Journal for The Journey-A Poetry Class

Title: Assignment 1, Week 1



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In my outer world, I am 37 with a 3 yo son and 7 yo son. I am married, have a masters degree in social work and have worked in a state agency doing ongoing and foster care casework (and have been for a little over 12 yrs). I am also a poet and avid learner of whatever strikes my interest at the time. I have a guitar, mandolin, psaltery, a couple of Bolivian flutes, and a clarinet and can play one or two of them somewhat. I can read music somewhat also, so I play around with one instrument till I learn a song then get into something else. So far, WDC has kept me captivated in writing for the past 15 mos in a row which is amazing for me. It used to be, since childhood, I’d write the occasional poem and it could be six months between them.



Mentally, I think my themes in life (on the positive side) are balance, nonjudgement, passing on knowledge or information (not gossip, mind you-just info), and seeing all sides of every story. On the not so positive, its slowing down and finishing each task, (ie the turtle costumicon as a reminder), and time management (I have absolutely the most distorted sense of time). This is still the outside though, and I don’t feel I am my habits but I do perform or have trouble performing with these traits.



Emotionally, I am very even keeled. I am more apt to tear up than get resentful, I get more frustrated than angry, I can cry at a commercial but I have never had “depression” as a problem. I let it out (mostly on my own) when I need to rather than saving it up. I forgive easily but feel guilt when I probably shouldn’t. I tend to allow myself forgiveness most often and try hard not to be too hard on myself for performance related issues (although the guilt is there if I am perceived to have done something to hurt someone’s feelings even when it was not intentional). I am often “Too honest” especially at work. I have a lousy poker face.



Politically, I am sort of in the middle. I’m not wild about the religious right or the extreme left-and I wish a candidate would be able to run on issues rather than party “lines” because I don’t think most Americans are extreme and yet we are asked to choose from such right or left sides that it really isn’t a government of “the people” as much as we say it is.



Inside, I am what is impossible to name. I’m comfortable with people but equally comfortable alone. I am passionate about teaching my boys that its okay to make a mess sometimes and its more important to have depth than a pretty appearance. It is an ongoing struggle as I’m married into a family that is somewhat the opposite, money related at least. I have no strong attachments to house and car, money, but I do appreciate what has been provided for me and my sons because it is important to my husband to provide these things (along with my salary). I am somewhat irreverent at times, at least on the inside. If the muse calls at work, it is pretty certain a poem will come out no matter what else I have to do (which isn’t really great at work but I do it just the same). Still, these are outside things too and its impossible to say what a person really is, or who they are.



As for writing, I haven’t been published in anything since college except for some vanity press anthology that I didn’t know that was what it was when I entered the contest. Lessons learned, right? I do have some poems out there for a couple of contests not to “get published” for publishing sake but more to get a book of poetry done that I can get out there to women’s shelters or other social work type places. Also, I have 17 yrs left at my job to be able to retire with full insurance and benefits and I will be 55 at that time so I am “working on my second career” so that I can perhaps teach poetry writing or something like that in a second job. Right now, I’m just enjoying learning and practicing my writing and reading and learning from others in the community.

Most of all, I am looking forward to this experience and this class.



Here's' the poem.

Tributaries  (E) The path of women from Tributary to Ocean, from meek to wise. #1487383 by SWPoet

Oh, I have read and responded to Karen and Dan's Bio's and Poems, Dan's writing on Multivalence and all messages up to midnight 1-6-07.


Brandy







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