24 Poems ~ 24 Hours
I live near Philadelphia, PA, and work two part-time jobs: one as a group supervisor in a YMCA school-aged childcare program and the second as a direct support professional helping adults with intellectual and developmental differences. A former newspaper sportswriter, I write some freelance magazine articles, and also for my own enjoyment.
My name is Angie, and I am absolutely ready to write! I am camping, however, so my internet connection is very weak and unreliable. My poems will be written each hour, but they may get posted in bunches as I drive somewhere for better online access.
I can’t wait to see what you all write!!! (And, go Tessa!)
one species, classified
homo sapiens for centuries,
longer.
no longer.
species broken, fractured.
irreversibly, irreparably split.
the only reasonable explanation.
how else to understand
the great divide
among the peoples of the earth?
the crack’s jagged edge
cuts not along color or race,
language or nations.
this division runs deeper.
deep through the hearts, the very souls
of humankind.
compassion versus criticism,
empathy against blame,
respect for knowledge wars with willful ignorance.
collective responsibility
personal responsibility
culpability?
love for others, love for earth, love of self, love of the almighty dollar.
greed and selfishness take on generosity.
altruism. narcissism. oblivion.
love. hate.
me. you.
no longer one.
no longer us.
the one becomes two.
(Hour 7, Poetry Marathon 2020. Prompt: Title a poem “Season of the ____________.”)
I am taking on the challenge of the full marathon for the first time this year. As I get older, sleep becomes a more precious commodity, so I’m a bit nervous … not about making it through the marathon, but about making it through YMCA camp with 25 kids the following week after the sleep disruption! Writing is important to me, though, and the last time I participated in the half-marathon, it launched me into a more disciplined routine for writing for the following few months. Here’s hoping I can keep it going longer this time!
Although I have earned a living through writing for more than 20 years, this is the first time I have participated in a group writing venture like this one. The prospect excites me!
Most of my written work has been for newspapers, magazines and curriculum; I haven’t written poetry consistently since my college years. I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of creative energy I have now, and to improving my creative writing skills for the future.
My 16-year-old daughter plans to join me in the half-marathon, too. I encouraged my older daughter, a creative writing major entering her sophomore year in college, to sign up, but she is particularly stubborn about not doing anything that comes with a recommendation from her mother. (Sigh.) Maybe next year!
As soon as I finish writing a Little League baseball story for the newspaper and editing the August newsletter for my church tomorrow, I plan to devote myself to exercising my poetry muscles and preparing for the half-marathon.
The newspaper I work for has recently been bought by a large media company, and the stress levels have been high as everyone waits to see who will keep their jobs and what our new working conditions will look like. This half-marathon represents a welcome respite from those concerns and an opportunity to just “put pen to paper,” or fingers to keys, more likely.
Happy writing, everyone!