Sometimes… people tell me they LOVE poetry but …. they could never (gasp!) WRITE IT!
Well. Okay, so mabye we’re not all going to be John Donne or T. S. Eliot or Billy Collins, or Shel Silverstein… but, I truly believe poetry is to be found everywhere you look.
I read blogs that are moms simply sharing their story – but they say it so beautifully – it is poetry.
You don’t have to “be a poet” to write poetry.
Sometimes, you simply have to list the gifts… and count that as a poem.
Today I’m writing a Catalog poem where I list the gifts of parenting.
Parenting is… Superhero boys
Parenting is… getting up in the middle of the night
Parenting is… a baby nose rubbed on my cheek
Parenting is… a super hero boy in blue flying in to save me
Parenting is… being a storyteller
Parenting is… peanut butter and jelly time
Parenting is… midnight rides to the ER
Parenting is… letting them eat off your plate (and then eating off theirs later)
Parenting is… toys on the floor, books in the bed, boys on my lap
Parenting is… listening to that CD one more time
Parenting is… sleepless nights
Parenting is… learning which cry is the “real one”
Parenting is… sleepless nights.
I said that, right? 😉
(PS: Mentor poem: Raymond Carver’s “Fear”)
So there you have it – a small catalog of just a few things that make up my parenting experience with boys thus far!
A catalog poem is easy to make… simply list items and descriptions that fit your topic. Do a little rearranging and repetition. Throw in some poetic elements…or don’t! 
Read all about it – all thirty-one posts in The Poetry of Parenting Boys series will be linked up here (click button)
Keara B.
Friday 24th of October 2014
This post was written specifically for me. ;) I'm not much of a writer, but even I can do this! Right now, this is my poetry: Parenting is.... singing along to "Let It Go" for the thousandth time because it makes your little girl smile. Thank you for all these poetry posts. They have been reminding me to slow down and enjoy my daughters just a little bit more!
Keara B.
Friday 24th of October 2014
This post was written specifically for me. ;) I'm not much of a writer, but even I can do this! Right now, this is my poetry: Parenting is.... singing along to "Let It Go" for the thousandth time because it makes your little girl smile. Thank you for all these poetry posts. They have been reminding me to slow down and enjoy my daughters just a little bit more!
Amanda
Thursday 23rd of October 2014
Love this! I am always teaching my students that poetry is EVERYWHERE. Can't wait until my boys become little poets...the songs that they come up with already are hilarious, even though they are mostly made up words that make them giggle. Oh, the joy of boys...