, don’t take it all for granted.

Perhaps you think Liz loves you best.

The snooker table has been slanted.

A cuckoo’s bomb lies in the nest.

Be warned. Be warned. Just as in poker

The wildness of that card, the joker,

Disturbs the best-laid plans of men,

So too it happens, now and then,

That a furred beast with feral features

(Little imagined in the days

When, cute and twee, the kitten plays),

Of that familiar brood of creatures

The world denominates a cat,

Enters the game, and knocks it flat.

 

Last night, after finishing this book, I found myself thinking in the bouncy pattern of rhyme. And I couldn’t stop thinking about the ending, which didn’t end at all the way I thought it would. Please don’t let the fact that the entire book is in verse stop you from reading this masterpiece. I’m fairly picky and this book went straight to my top ten list.

In Language Arts today we revisited Haiku poetry writing. This is my last post on GB’s Haiku poems. GB will be focusing a lot more on poetry in the coming weeks and he actually likes this form of poetry. He says it’s easy. I don’t think many people would say it was easy. But I am glad he likes it.

Here are today’s poems:

 *

Deep in dark forest,

a predator waits in woods,

to attack his prey. 

 *

 *

Brisk wind is blowing,

sunlight bounces between trees,

red, gold leaves fall down. 

 *

 *

Dark, black, haunted house,

light strikes in all directions…

evil spirits wait. 

Today is day one of a tough weekend for me.

Today we take Jabem off to college. I am going to miss him SO much. It’s weird, because I think in the years before they go off to college God tries to make it easier for moms by helping the teens to gain more independence. I barely see Jabem these days. He’s off with his friends or he’s holed up in his room chatting or playing games online. But I always know that he’ll be home to sleep in his own bed.

But it’s different when they actually leave. And you know that they won’t be walking in the door to run up to their room….. Or the phone calls aren’t for them anymore. It will be weird to be making such small meals. Godzilla Boy eats a totally different meal from my dh and myself because of his vegetarianism. So, our meat bill will go WAY down. And it will be strange to go to sleep and not hear that thump-thump-thump sound that the bass on his stereo makes at night. I won’t have to haul myself up the stairs to shut off the tv that he left on, either. But that just gives me an excuse to enter his world briefly. Now I won’t know what’s going on at all. Even his cell phone is broken. I’ll have to rely on him using the dorm phone…. Ha!
I’m pretty sad because a lot of my identity is all tied up into my mommyhood. I’ve always wanted to be a great mom. More importantly, I’ve wanted my kids to think I’ve done a good job. I don’t want to break down and cry when we take Jabem to his dorm. I want him to think that I think he’ll be fine. But I’m worried about him. And I’m really going to miss him….

This is a poem I wrote for him a couple of years ago. I thought it felt right for today, too.

It’s hard sometimes, when people are changing their lives,

to understand each other, or even to talk.

You are struggling right now for independence,

and the right to live your own way….

and sometimes I struggle for the strength to let you do it.

I wish, now and then, for the days when a kiss or a hug

could make your world bright again;

but your world is more difficult now,

and you want to make your own way in it –

which is as it should be.

I want you to know that when you get hurt,

I will hurt for you;

and that deep down, I always have confidence

in your ability to find your place in this world.

When you need a caring heart,

or someone to listen to your deepest dreams or concerns,

I will be there for you, because I love and care for you SO much.

Above all else, know that I love you…. I love you. I do.

And tomorrow we get to do this again with Aquagirl. See what I mean? It’s gonna be a tough weekend.

Thank God I still have GB around. And thank God I’m homeschooling and don’t have to watch his little face disappear on that great big yellow school bus everyday. I’m gonna hold on to this child tightly because I’ll be missing his older brother and sister. And he makes me feel like I’m still needed.

Yesterday, for Language Arts we learned about Haiku. This is the Japanese form of poetry. Each poem has three lines. The first line has a total of 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables, and the third line has 5 syllables, for a total of 17 syllables.

I thought it would be easier to teach if I showed Godzilla Boy some examples of my Haiku. So here they are:

From within our home

Love pulses from floor to roof

And we are happy.

***

The rich, umber smell

Of ground and perked coffee beans

Wafts throughout the room.

***

Deep from slumber past

I arise all warm and snug

Thinking of my dream.

***

A window darkened

No hues of red or purple

It was time to sleep.

