musings, life lessons & poetry from Theresa Jarosz Alberti

Poetry Writing Challenge – Day 3

 Welcome to Day 3 of my 30-Day Poetry Challenge!

  • I’m writing and posting a new poem every day through the month of April (yikes!), for better or worse.
  • AND, as a gift, I’m giving away a copy of my poetry book EVERY DAY this month. FREE!
  • Sign up to WIN a copy of (After) Confession by just leaving a comment beneath the poem of the day.
  • I will pick a winner every day in April! So comment every day for a new chance to win.

OR, you can purchase your own copy of (After) Confession for the new low price of $9.00 USD, shipping and handling included! Click here to read sample poems and purchase a copy.

Congratulations, Linds (Linda Em), for winning a free copy of my poetry book! (I do a raffle from those who commented on yesterday’s post.) Linda, please email me your address so I can send your prize: theresa.sapphire@gmail.com

Now onto today’s poem. Don’t forget to comment, and check back tomorrow to see if you’ve won!

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Cracked

 

As I peeled the eggs this morning,
shells speckled-bright from Easter,
I thought
How could you grow up,
my Darlings? I had you and
then you were gone, sweet
babies, kids, then teens.

Your father and I dyed these eggs,
only hiding them in the fridge now,
not bothering with baskets or chocolate
bunnies. Ghosts of Easters Past
line up in my mind and I can
see it all–  each phase of faces,
voices, bodies, your wiggly
joy cooling to tolerance, your
magical imagination aging
into puns and clever wit.

I knew this was the deal going in.
When we signed up, that fine print,
the phase-out seemed so
far away. Yes, we’ve won a
lottery in the exchange—
adults magnificent as
newly-grown swans. Still
I can’t help but miss
the babies, kids, teens I
knew, precious, fleeting,
once-in-a-lifetime,
once.

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April is National Poetry Month, which was inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996.

This month’s posts are part of the  NaPoWriMo challenge — that’s National Poetry Writing Month. At NaPoWriMo.net, you’ll find links to other participating writers and their poetry. AND daily writing prompts for inspiration to write your own poems. Check them out.

I’m so looking forward to your comments–  it doesn’t have to be about the poem. Write anything, share the name of your favorite poet or poem, write about the weather, whatever! And thanks for reading.

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Photo by Bob Alberti, and Victor Larracuente (<< courtesy of Unsplash, com)

18 Comments

  1. Terri

    This really resonates with me – I had a houseful of small children for Easter for the first time in a very long time. I hadn’t realized just how much I had missed all of that.

    • Theresa Alberti

      I’m jealous– how sweet that is! I miss it too. Thanks, Terri.

  2. Linda Mudry

    This poem resonates with me. My children all grown up. I used to hide little clues for them all over the house and they loved carrying their baskets and looking for the candies and little toys to put in them. I think I had more fun hiding all the things and making up little poems as clues. And yes, they do grow up way too soon…and that’s why there are grandchildren, but I don’t have any and it doesn’t seem likely. So I’m a little sad. Your poem expresses that.

    • Theresa Alberti

      It was such fun doing those special parenting things for our kids, wasn’t it? Sorry for the sadness– it’s all so uncertain. Perhaps there are some other little ones you can connect with and spoil?

  3. Kathleen Lamb

    Makes me look forward to future Easters when we have a child to share it with.

    • Theresa Alberti

      It is the best! I send my hope along to you that you will have that joy soon, Kathleen.

  4. Kristel Vukonich

    Very touching. You are very talented. I admire you for taking on this courageous journey, Theresa! Keep up the amazing work!

    • Theresa Alberti

      Thanks so much, Kristel! I appreciate your support, and I give it back to you too.

  5. Serena

    This one made me cry. Beautiful. (Sniff.)

    • Theresa Alberti

      Achievement unlocked! Just kidding… 🙂

  6. Jennifer D-K

    Ah, this clearly resonates with many of us! LOVE the analogy with the Easter eggs (and what a pretty photo! Did you take it?).

    • Theresa Alberti

      Parenting is forever, and yet fleeting too! Thanks, Jen… the egg-photo was by Bob. We tried coloring with crayons on warm eggs, and then some with dry rice and food coloring.

  7. Teja

    Love this! So true. <3

    • Theresa Alberti

      Thanks… time passes, and we parents know that most of all, sigh!

  8. Sharon

    I’m 25 and long for the days when I could participate in Easter egg hunts. Maybe your kids feel the same way; I don’t know.

    • Theresa Alberti

      What a great point! I should fact-check this with them, for the future… it could still be a fun thing to do. I got reminded in my Facebook Memories that one year, two of my kids hid the eggs for the rest of us to find, which was a fun turn-around. I’d forgotten! Thanks for reading and commenting.

  9. Ann Hobbs

    Beautiful! I am working out the grandparent stanza in my head now.

    • Theresa Alberti

      Thanks, Ann… I bet you are! It’s like “round two.”

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