Poetry Dedication Project

POETRY DEDICATION PROJECT: MY MOTHER

Rachael Sessoms

AN APRIL DAY BY HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

When the warm sun, that brings Seed-time and harvest, has returned again, 'T is sweet to visit the still wood, where springs The first flower of the plain.

I love the season well, When forest glades are teeming with bright forms, Nor dark and many-folded clouds foretell The coming-on of storms.

From the earth's loosened mould The sapling draws its sustenance, and thrives; Though stricken to the heart with winter's cold, The drooping tree revives.

AN APRIL DAY BY HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

The softly-warbled song Comes from the pleasant woods, and colored wings Glance quick in the bright sun, that moves along The forest openings.

When the bright sunset fills The silver woods with light, the green slope throws Its shadows in the hollows of the hills, And wide the upland glows.

And when the eve is born, In the blue lake the sky, o'er-reaching far, Is hollowed out and the moon dips her horn, And twinkles many a star.

AN APRIL DAY BY HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

Inverted in the tide Stand the gray rocks, and trembling shadows throw, And the fair trees look over, side by side, And see themselves below.

Sweet April! many a thought Is wedded unto thee, as hearts are wed; Nor shall they fail, till, to its autumn brought, Life's golden fruit is shed.

EXPLICATION

An April Day was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet who died at the age of 75 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Longfellow mainly wrote lyric poems. Longfellow was a very successful poet.

An April Day has eight stanzas. Longfellow is explaining a day in April. He’s explaining what he likes about it. The poem is written well and has great explanations in it. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow uses plenty of words for you to understand his point. He makes you feel like you are actually in an April’s day. He uses so much imagery in his poem. He allows us to go to a different place.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow used ABAB rhyming scheme through the whole poem. This rhyming scheme fits this poem in the perfect way. It balances out every single line and makes you understand easily.

This poem is very enjoying because the month of April is one of my favorites. I can agree with what he is saying and I can enjoy his choice of words. I picked this poem because my mom feels the same way. Her favorite month is April because that the month she was born and he name happens to be April. The poem has great depth to it because it brings great memories. “When the bright sunset fills, the silver woods with light, the green slope throws. Its shadows in the hollows of the hills, and wide the upland glows.” This is one of the amazing stanzas in the poem. This is one of my favorites because I can literally imagine this. I appreciate beautiful scenery and I know my mom does too. I enjoyed this poem because I know I won’t forget when April comes along. I have a whole new meaning for an April day.

FOCUSED ON MY FAMILY BY RAYMOND A. FOSS

A night out, cut short needing to go back home to put them to bed, to give her rest time to mend and heal, no regrets of the change the redirection home where we needed to be resting when we needed to no regrets at all

EXPLICATION

Focused on My Family by Raymond A. Foss is a great poem. This poem is self-explanatory. “Focused on My Family” gets straight to the point because it’s one stanza. Even though this is a short poem, it has a strong message.

Raymond A. Foss was born in Westfield, MA in 1960. He started writing poetry while serving on the Barrington, NH School in Board in 2000.There are now 13, 356 of his poems on his site called “Poetry Where You Live.”

I think this poem is a very well written poem because is captures you in a second. This poem really doesn’t have much to it. His words are very simply which makes it easy to understand. This is a clear cut poem that is exactly like my family. I enjoy how he explained a little story in a poem. I can relate and my family can relate to the poem because I think a lot of families are this way.

“Focused on My Family” has no rhyme scheme but it also doesn’t need one. I like how he explains the different people in a family. Something so simple can be so powerful. This is a poem to share to others families.

TOUCHED MY FAMILY BY IVAN DONN CARSWELL

Even from afar came shouts of recognition joyful voices rang across the years disdained and faces of our childhood unforgot fit instantly familiar names; voices still the same despite the extra grey, the extra lines, like sacred family metaphors not blurred with passing time. Uncles greeted cousins, nieces hailed their aunts in private spaces kept for kith and kin, as if by chance this place, and the children’s children ran and played while old familiars sought out old familiars and said gooday. Some, lost in paternity-unexplained reserve feigned acquaintance, made clamorous greetings never really meeting friendly eyes; we observed no contradiction, in the art of being Gillgren ambiguity is a smile disguised. And as more arrived to swell the throng shyness shifted and was crushed in the overwhelming warmth of welcome. That was handshakes day, a day of greetings, of hugs and patent kisses, of faded family jokes and famous legends, a day we traded lissom lies and downright deconstructions, disavowals and denials, embellishments and exhortations,

