A POEM BY LUDELPHIA

Ever written a poem in the voice of your main character?

I'm working on one, using the "I am from" exercise (which I adore and have used many times with students) set forth in ON WRITING ALONE AND WITH OTHERS by Pat Schneider.

For George Ella Lyon's "Where I'm From," click here. Everyone should give this kind of poem a shot -- there is absolutely no wrong way to do it!

So here's my off-the-top of my head start. It's just a list really. I'll set about organizing next.

I Am From

by Ludelphia Bennett

the triangle of denim over my right eye
scraps of cloth torn from Mama’s apron
a curve in the Alabama River
orange dirt that likes to settle right between your toes
every quilt tells a story
needle and thread in my pocket
Swing Low Sweet Chariot
Ruben’s fishing pole and Etta Mae’s yellow dress
a sliver of hickory that went flying form Daddy’s ax,
then had to go and land square in my eye
Mama always said
and Delilah braying like there’s no tomorrow
cornshuck mattress
newspaper plastered walls
Aunt Doshie and broken eggs
cotton fields


Roundup is at at Becky's Book Reviews . Check it out!