This is very representative of the universal experience of growing up, and losing an entire identity that we held with us as children. We often chase after that carefree version of ourselves the rest of our lives; I know I still do sometimes. But the good part is, you've opened your eyes to the world, learned much along the way, and now view the environment around you with a more critical eye -- even if you're perceiving yourself with a more critical eye, as well. In time, you'll grow into an appreciation for your evolved self and find comfort in it.
A couple other things I loved about this piece: The comparison of radio to more solitary AirPods sets us in a time and place and emphasizes the sense of nostalgia for a time gone by. Also, I have a feeling you meant to say "piled" rather than "pilled," but the pilling of clothes occurs as the material wears out, and it was almost like you were saying you wore out of the phase of drawings on the fridge. Intentional or not, it worked.
I can always see your appreciation for life peeking through in your work, and it's so refreshing. You speak of embracing not just the happy moments, but the difficult moments touched with sadness as well, sort of in the vein of, "If it never rains, how will I know the sun when it shines?" I think that's a remarkable outlook to have in life, and I hope you never lose it! I also LOVED the image of a person growing out of the soil as a "rough draft" of themselves. You have some original ideas here!
This tore at me, and made me want to give you a hug. Just remember, there's no such thing as perfection, in you yourself or in the projects and tasks that are causing you such increased stress. Rest is so important for learning and succeeding in life, so I hope soon you're able to find the right balance between schoolwork and sleep!
I know what you mean, about getting lost in the moment (or at least trying to) when you ride a bike. The whoosh in your hair, out in nature, with those mountain views you speak of: There's nothing like it. Opening your poem with those particular questions effectively captured my interest, and I sensed a lot of subtext beneath the surface of this piece that kept me reading. I liked when you came back around to the theme of the bike with, "How do you fix the chain that broke apart?" Ending with the bike again really tied the whole thing together.
The shoes look so crisp and clean against the backdrop of the fallen leaves. You can easily tell yourself many stories about where this person is going.
What a spread! I've never added fresh flowers to my dinner plate, but then again I'm not a forager. Are they edible or just for decoration? The sunset and wildflower photos are gorgeous too!
Thanks! It’s actually the reflection of of a garbage can.
This is very representative of the universal experience of growing up, and losing an entire identity that we held with us as children. We often chase after that carefree version of ourselves the rest of our lives; I know I still do sometimes. But the good part is, you've opened your eyes to the world, learned much along the way, and now view the environment around you with a more critical eye -- even if you're perceiving yourself with a more critical eye, as well. In time, you'll grow into an appreciation for your evolved self and find comfort in it.
A couple other things I loved about this piece: The comparison of radio to more solitary AirPods sets us in a time and place and emphasizes the sense of nostalgia for a time gone by. Also, I have a feeling you meant to say "piled" rather than "pilled," but the pilling of clothes occurs as the material wears out, and it was almost like you were saying you wore out of the phase of drawings on the fridge. Intentional or not, it worked.
I can always see your appreciation for life peeking through in your work, and it's so refreshing. You speak of embracing not just the happy moments, but the difficult moments touched with sadness as well, sort of in the vein of, "If it never rains, how will I know the sun when it shines?" I think that's a remarkable outlook to have in life, and I hope you never lose it! I also LOVED the image of a person growing out of the soil as a "rough draft" of themselves. You have some original ideas here!
That book got nominated for the 2024 Green Mountain Book Award.
Thank you! :)
This tore at me, and made me want to give you a hug. Just remember, there's no such thing as perfection, in you yourself or in the projects and tasks that are causing you such increased stress. Rest is so important for learning and succeeding in life, so I hope soon you're able to find the right balance between schoolwork and sleep!
I know what you mean, about getting lost in the moment (or at least trying to) when you ride a bike. The whoosh in your hair, out in nature, with those mountain views you speak of: There's nothing like it. Opening your poem with those particular questions effectively captured my interest, and I sensed a lot of subtext beneath the surface of this piece that kept me reading. I liked when you came back around to the theme of the bike with, "How do you fix the chain that broke apart?" Ending with the bike again really tied the whole thing together.
The shoes look so crisp and clean against the backdrop of the fallen leaves. You can easily tell yourself many stories about where this person is going.
What a spread! I've never added fresh flowers to my dinner plate, but then again I'm not a forager. Are they edible or just for decoration? The sunset and wildflower photos are gorgeous too!
This is so, so cool! Is it an actual hole or the reflection off something?