Day 30 ~ “Free Verse Poems” about family history for “30 Poems in 30 Days” #NationalPoetryMonth

OK, so today is the LAST day of #NationalPoetryMonth ~ so, so sad, BUT – you shouldn’t stop writing poetry – I hope this little journey has shown you that you CAN write ALL KINDS of poetry.

I have one friend who wrote her journal entry each day last year as a little poem or one sort or
another. Very cute idea.

As I said – today I thought it would be fun to create a poem about something or someone that has to do with your family history – you choose. If that doesn’t resonate with you – just write about whatever comes to mind. AND, today, YOU CHOOSE the poetry form you wish to use – any we have tried out or just do one in free verse.

I thought I would address (in the simplest of terms) the difference between “blank verse” and “free verse” and you’ll see why I am suggesting you use “free verse” if you don’t want to use a previous poetry form.

Blank Verse is generally unrhymed verse BUT it has a rather detailed fixed metrical pattern. I don’t plan to go into that today. Whereas Free Verse is more random, with NO fixed metrical pattern of any kind and no need to rhyme although you are welcome to and it doesn’t need to be any systematic pattern of rhyming if you even choose to use rhyme – no need to count syllables or to worry about much of anything – just let it come. But free verse is actually tricky to make it flow, but once you get it just how you want it – you will be most happy with it.

A couple of other things: I’m currently writing a book, “Writing Poetry, Step by Step.” I hope to be able to have it published within the next 30-60 days – when it’s ready – I’ll post the links to it here on my blog and elsewhere on social media ~ please watch for it. This has been fun – be sure to check back next year. 

Since I’m mired in schoolwork of my own (taking a couple of college English classes this semester), I don’t have time to prepare my own free verse poem for today – when I finally get around to it – I’ll come back and add it in, but that could be weeks away. So, just go ahead and take the reins ~ YOUR poem, YOUR way on our very last day!! Cheers!! I’d love your feedback on what this month has meant to you – feel free to leave such comments here on the blog. Thanks!!!!

PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright for to them as soon as they post them. Thanks so much!

Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or you FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO THIS BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work. 

The Pioneer in You

Bet you can guess what my topic is today. Actually, there is something inherently wrong in my mind to write about anything else on Pioneer Day. I’m a life-long member of the church and come from what is fondly referred to as “pioneer stock.” All eight of my great-grandparents walked across the plains to get to the Salt Lake Valley. Most of them did so in their youth so my great-great grandparents also crossed the plains with them. Even my grandfather walked across as a child. (He was an older gentleman when he married my grandmother, both of them widowed and then they had 3 more children, including my mother, in case you were wondering how I could possibly have a grandfather that was a pioneer). In fact, I remember being told the story of when he was sick and his mother told him to get into the wagon and he refused. He said he wanted to be able to tell his children and grandchildren that he walked every step of the way. Three of my great-grandparents (and the grandfather mentioned above) were born in Europe so you can add that long sea-voyage into the mix as well. It is thrilling and amazing how the love of the gospel and a desire to conquer new territory can sustain someone through the most difficult of experiences.

I’m actually half Danish and half English. My maternal grandfather was English and my maternal grandmother was Danish, while my fraternal grandfather was Danish and my fraternal grandmother was English; making each of my parents “half and half” and when you add up all the fourths (one from each grandparent), my sister and I still come out “half and half.” Sounds kind of like cream. Well, that’s a good analogy because cream rises to the top!

The human spirit fascinates me and I marvel at what drives people to accomplish such remarkable tasks. Today marks the anniversary of the arrival of a weary group of Mormon pioneers led by Brigham Young into the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. President Young told the saints that it was enough, saying, “This is the place.” For 20 more years another 70,000 Mormons traveled by wagons and handcarts to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. After the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, overland wagon travel declined and emigrants began arriving by rail. In the end, it didn’t matter how they came, only that they arrived.

Thus it is with each of us. It doesn’t matter what struggles we have to face to get where we are going; it only matters that we get there. The obstacles along the way shape us; they reveal our true character and prepare us for eternal life with our Heavenly Father and our loved ones. By its very definition every one of us is a pioneer: to be the first to prepare the way, to take part in the beginning of something, to initiate, to lead the way… so, to this I say, “Go forth and be bold!” Happy Pioneer Day, all you wonderful pioneers!!

Being the research queen that I am, I’ll leave you a couple of great links to help you celebrate:

Special treat ~ Pioneer Coloring Book: The Prayer Quilt ~ here is a pdf file of a coloring book about the pioneers that you can download and print off for any little ones in your family:
http://lds.about.com/od/visualmusicalaids/a/pionneer_book.htm

Excellent site for tracing your Mormon Pioneer ancestry from Europe, Scandinavia, Australia, and South Africa to Salt Lake City, Utah: http://www.xmission.com/~nelsonb/pioneer.htm

Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing “Come, Come Ye Saints”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_9_uQiMmyQ