Tell me, tell me, smiling child,
What the past is like to thee ?
'An Autumn evening soft and mild
With a wind that sighs mournfully.’

Tell me, what is the present hour ?
'A green and flowery spray
Where a young bird sits gathering its power
To mount and fly
away.’

And what is the future, happy one ?
'A sea beneath a cloudless sun ;
A mighty, glorious, dazzling sea
Stretching into infinity.’


-Emily Brontë-


poetry friday roundup at jama rattigan's alphabet soup

Readergirlz present: Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg!

This month, readergirlz are discussing The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci, art by Jim Rugg.

Read the July issue of readergirlz. There's a playlist for the book, plus book guide questions and party ideas.

Drop by the readergirlz blog to discuss the book with other readers, ALL MONTH LONG!

LIVE CHAT:
Join our hour-long chat with both Cecil and Jim at the readergirlz blog on Wednesday, July 22nd at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST.

today, happiness is

a walk/run in the almost-rain-and-thunder-storm
a hawk floating suspended in the gray sky above my head
group IM chatting with some pretty amazing friends
doing the dishes
eating BLTs
making a ton of progress on script-work prep for filming
sitting in the grass outside in the heat talking on the phone
this town's July
watching a marathon and then a new episode of a TV show
listening to perfect music, both familiar and new
a really, really, really good book
the feelings of not knowing, of knowing, of accepting, of peace, of trust
Meg Cabot following me on twitter!

The Truth About Forever

by Sarah Dessen

A year has passed since Macy's father died, but she's hurting just as much as if it were yesterday. On the outside, she makes her life as perfect and organized as possible, the better to hide her inward pain and fear. She has a perfect boyfriend, perfect school life, and a perfect summer job lined up. She tells everyone she's fine, just fine. But the truth is, she's not, and she doesn't feel as if she ever will be.

This was my fourth Sarah Dessen book, and while it certainly wasn't my favorite of hers, I did like it. Dessen has a definite knack for writing very real people and situations that are easy to connect with. I like her use of themes as well as the questions she poses at the beginning of her books and explores throughout. My favorite part of The Truth About Forever was the changes Macy underwent, from being closed-in and afraid to alive and free. I liked the relationships she had with the other characters, too. The book was likable, an quick read, and exactly the type of story I was in the mood for.

the type who sees miracles

sometimes my head is too full of thoughts to even write. this is unusual. usually I can at least write. but lately I cannot post, or email, or journal. no poems or fiction from me. I can read someone else's words, at least. I read these words, and I liked some of them, like

I walked home, still in shock, and went up to my room. As I passed my mirror I stopped, seeing my shirt was untucked, my jeans had a barbeque sauce stain on them, my hair and face were all mussed and wild from crying. I looked different, absolutely: even if I hadn't been able to explain it. [...] Get changed, she said, which was ironic, because all I'd wanted to tell her was that I already had.

I can listen to someone else's words, too. someone else can explain what I want to say, better than I can.


I want you to know that I am happy and that I already let go a long time ago, before you even started to glimpse it.
that is my message-in-a-bottle.
no, I can't tell you who it's for. but messages-in-bottles rarely reach the person they're meant for, do they.

when you find someone who truly "gets" you in a trillion indescribable ways, you should never take that for granted, because most people never find that person at all. so this is me, being grateful. {i miss you. you know who you are}

places. settings. so important, but so not, I found out. music; that's important. and people. and what's in your soul. people always told me, "location location location." to them, now, I would like to say, "worldview worldview worldview."

would you look at that! I wrote! words! thoughts! it's a little miracle, right now, on my laptop screen.

happy father's day!!!

dear daddy,

i love you muchly, and i think you rock!

this is for you:


xo, erin

chasing a white rabbit

I was the modern-day Alice in Wonderland.
Not the 21st century Cinderella, like my mother
wanted me to be.
I drank what wasn't mine until I grew
into a big girl, who had instead of independence
a hole
that she fell into
and got stuck in large places
talking to all the mythical, glamorous creatures
that wander about in dark corners.
The only place of solace was the garden,
with its tall walls and its roses of
blood red and cotton white
Until the woman came and took me to court
and off with my head was all that was left to be heard.


_____
copyright Miss Erin McIntosh, 2009
please do not reprint without permission
Poetry Friday roundup at Carol's Corner

the music and the misery

I have had this song lyric stuck in my head the last couple of days, a question on repeat: "which came first, the music or the misery?"*

I wonder about the first song ever written by a human being.

When did music and song-writing begin? When were notes, tempos, pitches discovered?

What was the first song written about? What prompted it? Was it low and mournful? Was it joyous and wild?


______
*actually, all of the lyrics to this song are brilliant