Hi fans,
Right now, every Wednesday after school, I’m taking a writing class for teens on Zoom. It’s called Write Time and each week, we read a poem (or sometimes watch a video), and then write a poem based on the style or concept of the poem or poet. One of the classes, we talked and wrote about things we love that we’ve lost. I wrote about a yellow rag that’s like my stuffed animal. i sleep with it every night, but I’ve lost it a lot. Here’s the poem i wrote.
Ragi,
Thank you for all you have given me day and night. I hold you every night, your warmth and softness putting me to sleep. I have lost you many times since our wedding on Whidbey Island. But when I lost you forever, I was desperate. I searched up and down unsuccessfully. Your escape was a black blob in the middle of life. I couldn’t think of anything else. But then, my sister gave me eleven new rags for my birthday. I couldn’t have felt happier. I slept with these rags for a long time.
But then, sometime later, my mom found you in a box of my sister’s toys. Was that really you? Or was it one of the eleven yellow rags that all look identical to you? I will never know.
Good story, Handsome Man,
I was at your wedding with Ragi’s and understand the sadness you felt when Ragi disappeared. It doesn’t really matter if Ragi is mixed up with the Rags Ida gave you. Just love them all and continue nestle with them at night.
Your Aunt Ashley had her Lambie into college and your father had BowWow for a long time too. I found my dear Moe in a box of my college treasures with no fur and cotton stuffing coming out all over his body. I kept him. Love for the soft one that comforts us reminds me of the story of the Velveteen Rabbit. I’m sure you know it.
Thank you for telling this story. I think that others will recall their Velveteen rabbits when they read it. What you have done is part of what a good writer does. You pull in the reader, he identifies with what you are saying, a memory surfaces and then feelings.
Dear Lucas,
I am an friend of your Mom’s from yoga. When I was a kid, I had a hat named Furry which was the softest hat, and I took it everywhere. One day it disappeared, and we never saw Furry again. I got a second Furry which was really similar, but I still wonder about my original. If you find it, let me know. Haha!
Thanks for sharing your writing. I write poetry, too. I am really enjoying your blog and loved your Ragi poem. You are so creative:)