This is a wonderful and thoughtfully written “Where I’m From”
poem. It’s so real, so natural and still
manages to use a masterful variety of poetic techniques like alliteration,
repetition, imagery, etc… Enjoy this A+
poem and mouse over the footnotes for my comments.
**
I REMEMBER **
Looking
back, I
remember[D1]
My
childhood as
Pigtails
And
hula hoops
And
trips to the zoo.
Summers
full of fun,
Sunny
days, and mosquito bites.
I
remember climbing the neighbors' gigantic rocks surrounded by dandelions.
Jumping from
them always resulted in skinned knees.
[D2]I remember lemonade
stands that lasted until the lightning [D3]bugs came out.
The
swing set, baby pool, and sand box decorated the back yard.
There
was always an never-ending supply of popsicles.
I
remember in the fall, there were trees which littered jumping leaves.
There
was always school and, of course, Trick-or-Treat.
I
remember the highlight of winter was always snow.
Playing in the
snow was one of the greatest things in life.
I remember
sledding,
Snow men,
Snow angels,
Snow forts,
And snow
tunnels.
[D4]Looking back,
I remember
Grandma's
around-the-world
[D5]house,
Baking
cookies,
Saturday
morning Sesame Street,
And
playing with pots and pans.
I feel as if
all of these memories are cobwebs being swept from my mind.
I remember
always having an infinite number of pets and loving them all.
I remember
playing with neighborhood friends.
There was bike
riding and always some "House" to be played.
Jump ropes and
hoppity-hops.
Dirt and mud
were required.
Looking back,
I remember my childhood being happy and sad.
There were
incidents seen as catastrophes through a child's mind and great achievements[D6].
I
remember being little and I know it was one of the best times in my life.
[D1]Here’s her hook.
[D2]Note the simple and well-developed detail. Clearly, this author LIVED this poem; the detail is authentic and real.
[D3]Alliteration!
[D4]Wonderful passage. Notice her use of shortened, parallel lines, repetition, alliteration.
[D5]Nice.
[D6]Notice how the author is able to create a sort of overwhelming sensation at the end of her poem, as if she is daydreaming about her past. This is such a great way to end this kind of poem, by reflecting the kind of thought that occurs when we reminisce.