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Marchmadness
Member Rara Avis

since 2007-09-16

Posts 9271
So. El Monte, California

0 posted 2011-01-15 07:21 AM

Brown and gold leaves
falling from the trees
onto the sidewalk,
crunching beneath our feet.
Step on a crack,
break yor mother's back.
Penny candy
from the neighborhood store.
My best friend Tanny and I
walking through a memory
on our way home from school.
Past the party house
where the most popular girl in class
is having a birthday party
that we were not invited to.
We said we didn't care...
but we did.
Just as well,
we couldn't afford a present anyway.

Ida Werrett

mikeandrew
Member

since 2010-11-18

Posts 198

1 posted 2011-01-15 08:02 AM

Nice poem i enjoyed it very much.

2islander2
Member Ascendant

since 2008-03-12

Posts 6825
by the sea

2 posted 2011-01-15 09:05 AM

very nice Ida, a hurted heart can take years to repair, this is beautifully expressed.

yann

BluesSerenade
Member Patricius

since 2001-10-23

Posts 10549
By the Seaside

3 posted 2011-01-15 11:18 AM

One of the most difficult growing pains there is.

Learned that one the hard way too.

You stir some unexpected emotions with great care.

faithmairee
Senior Member

since 2011-01-05

Posts 1441
Poe Haven, USA

4 posted 2011-01-15 12:11 PM

a sad and moving poem...i enjoyed it!

There must be a poem in here somewhere.

Sunshine

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-25

Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

5 posted 2011-01-15 12:13 PM

Ida...you were with the best party...
your friend.

I remember those days...

ethome
Member Patricius

since 2000-05-14

Posts 11858
New Brunswick Canada

6 posted 2011-01-15 12:38 PM

Young hearts hurt are hard to repair.
Amazing how us kids would lie to try and convince ourselves we didn't care.

Very very touching Ida and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Eric

Love does not look after it's own interests.

Honeybunch
Member Rara Avis

since 2001-12-29

Posts 7115
South Africa

7 posted 2011-01-15 01:50 PM

Hi Ida. A sad memory to recall and of course you cared. I guess we're all so much into "saving face" that pretending becomes second nature - until perhaps we become aware of how destructive a lie (even a small one) is to ourselves that we can't anymore. Life is perhaps more difficult for us with that awareness but in the long run (the very long run) I'm sure it will pay dividends.

I hope that by now acknowledging a hurt of so long ago that it has gone.

Helen

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis

since 2005-11-07

Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

8 posted 2011-01-15 02:26 PM

Ida, I understand your pain and feel it with you in retrospect.

However, if truth be told, I am sure that Tanny would rather have been friends with you and walking with you feeling the autumn leaves crunching under your feet and trying to miss the cracks and eating penny candy and sharing the hurt, than being at the birthday party of somebody who was too materialistic and too stupid to recognise the lovely person you were and I am sure that Tanny was, to want either of you there. I am sure, in retrospect, you would also rather have been who you were and with whom you were than at the trendy birthday party of the year.

Owl

Marchmadness
Member Rara Avis

since 2007-09-16

Posts 9271
So. El Monte, California

9 posted 2011-01-15 03:55 PM

Thank you all for the lovely and sensitive replies. Yes, Owl, you are right, This is just something I remember from fifth grade, now. Character building ,you might say. And yes, Sunshine, I was with the best party.
Ida

s1nfully_1nn0c3nt
Senior Member

since 2003-10-26

Posts 1105
Watertown, NY

10 posted 2011-01-15 10:07 PM

This is wonderfully done. That friend of your is blessed to have you. Enjoyed.

-Trina
Be thankful for every person who has caused you pain. In that moment, they became your assistant of growth.

Balladeer

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-05

Posts 25505
Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA

11 posted 2011-01-15 10:28 PM

Love it, Ida...brings back a nostalgic feeling. Very well done

steavenr
Member Elite

since 2003-11-17

Posts 4058

12 posted 2011-01-15 10:29 PM

very nicely done...loved the vivid reminiscing, bringing us to the place we probably all have been before, and then healing the image with a turn of a phrase...extremely nice writing...enjoyed

Alison

Member Rara Avis

since 2008-01-27

Posts 9318
Lumpy oatmeal makes me crazy!

13 posted 2011-01-15 10:45 PM

Ida,

This is great. Funny how those memories linger inside us. I love this and the story that you tell so well.

Love,
Alison

BluesSerenade
Member Patricius

since 2001-10-23

Posts 10549
By the Seaside

14 posted 2011-01-16 10:04 PM

rad802
Member

since 2008-04-19

Posts 279
KY U.S.A.

15 posted 2011-01-17 12:05 PM

wow, i like the ending

latearrival
Member Ascendant

since 2003-03-21

Posts 5499
Florida

16 posted 2011-01-17 03:21 PM

Yes Ida, we have all been there, then it was the boys. Maybe the lack of party invitations prepared us to handle the other hurts that came with growing up. I sometimes wonder if it didn't also help us all through life.I see the young people today who say such hurtful things to each other and find it sad they never learned how to handle their feelings in another way. I often felt I was so lucky I married young and grew up with my husband and kids. latearrival

ebonygirl
Member Elite

since 2011-07-14

Posts 2000
California U.S.A

17 posted 2011-08-05 07:21 PM

I've been uninvited to birthday parties like this one.
Brought back memories,
Ms. E

Prasad Nataraj
Senior Member

since 2008-05-29

Posts 1149
Bangalore,India

18 posted 2011-08-06 01:30 PM

Fine writing, Ida. Can relate to these words, it was same feeling when I was kid too.

"The secret behind survival of mankind is kindness and love within our hearts"

Martie

Moderator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-09-21

Posts 28049
California

19 posted 2011-08-06 07:45 PM

Ida...I think I wasn't invited to the same party. The young heart needs to break a few times I guess, to get strong, and you had a friend and penny candy.

Word Weaver
Member

since 2011-03-06

Posts 437
California, USA

20 posted 2011-08-06 08:28 PM

Youth brings with it much sadness of different types. To be excluded is one of them, and one of the most painful. You've evoked much emotion and many memories in this reader. Thank you for sharing this great poem.
Marcia www.thewritingforum.net

jwesley
Member Rara Avis

since 2000-04-30

Posts 7563
Spring, Texas

21 posted 2011-08-06 11:39 PM

Ida, you've always been invited to my parties -
but my invitations always came back "address unknown". I made sure and ate a slice of cake for you anyway.

Now, with my granddaughters birthday same as mine, I don't have parties any more - too busy enjoying hers! But you're definitely invited to come and play...Dec. 3rd!!

Much enjoyed ... j.

Marchmadness
Member Rara Avis

since 2007-09-16

Posts 9271
So. El Monte, California

22 posted 2011-08-07 04:22 AM

Thank you, Jimmy. Actually, I just went to a great party today and had a lot of fun.
Ida

JL
Member Ascendant

since 2004-04-01

Posts 6128
Texas, USA

23 posted 2011-08-07 12:14 PM

JL

suthern

Member Seraphic

since 1999-07-29

Posts 20723
Louisiana

24 posted 2011-08-08 09:29 PM

You obviously touched a chord for many of us... we shrugged and pretended the exclusion didn't sting. Excellent write!!

ken206573
Member

since 2008-10-14

Posts 487

25 posted 2011-08-09 01:00 PM

The poem does strike a nerve of me remembering that long ago. Yet after a while I didn't care for I felt pleased of being with my friend Abel the dog. fine written.

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