I Am

This next poem's format was very difficult to get to since the link didn't seem to work. Here's how I got to it: After clicking on the Poetry Exercises link on the right of my blog, select grade (7-12), then "types of poetry." Go to Bio-poetry. Select "My bio-poem: a lesson of self-discovery." Next, scroll down the screen, and open the link that says "Handout 6." I used Example 2 for my formula for this poem, but feel free to explore other options. One thing I've learned: I can NOT write a poem on days I feel overwhelmed. Luckily, tonight was calm enough for me to gather my thoughts and jot some things down that were on my mind. Give this one a try, it's pretty fun!

I Am

I am a mother.
I wonder if I'm teaching my children how to live their lives to be great.
I hear their laughter and their tender "I love you's."
I see their eager eyes, their happy smiles, and the carefully distorted drawings they make for me.
I want to play, read, talk and laugh with them more.

I pretend that we have it all, and are in need of nothing.
I feel scared, weak, and inept at the challenges I daily face.
I touch their sweet soft cheeks, their rough, mud-caked hands, and their coarse, crumb-covered hair…and I love it.
I laugh when Daddy gets food thrown onto him by our one-year-old.
I cry when I leave for work and realize I forgot to kiss my children goodbye.

I say that I'm going to do better tomorrow, to stay calm, and to hold my boys more tenderly.
I ask for God's divine help with patience, kindness, and more understanding.
I understand that I won't be perfect, but I can give my children perfect love.
I try to give them a home they will want to return to every day.
I am a mother.