Writer's Digest: Poem-A-Day Challenge for April

April is National Poetry Month and, to celebrate, Robert Lee Brewer (ringmaster of the Poetic Asides blog) challenged himself to write a poem each day--and he wants you to join him.The goal of the Poem-A-Day Challenge is to get poems on paper without worrying about quality as much as getting some first-draft material to work with. And, if you need a kickstart, he's offering a poetry prompt (which today is "firsts") for each day.

This sounds like fun! I can't remember the last time I wrote a poem. I'm looking forward to exploring a new mode of expression. And I'm looking forward to sharing the experience with my children, who are (almost) four and (almost) two.

I guess I'm going to start. I think I'll just call this one...

My First Poem for Lily

Wow.
So many firsts recently.
It's amazing how much you are expanding.
Artwork has blossomed into a more clear vision of the
World as you see it.
Beautiful colors. Recognizable images. Amazing perspective.
Finally (FINALLY!!!) pooping on the potty. I knew you'd do it eventually but,
Let me tell ya Lil, you sure did resist this one.
First week of playing.
Really playing, and laughing and enjoying your brother, Quinn.
I think you are really starting to like him and he just adores you.
First time I looked at you and saw a four-year-old and not a three-and-a-half year old.
First visits from the Full Moon Fairies.
First time we went to Chuck E. Cheese together. Just the two of us. On a date.

And today...
First April Fool's Day joke.
You were AMAZING when you "fooled" Nana on the phone today.
You totally got her.
And you nailed the punchline.
SO cool.

--------

Wow. That was interesting. Fun. Awkward. Vulnerable. Mostly really fun!

Part of me wonders if I "did it right". Did I get my punctuation and capitalization and general flow right? Did I do anything embarrassing that's going to make me look stupid?

The rest of me doesn't really care. This was really fun and it felt good to stretch a little.