Grey Street in East Aurora, NY
February 4, 2016
Film by Amy LV
February 4, 2016
Film by Amy LV
Students - Last evening, as I drove my daughter to a friend's house, we hit several traffic lights. At one of them, this line flashed through my mind -
Someone is coming.
The streetlights
they whisper....
I liked the rhythm of this, and so I set to work, actually writing the draft of today's poem right in my van, sitting underneath a streetlight in a grocery store parking lot.
Draft
Photo by Amy LV
The original draft, as you can see, continues describing the "streetlights," and I was happy with it. Until.
Until I looked up "streetlights" to see if it is one word or two. This is when I realized something that I already knew but somehow overlooked as I wrote. This poem is not about streetlights at all. This poem is about traffic lights! Streetlights are the lights on the side of the road, the ones that hang a bit over the road, giving white light to pedestrians and drivers. Traffic lights are the ones that change colors, telling drivers when to go, be careful, and stop.
Several weeks ago, I wrote about how reading and learning new things can make a writer realize that she or he needs to abandon an idea. Well, today, I must share that sometimes a writer makes a silly mistake and needs to go back and fix it! This is just what I did last night. See the cross outs? Please, never be afraid to look at something that does not work and change it; that's what we writers do.
Did you notice how the line breaks in today's poem move across the page? I did that because I wanted the reader to feel, just a wee bit, like a rider in a bus or car.
And do traffic lights really whisper? No. That's just a bit of personification. I do like to pretend that the lights whisper to each other,though, telling secrets about us humans coming by in our buses and cars.
So, remember! Make changes when you need to . And listen. Sometimes a line of poetry will just sneak up and tap you on the shoulder, maybe even at a strange time such as when you are sitting in traffic.
And do traffic lights really whisper? No. That's just a bit of personification. I do like to pretend that the lights whisper to each other,though, telling secrets about us humans coming by in our buses and cars.
So, remember! Make changes when you need to . And listen. Sometimes a line of poetry will just sneak up and tap you on the shoulder, maybe even at a strange time such as when you are sitting in traffic.
Tricia is hosting this week's poetry party with Pablo Picasso's cat over at The Miss Rumphius Effect. Visit her wise blog to find out who is sharing which poetry gifts and links, all around the Kidlitosphere, all week long.
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