Welcome, and happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) I’m glad you’re here! We’re a welcoming community, and I hope you enjoy visiting with us. Read, comment, think, share, and enjoy!
A couple of weeks ago, Randy and I spent a week at Walt Disney World. We both grew up in Orlando, so WDW has always kind of been a part of our lives. This was our first visit in I think more than 15 years, though. We visited all four parks, rode tons of rides, saw boatloads of shows, and escaped into unreality :>) Geez, I swore I’d just pick 2–3 pictures. Stopping here, even though I could share 200 fun moments!
In the Magic Kingdom, the Haunted Mansion is one of the rides that I remember going on from a super young age. It starts out in a room with artwork high on the walls. And then the room shifts, and you see the rest of the art–which all has a horrible twist. Because of my own phobia of alligators/crocodiles, this portrait is the one that mesmerizes me.
A few years ago, at NCTE, I was working on several poems, and I started one inspired by this portrait. I was thinking about how people assume they know someone’s life just by virtue of how someone dresses or looks or what kind of mood/personality they project. At the Magic Kingdom, we of course rode the Haunted Mansion ride, and I dug out that old draft.
Also in my head during the revision was Brandi Carlile’s song, “The Story.” I love that song so much, and we got to see her perform it live when we attended her recent Minneapolis concert (which raised $600,000+ for The Advocates for Human Rights).
And all of our friends who think that I’m blessed
They don’t know my head is a mess
Isn’t that the truth for most of us?
Anyway, I spent a bit of time on a revision, and here’s draft 2 for you.
Okay, that’s it for this week. For lots of wonderful poetry, don’t miss the Poetry Friday Roundup , hosted by the funny, fabulous middle grade author, Tanita Davis!
16 Responses
Wow! That poem moved me. It’s powerful and I love it! I think your poem opens the door for great discussions with students and that many will resonate with it. Some lines that especially spoke to me are “But sharp teeth are snapping, /hidden below. // We’ve all got the reptiles,
some dressed up as bills
and phone calls from doctors
that make our heart still.” I love the flow of your poems, and your rhyme and rhythm are excellent!
Thanks so much, Gail <3
I’m so glad you and your guy got away for some unreality. That sounds WONDERFUL! The line, “hidden below” gives your poem a dark and delicious turn…there’s more than meets the eye here and I’m now curious! What is the lady hiding or pretending isn’t there?
Hi Linda, It WAS wonderful–thank you :>) You can see the complete portrait either by watching the video or going to https://share.google/A7cBK09kaTmR0xKjW
So glad you got away for a little escape, Laura. Looks like so much fun! I have always liked how Irene posts art that inspires her poetry. Your poem was such a cool example of this. I have definitely learned over the years that we never know someone’s whole story or what tightrope they are walking on. We need to give everyone a bit of grace in that way. This poem would be great for classrooms to foster much-needed empathy discussion.
Thanks, Cathy–ekphrastic poetry is fun, and I do it a lot :>) Good to see your name in the chat at the webinar yesterday :>)
Oh Laura! Great poem! I also love “bubble of lace.” What an image! Looks like you had a GREAT time at WDW.
I love your poem and am saving it. Great photos! I’m glad you got to do all the things 🙂
I love how your mind works.
That picture freaked me out, too — the first time I went to Disneyland AND Disneyworld (yes, the same year, thanks to touring choirs) I was sixteen, well too old to even get a frisson, one might imagine. However, I immediately wanted OUT when I saw that (and heard the narration).
Kudos to you for getting a poem out of discomfort — and reality.
I’ve been there twice, Laura, with family & with my students! What fun to be there, “out of our world”! Wow, your poem fits all kinds of our lives, and I love “the cold sound of waiting”!
We all need some unreality, and WDW truly is magical! I love that you wrote a poem inspired by the Haunted Mansion waiting room. I remember that from childhood too! Love the you-n-Randy pics. xo
Looks like you had a wonderful time! And I love the poem — “the cold sound of waiting, the thrashing below.”
Laura, your draft two is masterful with that cool-looking woman on the tightrope. Fun post today, and the pictures from Disney look so delightful! It looks like you had a lot of fun!
Laura, I *love* what you did with that portrait and the metaphor you see/created here. So true, so relatable!
I just finished reading (for the Ohioana Book Award) the next installment in the Emmie and Friends series, ENTIRELY EMMIE. It’s a middle school graphic novel series and the author writes in the back matter that it’s her express mission to show both what is on the outside of her characters along with what they’re feeling inside. This poem pairs PERFECTLY with this book/series!
What a fun trip, Laura. And I share your phobia about alligators/crocs! I didn’t even click on the link…I know what would be there! But I love how these horrids as a metaphor.