In 1958, the year I turned five, my family joined other relatives on a logging and homesteading adventure into the Pine River region of Northern British Columbia. I've been writing bits about that experience off and on for ages, but needed motivation to become truly focused. I committed to sharing a bit publicly every week so that I wouldn't give up. This is the last poem in these drafts for now. I have appreciated all the feedback, questions, and advice I have received from all of the Poetry Friday community.
Now it's time to make use your gifts and advice and start reworking it all.
When I started thinking about where I might send this off to in order to publish it, I discovered that many people don't want to look at work if any version of it has been published in any format, including on a blog. I wish I had known this before I started. Is there a way around this?
ENDING
Just like that,
it was over.
unlike that of
a perfectly hewn tree,
our family’s trajectory
had not fallen true
Daddy survived,
but had to use a wheelchair
for what remained of his life
never accepted it
just got better at coping
the future our family faced
would prove to be
more challenging than
those few months in the north
the horrors ahead
made those hardships
seem idyllic
shaped us all up
into different kinds of people
but we would survive
there really wasn’t any other option
Here are links to previous poems in this collection.
Leaving
Characters
Journey
Arrival
Preparedness
Ready and Willing
Larder
Laundry
Diaper Duty
Skunk Trouble
Working
Pawns
Crossing
Bath Time
invincible
Explorer
Time For Fun
First Snow
Miserable Physics
Difficult Decision
Return
Here's some info: https://writersrelief.com/2013/11/19/what-is-considered-previously-published-writing/ I think these would be considered "drafts" and will be quite different from your final manuscript. You might want to take down the drafts anyway, though.
ReplyDeleteI especially like "unlike that of/a perfectly hewn tree,/our family’s trajectory/had not fallen true."
Thank you Tabatha.
DeleteI love the grit that flows in this poem, Cheriee. The human experience is expressed in these lines:
ReplyDeletethe horrors ahead
made those hardships
seem idyllic
shaped us all up
into different kinds of people
It's true that life's enduring issues change the way we look at life.
Thank you so much for the shoutout at the beginning of your blog post, Cheriee. It is wonderful to have such supporters in our community of writers.
DeleteThanks Carol. I can't help but wonder who we might have become if not for my Dad's accident.
DeleteCheriee, I've been riveted by the journey your family took for months. I know others will be, too. There was a blog I followed for quite a while. This blogger shared humorous essay-type posts from her everyday life. She developed such a large following, a publisher actually got in touch with her about taking several of the essays and putting them into book form around one central theme. I don't know how this will all work out for you, but I hope that, even if you have to end up doing it on your own, you will get this published and get it out into the world.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kimberly. I'll just be working on my next draft and see what happens then.
DeleteLike Tabatha, I love your analogy, "unlike that of/a perfectly hewn tree", Cheriee, and am a little sad that your stories are over, but will root for you to have it published. I agree also about these being drafts, which, upon revision, will change the manuscript. Thanks for sharing so much with us.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a pleasure getting feedback and support from all of you!
DeleteWhat a wonderful ending poem. I don't know how you get around the posting part. I would also take down whatever you have posted...and certainly these ARE drafts if you are considering changing the pov or anything else. However, I have zero understanding or experience with publishing. So, I look forward to learning from you! I agree that the idea of a tree falling perfectly is a great comparison to family experience. Well done, you! There's no doubt you can write...there's no doubt you can craft. Now, lays the tough part...getting published. If you can, I rec a good workshop such as Highlights. Alma Fullerton is Canadian and has presented at Highlights when I went there. You might see if she's presenting at SCBWI-Canada any time soon and see what she has to offer.
ReplyDeleteAlong the lines of what Tabatha wrote, these posts are your first drafts, Cheriee. Presumably there will be more drafts in your future. :) I would encourage you not to post your revisions publicly and yes, remove these drafts once you're ready to start submitting. Then I think you should be okay.
ReplyDeleteYour ending poem is quite bleak, though I like that it expresses your family's resilience. It's hard to fathom the horrors that lay ahead, but I guess you're saving those for your sequel. ;)
You've shared a fascinating history with all of us through your poems. What an accomplishment! I agree with the many others who especially like these lines in today's poem:
ReplyDelete"unlike that of
a perfectly hewn tree,
our family’s trajectory
had not fallen true"
Good luck with your journey! You've already come so far!