All the ideas are taken
and I don’t know what I should write.
Being one inch tall and a giant awakens?
Or maybe the power of flight?

No, it’s been done; I’ve seen it before!
To steal their ideas would be theft.
I’m sitting here with an empty page,
but there are simply no ideas left!

You see, Hollywood knows what it’s doing –
rebooting an old film or just making a sequel.
And if that doesn’t work
‘cause they need some green,
who’s to stop them from making a prequel?

But I don’t want to do that.
I want to be new! To make something fresh and exciting.
If I had been born
a hundred years in the past,
I’d have so many ideas for my writing!

Then my 6-year-old bro says,
“Wouldn’t it be cool – the story of an outer space hen?”
And I look at my page, start writing things down,
realizing what a big fool I have been.
 

There were thorns involved
and so with careful fingers 
the firm, deep purple berries
were pulled off stalks,
held in palms,
and eaten.

It reminded her of birds 
when they delicately land
on thorn bushes.
Tiny toes splayed,
balancing the sharp mountains
in between skin.

Blackberry picking was a slow, methodical process, one that could last hours
if let alone.  

And she was alone;
reaching with night-stained fingers, 
for another jewel 
draping towards the ground,
adding it to the collection of savored
things from summer afternoons.

Cool ponds,
tiny caterpillars,
dirty calloused feet. 

They were simple and achievable 
and are the things she remembers 
20 years from now. 

Blackberry picking 
in early August. 



 

(Response to the challenge Titles: Create a poem using only the titles of books near you. Write it in seven minutes.)

I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN,
THE THRONE OF FIRE,
20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA.

NAVIGATING EARLY
THE BURNING MAZE,
VISITORS
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH.

PATHFINDER:
The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail
The Cucumber King
The Lost Track of Time
The Running Dream.

Under the Egg,
THE SERPENT’S SHADOW,
A PART OF THE SKY,
THE BOOK OF DUST:

The MYSTIC TRAVELOGUES.

counting by 7s,
Mary Oliver’s Devotions
ECHO
THE HIDDEN ORACLE.

#sos18

Regenerative Design for Change Makers (RDCM) is coming to Burlington! Learn all about social permaculture and mindfulness with Abrah Dresdale and Jasmine Fuego on Aug. 22 at ArtsRiot, 400 Pine Street, and at a RDCM training at the Center for Whole Communities, 209 Battery St.,  Aug. 25 and 26. More info and to register: www.regeneratechange.com


 

Check out this week's YWP NEWSLETTER, edited by several amazing (anonymous) Community Leaders. Exceptional writing, photos and YWP news designed to celebrate your work.
Featured photo (mythicalquill)

Enjoy all the newsletters here!
 

Our partner, RETN (Regional Educational Television Network), filmed the first two events in the series featuring Muslim Girls Making Change. See them here: Hawa Adam & Balkisa Abdikadir; and Lena Ginawi & Kiran Waqar.