Poet Laureate of Dogwood Lane

During my time in Amarillo, I wandered across some of my old high school folders that my mom has kept for me over the years. They are mostly folders containing my great literary works (hehe!), and it really amazes me at how good I used to be able to write. I guess it is true...you lose it if you don't use it! The last huge paper I had to write was a 20 page paper in pharmacy school reviewing a journal article. It definitely wasn't one of my finest literary masterpieces. I miss (kinda!) the days of Mr Biggers' English III-AP class where I really had to pour over every word that I chose to type on my paper. The portfolio that I was left with at the end of the year really made me proud of my writing ability! Todd was always the author of the family. If came naturally to him. I, on the other hand, had to work and work and then rework everything I ever wrote.

During my sophomore year in high school, we covered poetry for one six weeks period. I was forced to write a poem pretty much every night. The best poems that I composed during the poetry six weeks were classified as "sense" poems. Todd always made fun of me and said that I should get a beret and bongos and go read these poems down at the local coffee shop! I will share how pathetic sounding these poems seem to me now! Oh...and I had to add artwork ...if only you could see the great artwork too!!

"Worry is puke green.
It sounds like the chewing of fingernails.
It feels like an ulcer forming in the pit of your stomach.
It smells like a hospital room before going into surgery.
It tastes like Maalox."

"Contentment is peach.
It sounds like a supportive family.
It feels like accomplishing a goal.
It smells like the earth after it rains.
It tastes like chocolate cake after a hard day."