Writing Class Revisited

Tonight I completed my sixth week in my creative writing class. I am really happy I decided to start writing again. I really like the teacher. She is a published writer and an artist who has done illustrating for children's books. Her name is Laura White Schuett. She won an award at the Arizona Watercolor Association (I found this by googling her). I really appreciate the unique spirit she brings to the class.

She challenged me to write a sestina this past week. I finally spit it out this afternoon right before class. I think I had been over-thinking it. A sestina is a six stanza poem. The final word of each line in the first stanza are then rearranged and used as the last words of each line in the following stanzas. I am going to put my attempt at the end of this post so you will what I mean in this explanation. It was a challenge to write. I feel very proud of myself for having stretched myself during the class. I have taken most every opportunity provided so far to see what I can do with words. Thank you to everyone who has shared comments on my work. Oh, and what happens in the poem is based on an actual event, but then I take it further play with what 'could' have happened, not with what did happen. (I include this for the other family members at the lake that day...I know I am taking tons of poetic license. )



We trudged after the children.
They sprinted ahead to the water.
Calling for us to follow
Poles in hand.
They were already casting out
By the time we caught up.

I sat in the grass and leaned up
Against a tree. While the children
Listened to Uncle Paul. They peered out
And looked at the water.
He pointed where the fish waited for hand-
Outs. He showed two examples to follow.

First, he cast with perfect follow-
Through. Then he reeled it back up.
Second, he flipped the pole with his hand
The lizard lure flew over the children's
Heads and landed precisely in the water.
How to copy that, the kids had to find out.

Now the kids' turn to cast out .
My son was determined not to follow
His uncle's advice and fell into the water.
We all laughed as he sat up
Drenched from ear to foot. The children
Offered help and reached out their hands.

My angry son wanted only his uncle's hand.
Hiding a smile Paul lifted the boy out,
Dripping and embarrassed. The children
Fished again. My son, now, followed
Directions. He carefully cast high up
And out. His lure did not reach the water.

His lizard caught in a tree over the water.
Uncle Paul was again there to lend a hand.
Holding onto a branch he reached up
And fell down into the water. "Help me out!"
He shouted. But we were unwilling to follow.
We sat and laughed like children.