Writing a Fourth of July Poem
Istiqlál (Independence), 11 Rahmat (Mercy), 165 BE – Friday, July 4, 2008 about 10:22 AM PDT
How do I write a Fourth of July poem with out sounding trite? I have written several Independence Day poems over the years, but none of them every satisfy me. Some of them sound trite, while others do not capture the spirit of the day. I am not going to stop writing poems on the Fourth of July, but I am going attempt to plan them more, which is the theme of this entry.
There are several events in my family background and my personal history, I could use. However, I am not sure how to incorporate them in the spirit of the day. The Fourth of July is more then just an individual or family celebration. The Fourth of July is the birthday of the country in which I was born and live.
Some family history from my childhood in Blackwell, Oklahoma, I could incorporate in the poem. The three years in a row we went to Lake Carl (I think that is how you spell the name) Blackwell. The events that stand out in my mind are near fatal events that occurred to members of my family. One of my cousins pulled a skillet of hot grease off on her, when breakfast was being prepared. One of my cousins set off a Cherry Bomb and the explosion threw pebbles and sand in his eye. My brother nearly drowned because the life jacket he wore in the water failed.
Other events that standout in my mind occurred at Lake Blackwell, just outside of Blackwell, Oklahoma. Most of those memories concern possible injury causing events as well. I realize that most of my childhood memories of the Fourth of July concern events that injured or had the potential of being fatal. I do have pleasant memories of the Fourth of July, of course. Eating ice-cold watermelon from my grandparents' garden and watching fireworks displays at night.
How do I write a Fourth of July poem with out sounding trite? I have written several Independence Day poems over the years, but none of them every satisfy me. Some of them sound trite, while others do not capture the spirit of the day. I am not going to stop writing poems on the Fourth of July, but I am going attempt to plan them more, which is the theme of this entry.
There are several events in my family background and my personal history, I could use. However, I am not sure how to incorporate them in the spirit of the day. The Fourth of July is more then just an individual or family celebration. The Fourth of July is the birthday of the country in which I was born and live.
Some family history from my childhood in Blackwell, Oklahoma, I could incorporate in the poem. The three years in a row we went to Lake Carl (I think that is how you spell the name) Blackwell. The events that stand out in my mind are near fatal events that occurred to members of my family. One of my cousins pulled a skillet of hot grease off on her, when breakfast was being prepared. One of my cousins set off a Cherry Bomb and the explosion threw pebbles and sand in his eye. My brother nearly drowned because the life jacket he wore in the water failed.
Other events that standout in my mind occurred at Lake Blackwell, just outside of Blackwell, Oklahoma. Most of those memories concern possible injury causing events as well. I realize that most of my childhood memories of the Fourth of July concern events that injured or had the potential of being fatal. I do have pleasant memories of the Fourth of July, of course. Eating ice-cold watermelon from my grandparents' garden and watching fireworks displays at night.
Labels: Blackwell, family, Fourth of July, Independence Day, Oklahoma, poem, Writing
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