Poetry

A couple of years ago, I decided I wanted to become more creative, so I asked a friend to teach me to sketch. Then I started teaching myself to watercolor. And then about a year ago, I started trying to write poetry. Mostly silly little poems about life experiences or boys I have dated (got that idea from T-Swift). But some of these poems have deeper meanings. Most are personal, but here are a few.

This is one I wrote last week. It is about my experiences in China. Instead of coming up with a scheme off the top of my head, I did what my poet friend Megan suggested to me once: find a poem you like and mimic it with your own ideas. I went on the Poetry Foundation website, found a cool poem and came up with my own. Here is the link to the original poem by Rodney Koeneke.

And here is mine:

"Modern China"

I am a girl who sees the ancient in everything

I wonder if a 100 years ago the people felt so safe

I admire the innocence of my freshmen, fight fate

because I want them to remember forever

their first foreign teacher. I hear oouuwWAHHs

Like despicable minions

as I embellish. I want their culture

to speak and be real -

isn’t that what I was hoping to find here?

Pretending that I am flying

on an e-bike through the crowds

and cutting lines to the Great Wall, and to secrets,

I worry, being told I’m too late,

I’ll miss the struggle when I have my own car-

my own path, time and ease.

But nothing will be easy ever,

not in Yangshuo, not in Richmond.

I understand that almost, when they pray

the Spirit is present, forbidden in full.

Buddhas remind them there is more.

I dream one day of an Ashley that’s at peace

I see something that is ancient in me too. In a 100

years I wonder will the superstitions just flip.

This poem I wrote one year ago about my favorite kid in Haiti.

"My Street Friend"

You wrote Kerlin with a crayon

Is that even a name?

Can you spell your own name?

You and David and all the little boys

Call-

ashlAy ashlAy ashlAy!

Five months pass

you recognize and

Squeal-

ashlAy!

Nothing makes me so giddy about being alive

than when you shout my name in your accent

and hug me

and let me buy you ice cream

and invite me to play street soccer with your

street friends

and ask me for candy

You make me wish you were mine

but I'm ridiculous

you have your own

At least I hope.

Hope you're not alone.

Finally, a short one about Jesus Christ that I wrote for my friend Yves right before he left on his mission. Yves is my friend in Haiti that excepted my invitation to go to church, was baptized, served a mission and just returned home. He is an amazing poet and would write poems for all of us volunteers in way more beautiful English than I ever use. But I try (:

He created the Heavens, Earth and stars

He came as a baby from His throne afar

He healed and still continues to heal us

He atoned and was killed to allow us to trust

He was, and He is

He is love

He is Jesus Christ