I’ve been working (for many years, off and on!) on a poetry project with a main character who feels rejected in many areas of her life. She tries so hard to not want things like friends and invitations to birthday parties, because she doesn’t have them. So it hurts less if she tells herself she doesn’t want them anyway.
Marilyn in Michelle Knudsen’s Marilyn’s Monster (Candlewick, 2015) pulls this same trick. We all do, right? It’s a survival skill. I tell myself I don’t care about style (fashion or home or otherwise), because I don’t have the time or knack for it. But I love being in beautiful places or admiring other people’s creative, bold, inspired clothes. If I were good at style, I’m sure I’d care more about it! But my own deficiencies feel less bothersome if I just convince myself I don’t care. Um, I hope I’m not the only one who does this…
And here’s a book that would pair wonderfully with Marilyn’s Monster.
[What are poetryactions? Visit my Poetry Page and scroll down.]
6 Responses
Makes me think of Maurice Sendak’s “Pierre” who always said “I don’t care.” Carol King did a recording of the story that we played over and over with my children. I could make a long list of things that I convince myself I don’t care about just because I am not good at them. Love the play of words in your poem.
Thanks, Margaret! I must look for the Sendak piece…don’t know it.
Marilyn’s Monster is one of my favorite new books, and we’ve paired it with Beekle to introduce the idea of similar themes! (Great minds, Laura :-)) Love your poem with its repetition and subtle rhyme.
Hehe–fist bump on the great minds:>) And thanks.
Marilyn’s monster is a favorite with the granddaughters, as in all things monster, but the older one also understood to feel sorry for Marilyn because she really wanted her own monster, although tried to hide it. Beekle was fun, & together with your poem makes a great package. I hope other teachers see this, too!
Thanks, Linda–me, too:>)