Today’s host at http://www.ethicalela.com for Day 3 of the October Open Write is Carolina Lopez, who inspires us to write “I’ve Been Writing this Since…” poems.
Carolina, what a compelling prompt today! Your devotion to your family is clear and unshakable, and I admire the commitment you have to your nieces. Your mention of mixed feelings about becoming an aunt and my memories of my earliest days of writing mingled to bring back some vivid color memories. Thank you for investing in us as writers today.
Writing in Crayons
I’ve been writing this
since i peeled that
red crayon
wrote r-e-d
in crooked letters
under K-i-m
in all my books
smiling proudly
relieved I didn’t
have to hide the pink
for once
from Susie Todd
her favorite color
afraid she’d steal it
take it to her house
where we washed our
hands with the cheddar
cheese colored Dial bar soap
sang Puff the Magic Dragon
played Chinese Checkers
I’ve been writing this
since I dreamed
I got a black Irish Wolfhound
named him Caesar
since we stood at the shore
where I taught him to howl
at the silver moon with a
tiny blue plastic toy wolf
that rested on his nose
since I stood behind his fluffy ears
blowing through the toy
like a birthday candle
that howled
that made him howl
that made me
laugh/howl proudly
I’ve been writing this
since Mom’s Lewy Body
hallucinations
alerted us to the toddler
alone in the orange shirt
with no mother in sight
playing near the
edge of the street
(a pumpkin)
since she confused the
yellow power tools
for bananas when her
family built the wheelchair
ramp
since wiping tears away
I’ve been writing this
through the smiles
the pride
the pain
the tears
the grief
Common Threads 