this is simply beautiful. I love this poem RuesselA. your way with describings these feelings we have throughout the year is amazing. "Opportunity is but a moment in our lives / tht leads to both good and evil." "the summer just continues to float like a zephyr of opportunities" "it dulls the mood to the point where we have to find a celebration to survive" Keep writing!
I think you're on to something... this blinding by the sun that temporarily prevents us from seeing someone's color, their outward appearance at all. I sometimes wonder whether I would treat people differently if I were blind, if I would be kinder, with all visual-based internal biases removed -- the ones I can't see in myself, but that are no doubt there nonetheless. I like to think I would be just the same, but I'm sure there is much I would learn about compassion in a day without vision.
This is the perfect set-up for a story! Or I'd love to know his story anyway -- but I guess that's the whole point, you've wanted to create an air of pure mystery. And what a character you've created. The bit about the sadness behind the eyes... haunting, even if he is human indeed. I can't help but wonder if a little more physical description about his features might add to this piece, as well?
Woah, what an incredibly seamless way to weave a fairytale into a social justice issue that needs to be brought to light -- one I fear I'm not well-informed on. I assume you're speaking about dangerous sweatshops in the garment industry, right? I didn't know that was still a modern problem in America (overseas, yes, but not in L.A.). This has piqued my interest so wildly that I'm going to pause what I'm doing in a few minutes to do some research into this!
I love the juxtaposition of life and infection! It makes you think hard about whether it is good or bad. The vines are almost taking over the veins, but it looks meant to be! ❤️
Keeper of the Lost Cities is amazing! Shannon Messenger also has a series called the Sky Fall series. I haven't read it (yet), but I want to. It's supposed to be a little more YA than the Keeper series, but if Shannon Messenger wrote it, it's gotta be good.
LA fashion industries that make popular clothes treat workers badly. My class the article LAist by Julia Wick about the LA fashion industry. We learned that sweatshops aren’t just a thing of the past. “According to the Garment Worker's Center, garment workers earn an average of $5.15 per hour” (Wick) That is way below the law’s required pay. It’s below the lowest pay requirement in the US. The managers of the buildings in which the people work in sell the clothes they make for waaay more than the workers make. In the article Made in America, Santa Puac told them that, “‘It’s not enough to take care of our families.’” (Guy) One person who works in the industry gets a mere 15c per dress! That means that the people want to work really fast so they can get more money. Unfortunately, that caused worker Bilma to have chronic pain in her hands and knees. The fashion industry in LA produces a lot of the latest fashion clothing, selling clothes to TJ Maxx and more popular clothes stores. The work isn’t the only thing that makes the industry terrible. Someone who works there said the bathrooms are “soiled and unmaintained” (Wick, LAist: Garment Workers Face Horrific Workplace Conditions.) We need to do something about this! Share this info with the people you know. Spread the word that things still aren't right! I could go on and on why this fashion industry is wrong, but I’ll stop here. Research which brands buy from LA and stop buying them!
this is simply beautiful. I love this poem RuesselA. your way with describings these feelings we have throughout the year is amazing. "Opportunity is but a moment in our lives / tht leads to both good and evil." "the summer just continues to float like a zephyr of opportunities" "it dulls the mood to the point where we have to find a celebration to survive" Keep writing!
I think you're on to something... this blinding by the sun that temporarily prevents us from seeing someone's color, their outward appearance at all. I sometimes wonder whether I would treat people differently if I were blind, if I would be kinder, with all visual-based internal biases removed -- the ones I can't see in myself, but that are no doubt there nonetheless. I like to think I would be just the same, but I'm sure there is much I would learn about compassion in a day without vision.
This is the perfect set-up for a story! Or I'd love to know his story anyway -- but I guess that's the whole point, you've wanted to create an air of pure mystery. And what a character you've created. The bit about the sadness behind the eyes... haunting, even if he is human indeed. I can't help but wonder if a little more physical description about his features might add to this piece, as well?
Woah, what an incredibly seamless way to weave a fairytale into a social justice issue that needs to be brought to light -- one I fear I'm not well-informed on. I assume you're speaking about dangerous sweatshops in the garment industry, right? I didn't know that was still a modern problem in America (overseas, yes, but not in L.A.). This has piqued my interest so wildly that I'm going to pause what I'm doing in a few minutes to do some research into this!
I love the juxtaposition of life and infection! It makes you think hard about whether it is good or bad. The vines are almost taking over the veins, but it looks meant to be! ❤️
Keeper of the Lost Cities is amazing! Shannon Messenger also has a series called the Sky Fall series. I haven't read it (yet), but I want to. It's supposed to be a little more YA than the Keeper series, but if Shannon Messenger wrote it, it's gotta be good.
Amazing!
I love the descriptive metaphors, like Cotten candy sky. It give the poem a lot of depth and imagery.
LA fashion industries that make popular clothes treat workers badly. My class the article LAist by Julia Wick about the LA fashion industry. We learned that sweatshops aren’t just a thing of the past. “According to the Garment Worker's Center, garment workers earn an average of $5.15 per hour” (Wick) That is way below the law’s required pay. It’s below the lowest pay requirement in the US. The managers of the buildings in which the people work in sell the clothes they make for waaay more than the workers make. In the article Made in America, Santa Puac told them that, “‘It’s not enough to take care of our families.’” (Guy) One person who works in the industry gets a mere 15c per dress! That means that the people want to work really fast so they can get more money. Unfortunately, that caused worker Bilma to have chronic pain in her hands and knees. The fashion industry in LA produces a lot of the latest fashion clothing, selling clothes to TJ Maxx and more popular clothes stores. The work isn’t the only thing that makes the industry terrible. Someone who works there said the bathrooms are “soiled and unmaintained” (Wick, LAist: Garment Workers Face Horrific Workplace Conditions.) We need to do something about this! Share this info with the people you know. Spread the word that things still aren't right! I could go on and on why this fashion industry is wrong, but I’ll stop here. Research which brands buy from LA and stop buying them!
Keeper of the Lost Cities is the absolute best! It's my favorite book series. And, as you said, Harry Potter of course.