English 311
I am poems Fall 1999

I am a command center operative

directing the troops

correcting direction
refining goals
relaying strategy
reinforcing foot weary soldiers with food and encouragement and rest

a command center operative

managing battles

sending in supplies
receiving reconnaissance updates
giving direction
passing along needed information
rallying the troops to hold their position, to advance, and to make camp

command center operative

evaluating progress

reassessing the full battleground
evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the troops
reporting force status
sending in reinformcements
giving the word--battle well fought, it is time to come home. kc

I am a good book...

opening your imagination

reminding you of adventures past

keeping you company on a cold night

making you laugh

challenging your well-set thoughts

informing you of new discoveries

making you cry

making you pause long enought to enjoy the sunshine

correcting your faulty behavior

helping you plant a tree

encouraging you to try

tempting you to be naughty

teasing you to explore tomorrow. kc

I am woman reborn
(giving birth to herself)

I am the HMS captain

bearing the fierce cunning of nelson
urging the fleet of old england
delivering thunderous blows of shot and chain
taking first the san nicolas
overcoming then the san josef
enshrining a valentines day forever in naval lore. j.b

I am hurricane

spiraling out of control,
destroying obstacles in my path,
scooping up evidence of my achievement,
leaving ruins as a symbol of my presence,
reminding everyone and everything of my potential for greatness.

I am a hostage

refusing to become a casualty
demonstrating my courage
surviving each new day

I am queen,

controlling rather than
remaining a pawn in this game of life
taking possession of my own destiny. s.b

I am

staying on track
studying chemistry fruitlessly
trying to graduate
sleeping very little
singing, singing, singing in choir
living with three wonderful roommates
working with literature
going to write best selling books. j.m

I am a tiny first-fall snowflake

reveling in my "only like me" uniqueness
ushering in the winter of discount
slowing down the pace of the rushing, rampant cities
searching for snowmen to make whole
aching to complete a not-too-icy snowball for archenemies battling in the grass
hoping not to be nipped at by an all-too-gear puppy first realizing the wonder of winter
tumbling toward the molten, fiery earth
knowing and understanding that for one crucial moment i matter
taking solace in the fact that people might remember me
canceling a day of school
blocking an already congested highway
making a cup of cocoa taste just a little sweeter
breaking a tree branch
building an avalanche
settling on a fence post where a tiny bird might land
blending in too quickly
melting even faster
trying to stand out as one different among the many. j.v

I am a willow, strong and firm.

bending but not breaking,
swaying softly in the breeze.

I am a lullaby

soothing and calming,
whispering lightly,
chasing fears away.

I am candlelight.

burning softly,
bouncing shadows and silhouettes
outlining tender lovers.

I am a gypsy

traveling from here to there,
stopping, but never staying.
wandering still,
looking for home. t.o

---

I am a tattered toy

reminding of happy yesterdays
hinting of bright tomorrows
going on play-dates
comforting in pain
dismissing loneliness
giving smiles and giggles.

I am an old tattered toy

reminding of happy yesterdays
hinting of bright tomorrows
missing play-dates
comforting in pain, yet
losing favored place.

I am…

remembering happy yesterdays
seeing your bright tomorrows
watching time pass
"missing" play-dates
moving into an honored place.
i am your mother. l.c

I am a student

reading the masterpieces of all the great authors
writing papers on a variety of topics
running to class when i sleep in late
cramming the night before a test
guessing the answers to the questions i don’t know
hoping my grades will turn out all right
endeavoring to graduate a.y

I am tired

pouring the coffee
sighing deeply
blinking back sleep
staining to think
hating myself for waiting
writing a paper. k.m

I am what I am

pursuing my goals
procrastinating when i can
making it up as i go along
partying ‘till the cows com home
working hard on the things that count
hoping for the best. t.o.s

---

I am an airplane

holding in CIS
rolling up and down A/B
trying to earn a piece of paper

I am an airplane

dreaming of May an On
contemplating my choices for destination
trying to make the best choices

I am an airplane

flying towards my future
flying, hopefully, to a far away place
trying to make it there j.m.c

I am an untouched book

waiting for someone to turn my crisp pages
revealing the answers to cosmic questions
re-telling the life of Henry VIII or Kunta Kinte
espousing the rules for writers,
guiding hikes in colorado,
--taking you to a galaxy far, far away

I am a book
Telling you everything. m.m