Thursday, July 23, 2015

I Remember...

I remember laughing so hard that I cried.

I remember the first time I told you I loved you.

I remember the first time you told me you loved me.

I remember the gentle breeze flowing through my hair on the first day of spring.

I remember the taste of lemonade that needed more sugar.

I remember the burn from the heat of a pepper that was just a little too hot for me.

I remember the fight we had, and how I thought it would all blow over.

I remember the way I felt when I realized we would never speak again.

I remember the heat of the vinyl seat in a car that had been parked in the direct sunlight at the height of summer.

I remember the joy I felt when waking up on Christmas day to more gifts that I could count.

I remember the confusion I felt after a receiving a diagnosis that was considered fatal in times past.

I remember the elation I felt when I found out that such a diagnosis was not considered terminal.

I remember the reading a story so good that it grabbed my emotions tight and made me cry.

I remember leaving a city I didn't like only to return to a city I called home.

I remember the apricot-softness of a newborn's skin.

I remember the school bell ringing, signalling that was time to go home.



From Government Creative writing group, July 17, 2014. Writing prompt: Wrtite a poem with every line beginning with the words "I remember..." (10 minutes)

That poem is from an exercise given in my government writing group, which has been meeting once a month for the past few months. I'm not naming my agency on purpose, but the group is based up in our DC headquarters. I participate on the phone. It's been good for me. There's a nice mix of  people.

I like this exercise because it forced me to relive a plethora of feelings, everything from joy to sorrow. There are even some sensory lines there (taste, touch, etc).  I may work on it a little more.

I'm wondering what would I write if the time limit for the exercise was a full hour?

And I'm wondering if I have some lemons in the fridge for lemonade?

2 comments:

  1. I need to try this exercise to see what I can come up with..makes me think of that song "I Remember" by Keisha Cole. It makes me sad and takes me back to a time of sadness myself.

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  2. I did this and I remember takes me back to jelly sandals and cornrows with beads.

    High School days posted up with my friends like we doing something.

    Days of going to the candy lady for an iceberg.

    Days before bills lol.

    Lemonade does sound good.

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Slap the *crickets* out the way, kindly step up to the mike, and SAY something!!