Week 15: Review

photo credit

This is without a single doubt my favorite of the announcements. This entire semester has felt like an endless and terrifyingly dark tunnel. I gave up on finding that light more times than I can count. I am so thankful to the few people who helped get me through. To Ms. Laura, Dr. Bracic, my family and my friends. 

Reading

I really preferred the shorter readings. Partially because they were more time friendly but also because they were more interesting since each little story was different and unique. 

Reading short stories also made my reading diaries easier because I could just comment a few thoughts on each story as I read them. 

I think the class was fairly balanced. I think my only issues was that it felt sort of like a five hour class instead of three. I mean, since it's an online course I guess you could just do all the homework in one day and work ahead. But, I think it would've been easier if all our assignments were do on a single day at the end of the week like they usually would be in an in class course. 

For future students, definitely work ahead as much as possible. I learned this lesson the absolute hard way. Work. Ahead. Always. As much as possible. Trust me. 

Portfolio (index)

The Flower and The Statue

A story about a shy young woman and the magic of kindness. 

The Kindness of Christmas (or, sometimes lack thereof)

Silly sheep save the day. 

The Grumpy Boy and the Shy Girl

Sometimes we don't realize what we have until we see what others don't. 

Christmas Memories

People may age and presents may fade but Christmas and the love we share never goes away.

Essay: Short Tales in Verse

So, this week I sort of came full circle. I started this class with Aesop's tales and I've finished it with the same thing, just in a different format. Between the prose version and the verse one I prefer the latter. The flow and rhythm of the verse forms of the stories are just more enjoyable for me. They're also more memorable for me, too. I also really like how reading them gave me the inspiration to write poetry again.

Something I learned was that I have a lot to still learn about writing in verse. The different La Fontaine stories had several different rhyming schemes and structures. I tend to stick the more well known ones and I've rarely experimented going out of my comfort zone. I wish I had had the chance in class to work on writing in different forms of verse. Even so, I'm really glad for the opportunity to write the poem I did and I hope others like it. 

image credit and story link

Storytelling: Christmas Memories (Week 14)

Early in the morning, 
up to see the sun.
Down the stairs and through the den,
to see who may have come. 

photo credit (mom's christmas present!)

There stops the little girl, 
no older than three.
Her big brown eyes
gaze wondrously at the tree.

With sparkles and orbs,
of sweet memories of delight,
Little does she know
of the pre-Christmas night. 

With joy so sweet and innocent,
that only one so young could hold,
She runs to her new toys,
though, never forgetting the old. 

With a curious grin, 
she looks through her stocking. 
So many small fascinations,
oh, how Santa must be cunning.

How could he know?
That such little things
could be so much fun,
and the joy they could bring!

Wait, something is missing!
But, what could it be?
Toys, tree, stocking...
Mommy!

With no time to spare,
to her feet she goes.
Back up the stairs,
a room she very well knows.

Rushing down the hall,
slowing just before the door,
She nudges the door open,
giving her mother only a few moments poor.

Tired and weary
from playing Santa all night.
The Mother sleeps solidly,
until a giggling little girl gives her a fright.

With a sigh and a smile, 
and a loving hug and kiss, 
She is called to her duty,
no moments will she miss. 

Back in the den,
a sleepy mother by her side,
Good morning kisses to Grandma and Grandpa,
And new bike for her to learn to ride.

Oh, what great gifts,
what happiness and fun!
But what do they matter,
when it's all said and done?

When bows blow away,
wrapping paper is all torn.
Gifts gone in the past,
clothes no longer worn. 

What are we left with,
but sweet memories?
Big, happy smiles,
and fading Christmas trees. 

Never one Christmas, 
no, not one,
was boring or empty.
Oh, they were so much fun!

Though no longer that small little girl,
Christmas can still bring me joy.
But it isn't complete without mom,
no matter how many toys. 

So, to keep you protected,
and to know you're always loved, 
Carry with you an open heart, 
and sweet angel's wings from above. 

Long after things are all gone, 
memories are all we have. 
So think of GG, Grandma,
Grandpa my hero, your dad.

Most of all,
my amazing Mommy,
think of the sweet Christmas memories we've had,
and, of course, don't forget about me!

__________________________________

So this poem is exactly four hundred words. Lucky me! I was really running out of words towards the end and I like it just the way it is. Well, sort of. To be honest there are some parts that are pretty rough and I wish it this read a little more smoothly. Still, this one is pretty personal. It's for my mother. This will be my first Christmas without her and it's going to be really tough. 

I wrote a poem this week because I read the La Fontaine version of Aesop's tales. I really liked reading the stories is poetic verse and wanted to give writing a poem a try. I used to write poetry all the time but I never shared it with anyone. This is the only poem I've ever shared, first with my mom, and then with all of you. Hopefully, it's not too bad.

Fables in Rhyme for Little Folks by W. T. Larned and illustrated by John Rae (1918).

Reading Diary A: La Fontaine (Week 14)

This week I read the poetic fables of La Fontaine and I really enjoyed them. I forgot how much I love poetry and this reminded me that I actually used to write quite a bit of it 'back in the day'. I wanted to reread Dante's Inferno for this week but quickly realized I wasn't quite sure what to take from it to try for my story this week. Poetry though sounds like a fun challenge. Though I particularly liked the stories about foolish animals and foolish humans, I don't think I'm going to limit myself quite yet. I know I want to try out poetry this week and I think I'll leave what kind open for now. However, I did note that some of the rhyming patterns were just not pleasant for me to read and so I'll very likely be avoiding those. I think I'll study a bit and look back on my old poetry to help select a style. 

photo credit

Review: Week 13

blog post

I really loved this part of the blogpost. It made me actually laugh out loud. I've read Dante's Inferno before, and plan to read it again, and seeing it transformed in this way is priceless.