***

And this is what Godzilla Boy created:

***

Alien come here

From your cool flying saucer

And come live with me.

***

Grey, white headed dog

Cute and runs around with me

I really love him.

***

Big, fierce, destructive

Blows up military trucks

Monster from the sea.

***

Dropping lots of time

Makes me feel good, really fast

When I swim today.

Here are some poems I wrote while I was in the hospital.

~Robin

Grieving For the Loss of my Thoughts

I am grieving.
Grieving the loss of my thoughts.
Every month
I think and wonder at my fate.
A little life,
An infant that could be, may be ….. mine.
I am wishful.
A sweet little life for me to take care of.
A baby boy or girl.
I love them all, the promise and the mystery.
Each month I think.
And each month that simply goes by….. nothing.
I feel a loss.
It’s not too bad, because I know it’s not practical.
Our lives would flip.
The control and order of our house….. gone.
We’d begin again.
The diapers, the mess, the crying, the money.
But, oh, the love.
The sweet baby smell, the laughs, the love.
And I think about it.
But now I can’t, forevermore…. It’s done.

One Day

One day can bend your life.
It changes forevermore.
A spark, some knowledge, some loss.
A need you’ll always long for.
And every day after that one,
You will remember the change.

Last night I dreamed a dream that felt so incredibly real;

The day was warm, the sun was bright,

And hope was in my heart, with love that I could feel.

I walked along a wooded path, with peace upon my mind.

My soul content, my heart was pure,

And in my chest, my breath released, to soar upon a wind so unconfined.

I wandered near and far, and took pleasure where I may;

The birds sang sweetly, the flowers smelled lovely,

And I was so enraptured by my witness to nature’s play.

Then, suddenly, the dream was changed, the day no longer light;

The sky was black, the wind blew hard,

And I was alone with a terrible burden, added to my plight.

I felt oppressed, with evil thoughts, that could, and would destroy;

The beauty was gone, that I’d seen before,

And I wandered within the lonely dark, just searching for my joy.

I closed my eyes against those dreaded images so near.

In my silent hole of agonous grief, I wept so miserably,

And I could not rebound, from this awful feeling of mine, so full of fear.

But while I knelt upon the ground, I saw my husband dear;

He held my hand and pulled me close,

And then I felt my shaking subside, as he held me, oh, so near.

The comfort he gave me, within his arms, came not upon a whim,

But from years of love, and times of patience.

And I knew that whatever my fears, I was not alone, not as long as I had him.

‘Twas the night before something, and all through the house,

Everyone was sleeping, but me and the hamster mouse.

I was fussing and fretful, worrying I’d again be forgetful.

The kids were all snug, and sweet in their beds,

With not a single bad thought, or worry in their heads.

But I could not help it, my mind was awhirl.

I’ve always been like this, since I was a girl.

The cookies were not baked, and the house was a mess.

What if someone came over, and thought less of me of me less.

I’d written no cards, and packages weren’t sent.

The bills were not paid, and it was time for Advent!

I had to do homeschool, but lately it’d been boring.

I wanted some fun, so, I’d been internet poring.

I’ve been missing my daughter, who finds college such fun.

But her room is so empty, and I wish college was done.

As for my eldest son, we’ve a college to find.

Then he will leave too, but I don’t think he’ll mind.

When out on the back deck, there arose such a clatter.

I fell out of my chair, to see what was the matter.

It was only my dogs, barking out in the night.

But it helped me to see, the sky, dark and light.

Maybe I should calm down, I thought with a sigh.

Take a look at my life, I don’t need to cry.

I’m blessed with a life, others wish that they had.

So what if I hurt, It’s not always that bad.

My pain is my body, it’s not in my heart.

And someday some pill will make my pain part.

So, I went to my bed, and cleared all from my mind.

In the morning I’ll feel better, and sites I will find.

I peek at my husband, so still with loud snoring,

And think to myself, he could never be boring.

He’s steady and sweet. He’s the love of my life.

He takes care of us, and I’m glad I’m his wife.

I think of my kids, so confident recently now.

They’re starting new lives, and we’ve shown them how.

I’m a homeschooling Mom to an eight year-old boy.

It gives me a purpose, and a whole lot of joy.

So, God has been good, and the things that worry

Will just have to wait, ’cause I don’t want to hurry.

So, Merry Christmas to all, now my whining is done.

I’ve been a bit selfish, but I love everyone!