Friday, July 20, 2018

Poetry Friday - Lake Poetry Swap


It’s Friday! And you know what that means: Poetry! Want to know more about Poetry Friday? Click this link right here. And be sure to check out Heidi Mordhorst's blog, My Juicy Little Universe, to see this week’s round up of wonderful poetry related posts, blogs and goodness. 
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Hello and Happy Poetry Friday! I'm so glad that you stopped by. Things have been hectic with both the kiddos and my husband home for the summer. I love them all to death, but it feels like I am getting nothing done! I am still trying to savor it because I know school will start back up here in about a month. 

With all the craziness of summer, it was so nice to receive a summer poetry swap package from Irene Latham. Not only did she send a wonderful poem, but she also sent me this adorable turtle. He has found a comfy home with my other slow-moving stuffed animals. 


Knowing that I enjoy horror, Irene sent me a spooky poem about swimming in a lake. Little did she know that lakes really do give me the heebie jeebies! I live close to the ocean and don't think twice about all the sharks, jelly fish and rays when I go for a swim. But there is just something creepy about lakes. I just know that a monster tentacle is going to curl around my ankle one day and drag me down! Thanks, Irene for the fantastic poem.

Swimming in the Lake
by Irene Latham

It starts with a whisper
on my ankle,
a tickle on my thigh --

I kick and shiver:
are there alligators nearby?

Something bubbles,
something pops.
I see a head --
           my heart squeezes!

-- and a pair of eyes.
           my body freezes!

Help!
Get me out of here, quick!

What? It's just a stick?
Not a snaketurtlepirhanasharkALLIGATOR
hunting me now
for a feast later?

I wish I knew what to believe...

It ends with me
climbing the ladder,
crying, No more!

I think I like the lake better
from the shore.

10 comments:

  1. Ha! Very funny. And how wonderful that Irene secretly guessed your fear of lakes.

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  2. "Lucky" Rebecca! That IS a creepy poem and I hope you were able to enjoy it. There are some things I can't even read about, they are so horrifying to me. I once narrowly avoided a panic attack reading to my son about an expedition through small underground passages...

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  3. Gives me the shivers!!

    (Heidi, I also am afraid of small underground passages! They are my least favorite thing.)

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  4. I swam a couple of open water swims back in the day, but I was so focused on swimswimswimswim that I didn't get creeped out. If I had slowed down or treaded water, I'm sure I would have gone there. (Maybe I would have swum faster if I had imagined all the creepiness in the water around me!!!)

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  5. What a great poem! I know that feeling, and Irene described it perfectly!

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  6. What a wonderful poem, with a fantastic and terrifying critter lurking there–better watch out… Thanks for sharing it with us Rebecca.

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  7. I love how this poem builds. It reminds me all to well of how I freak myself out in the ocean--what was that!?! This is brilliant: " snaketurtlepirhanasharkALLIGATOR"

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  8. Oh, that's fun! What is it about us humans that loves to be scared? When I swim in a pond or a lake I definitely have to overcome my fear of what "might" be touching me. Now, alligators are something I've never considered....until now? Yikes!

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  9. That is amazing that Irene guessed your fear of lakes. What a satisfyingly creepy poem. And adorable turtle.

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