TOUCHED MY FAMILY BY IVAN DONN CARSWELL

trials and travails, and everywhere without exception, vibrant, friendly laughter filled the air. We packed the missing years, relentlessly connecting memories, seeking explanations, listening with desirous passion. We met again, to celebrate our names, to celebrate our Patriarch, Johannes Efraim Gillgren. The moment which defined it came belatedly amid a blush of hereditary patience (infused, no doubt, by alcohol and calmed by pious charity). We sat together, splendidly naïve on the threshold of our similitude, watching images of Johannes and forebears on the screen. The images didn’t cause abjuring sentiment (we have the pictures in our albums - treasure every one), but it was no less a shock to find our hows and whys, where with delinquent validation laid bare, we’d all endured yet come by signal cause - and now we knew who needed who. Mine weren’t the only tear-filled eyes, I cried for Harriet and Johannes, and my parents who had died, I cried without shame for I love them dear, and I loved them in secret for fear of discovery; yes, I tell you this, for how wrong can you be? And in the closeness of that room I reached out and touched my family

EXPLICATION

Ivan Donn Carswell was born in 1965 in Gisborne, New Zealand. Carswell loved writing for as long as he could remember. Even though Carswell is not very known, he still had a passion for poetry and shares his amazing talent for others to read.

Touched my Family by Ivan Donn Carswell is a sweet poem. This poem is telling a story. I love how he is explaining how his family was like. This poem was also very sad and heart felt. “Mine weren’t the only tear-filled eyes, I cried, for Harriet and Johannes, and my parents who had died, I cried without shame for I love them dear, and I loved them in secret for fear of discovery; yes, I tell you this, for how wrong can you be? And in the closeness of that room, I reached out and touched my family.” I thought this part in the poem was very strong. This was a great way to end the poem because it sticks with you. I appreciate the honesty of his words and I think this shows great courage for him to write this poem. “Touched my Family” is a poem that I am happy that I got to read. Poems like this I didn’t know existed. To know that poems could speak to you or to touch you in a certain way is powerful. This poem has a great topic, imagery and inspiration. The best type of poem is a poem that has meaning; “Touched my Family” is just that.

WORKING GIRLS BY CARL SANDBURG THE working girls in the morning are going to work-- long lines of them afoot amid the downtown stores and factories, thousands with little brick-shaped lunches wrapped in newspapers under their arms. Each morning as I move through this river of young- woman life I feel a wonder about where it is all going, so many with a peach bloom of young years on them and laughter of red lips and memories in their eyes of dances the night before and plays and walks.

WORKING GIRLS BY CARL SANDBURG Green and gray streams run side by side in a river and so here are always the others, those who have been over the way, the women who know each one the end of life's gamble for her, the meaning and the clew, the how and the why of the dances and the arms that passed around their waists and the fingers that played in their hair. Faces go by written over: "I know it all, I know where the bloom and the laughter go and I have memories," and the feet of these move slower and they have wisdom where the others have beauty. So the green and the gray move in the early morning on the downtown streets.

EXPLICATION

Working Girls by Carl Sandburg is a touching poem. I really enjoy this poem because I love the amount of inspiration in the poem. I can’t help to get a since of what could of or what was in this poem. This poem is about working girls in downtown stores and factories. Sandburg is writing was these could do at their age, enjoy life and be free. I love the concept of the poem; it is a very good idea. My life I take for granted, but this poem shows me how blessed I really am. I have the freedom to not work in a factory, I never think I the kids that used to do it. The imagery in this poem is great because you can really picture what Sandburg is saying in this poem. Working girls will speak to many young girls. If every young girl read this poem, I think that they would look at their life and be appreciative. I really never wondered what my life would be like if I had to work as a child, but because of this poem I do. This poem teaches a message. Sandburg has great choosing of words for this poem. This poem is a free verse which I love. I think this is perfect for the poem. I love how this poem is so honest and clear for readers. “Workings Girls” is a structured poem.

COME HOME! BY MARY ELIZABETH COLERIDGE

When wintry winds are no more heard, And joy's in every bosom, When summer sings in every bird, And shines in every blossom, When happy twilight hours are long, Come home, my love, and think no wrong!

When berries gleam above the stream And half the fields are yellow, Come back to me, my joyous dream, The world hath not thy fellow! And I will make thee Queen among The Queens of summer and of song.

EXPLICATION

Mary Elizabeth Coleridge is a British novelist and poet. She was born in London in 1861. Coleridge grew up with some of the greatest writers in her day. “Come Home!” is not one of her popular poems but one of my favorite poems. This poem is so relatable, I think this poem is so simply but so large at the same time. I have read some of Coleridge other poem before so I knew this would be a good poem to pick.

