Monday, February 28, 2011

Poetry? Yes. Poetic? Not so much.

I was an English major in college. Did you know that? Probably. I don't hide the fact that I am a grammar freak and that misspelled words and absurdly placed apostrophes raise my blood pressure. I refuse to use shorthand while texting (I mean really, is it SO much quicker to type u than it is to type you?) and I use capitalization and punctuation at ALL times--Facebook, a scribbled note to Matt, whatever. It's a standard I have.

As much as I was born to be an English major, there were some classes I didn't like. At all. Like poetry classes. I had a very good reason not to like poetry classes--I don't much care for poetry. There's some stuff out there I don't mind, of course. We had to memorize Rudyard Kipling's "If" in high school, and I believe it to be the sagest bit of rhyming advice I have ever heard. But most poetry, to me, is just silly and over-dramatic. (I'm sure someone out there is reacting to this statement the way I react when I see someone write there when they clearly mean their.)

However! As I thought about what kind of blog post I needed to write today, I realized that poetry is the perfect mechanism for getting everyone up to date on life for AAMEN. I speak specifically of that strange, random, efficient form of poetry, the haiku. A few haikus are all I need to get everyone in the loop!

Also, I still feel the need to make up for my slacker pace of blogging lately. So this post will have my FIRST EVER BLOG GIVEAWAY! Yahoo!!! Here's the plan. Comment on this blog and tell me which haiku you like the best. All comments posted by this coming Friday, March 4, at noon CST will be entered in a random drawing to win A FIVE DOLLAR SONIC GIFT CARD! Okay, so it's not a new car or a KitchenAid stand mixer, but give me a break. We're raising three kids here. Play your cards right, though, and that's an entire work week's worth of Happy Hour Route 44s!!

The nominees:

1. Aaron's cast is off!
It was earlier than planned.
So thrilled to be done.

2. Our church just turned one.
We had a celebration.
I love The Harbor!

3. Love Steven Tyler.
He and JLo saved Idol.
Still glad Paula's gone.

4. Abby's birthday looms.
Eight years old just can't be right.
What is she thinking?!

5. Matt loves his iPad.
Abby and I love it too.
We steal it. A lot.

6. Thin Mints are my joy.
Girl Scouts, why not sell year round?
Life would be perfect.

7. Facebook sucks my time.
I need status updates though!
Because I...um...well.

8. Annie is our dog.
Aaron thinks she is his toy.
Annie disagrees.

9. Toys blanket the floor.
Carpet's somewhere under there.
At least I think so.

10. It's March already!
March of Twenty-Eleven!
Wow, I feel so old.

23 comments:

Cori said...

Though I'm still cheering about #1, #3 is definitely my favorite!

--Matt Fryar

Katrenia said...

I'm going to have to go with number 10 (and you'll be glad to know that I know when you should spell out numbers versus use the actual numbers). I pick number 10 because that is exactly the way I feel too!

Kawa Medu said...

I loved the confession found within #5-- I had a sneaky feeling that you and Abby were partners in crime. (This is Shara, by the way. Kawa Medu is my Tibetan name which means "She who loves Sonic")

Aidan and Zachary said...

#8 is my favorite. I love Sonic!

Craig Bova said...

I like the last one.
I can relate to the age.
Another year. Ugh!

(Is the haiku answer worth any extra points?)

-Craig Bova

LoriB said...

#6 wins for me. However, I was thinking there should've been a Sonic haiku.

Melanie said...

Three things:
1. My vote is for #9 because i can totally relate

2. I always disliked studying poetry because it can mean so many things to different people, and the ph.d behind your name doesn't mean diddly to me when it comes to what i think a poem means or how it makes me feel.

3. Whan that aprill with his shoures soote
The droghte of march hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour
Of which vertu engendred is the flour (go ahead and do the random drawing, but i know i earned the card with that!) :)

Unknown said...

I vote #10 because I am right there with ya about feeling old. (Yeah, I threw in "ya" instead of "you.")

Marian Riner said...

cRaIg ToTTaly ...sTole My Idea.., i rEall'y Hate thaT...BuT I rEAlly LoVe SoNic GifT CaRd's.. :)

Anonymous said...

#8 is my favorite! I just love that kid and I can see him terrifying Annie! :) ~ Renee'

Jendocino said...

Number eight. Hands down. "Annie disagrees" might just be the most hilarious five syllables in all of poetry.

Sarah said...

#1! And Craig should totally win.

Kristen T said...

My vote is for #9. And don't underestimate the value of your prize...a route 44 sonic tea is like crack to some of us.

Patty said...

#1 is my favorite, because it is the most exciting, although #3 is a close second. I think that #1 is the main cause of #9 which makes #1 even more exciting!

AubreyLaine said...

#6!
I love Sonic :)
aubreyfick@yahoo.com

Cori said...

#3 is my favorite!!

... said...

#3!!!! LOL

Laura Beth said...

Willing to mail that lovely gift card all the way to Alabama? :D #7!!!!! FACEBOOKKKKKKK <3

Siobhan said...

#7 and #9..... Those describe my life in great detail! :)

Cathy H. said...

#9 is my favorite! It reminds me of when my grandsons come to my house to play!!
But, #1, it's a really good one!!

FryGirl said...

#3 all the way! Paula who???
~Jenni

Anonymous said...

Does it have to be JUST one??? #1, an answered prayer!! LOVE #3... wait till she is in "double digits" and thinks it's so awesome!!! Be sure to wish Ab's Happy Birthday from us!!!

Anonymous said...

ps... that was from The Moore Family... I forget we don't have screen name here!!!