“Come Home!” is a poem that is written very well. I love the story behind the poem and the very simple message. This is literally a poem that my mother would love because the poem is a lot like her; I could see her saying these words in the poem. This poem has to well written stanzas that anyone could understand. I feel connected to this poem because it means a lot for me. This is a type of poem that I could see my mom reading to me when I was a child. This poem can be shared to any age group. Coleridge has a way with writing poems; she does such a great job at delivery her message.

“Come home, my love, and think no wrong!” This is probably my favorite line in the poem because this is something my mom would say. When I read it, I can’t help to think of her because she will probably say this a lot when I go to college. Mary Elizabeth Coleridge knows how to speak to people through her poetry. Her poetry is for people to enjoy it and to be thankful that writers like this existed. “Come Home!” has great depth to it and can hold your attention easily.

ORIGINAL POEMSRachael Sessoms

I WONDER

To each his own I’m all alone I wonder why I still close my eyes. I try to think And then give a quick blink But I find myself wondering Why this is happening What will I do? If I can’t get through I start to wonder Then I fonder

MISSING EVERYTHING AROUND ME

Missing everything around me The trees so big and high The reach up to the sky Missing everything around me The nature that is so big The birds that fly in a swig Missing everything around me The people who I know The feelings that I used to show Missing everything around me The walls that never break Even the people that I can’t take Missing everything around me It’s time to start a new chapter So I can live happily ever after Missing everything around me

GOOD AND BAD

Looking at a waterfall is so pretty I love to watch a great image I also love to look at a great city It’s like looking at a great voyage

Going to a desert is not a good time I can’t stand a place that is hot I rather go for a hike climb And go eat, a lot

I AM

I am quiet and shy I sometimes dream I can fly I wish to be success Even in a day of distress

I am tall and lean Believe or not I also love to clean I love to make people laugh Then help them walk in a straight path

MY ROOM

My room is a secret place I have all my pretty things In a space that I call mine In my room I can spread my wings I love the importance of my room Nowhere else I can quite bloom

EXPLANATION

I dedicate these poems to you mom because of how versatile you can be. All these poems are very different but they all still remind me of you.

“I Wonder” is a poem I wrote when I try to solve my problems myself. I get confused, frustrated and then think why I am this way? Then I realize I do need help. The person I always go to for help is you.

“Missing Everything Around Me” is a poem I wrote just for you. This poem indicates how you still miss people around you but how you strive and move on no matter what. The last couple of years had been hard when you lost your mother but you are still thankful for what you have and also the little things in life, which this poem is about.

“Good and Bad” shows how much we are alike. I show how we are very similar to the things we like and don’t like. I know your favorite part will be the end because that’s the part we have most in common.

The person I am today has a lot to do with you, that’s why I wrote “I Am.” I explain myself in this poem realizing how much I’ve grow was because of you raising me. If I’m feeling sad, I still wish to be successful and I know that is how you raised me to be. “Believe or not I also love to clean” I would have never said those words if it weren’t for you.

I love my room and appreciate my room so much. I remember when we moved to our new house and how we sat in my room together and planned how I was going to design it. You are the one that basically gave me all the ideas on my room. I don’t think I would love it so much if you didn’t put so much into it. I know you love to decorate so I’m glad I made that choice to trust you because it paid off.

TO THE BEST MOM!

Mom, you’ve have always been there for me. You are the biggest role model in my life and will always be. I thank you for all you’re support and raising me into a strong woman. I dedicate this project to you because you mean so very much to me. You know very well I don’t show much emotion and say how thankful I am to have a mother like you enough. I’m glad I have the chance to show how much you mean to me through this project. You are my educator, my support, and someone I can always lead on. You are the best! I love you!

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sandburg, Carl. “Working Girls.” Poetry X. Ed. Jough Dempsey. 15 Sep 2003. 25 May. 2013 <http://poetry.poetryx.com/poems/1390/>.

Coleridge, Mary. “Come Home!” The Collected Poems of Mary Coleridge. London: Rupert Hart-Davis, 1954.

Carswell, Ivan Donn. “Touched my Family.” Peachester, April 2005 <http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/ivan_donn_carswell/poems/23131.html>

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Foss, Raymond A. “Focused on My Family” September 23, 2006 21:07. Poetry Where You Live.

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. “An April Day.” Poetry X. Ed. Jough Dempsey. 24 Jan 2005. 25 May. 2013 <http://poetry.poetryx.com/poems/10640/>.