Reason

A couple weeks ago, I once again asked Emma if she had any poems she’d like to type out.  She proceeded to spell out another  poem, this one about reason.  It was profound.

Emma:  I don’t want you to put it on the blog

I felt a little disappointed, but I have been ready for her to tell me this.  She’s not always going to want to share everything.

Me:  “You don’t want me to share it?  Okay.  Don’t worry, I won’t.”

I wasn’t really sure why.  Maybe because it was too personal or contemplative.  I read over it a couple times in fascination and then copied it from the speak it app to paste it into my notepad.  Well, before I knew what was happening –  DELETE!!!

And after a few frantic moments I realized that it was gone.  Forever.  I wouldn’t be able to retrieve it.  Why, oh why, hadn’t I memorized it??  We backtracked and was able to get pretty much all the words right, but somehow it wasn’t the same – different placement maybe.  My version just couldn’t compare with her original.  Jared and I were pretty upset about the whole thing.  Even Emma couldn’t recall it exactly, but she didn’t seem bothered at all.   I didn’t want to pressure her too much so I said that we would try to work on recapturing it again another time.

So over the next week, I would sit down with her and knock out a line or two.  This time, the poem had changed a little.  I loved it just the same and maybe more.  It reminded me of my own process of writing and how I tweak my poems sometimes over the course of a year or more.  I had some poems I never finished.  That’s one of the wonderful things about creating with words.  You can make it want you want it to be and change it whenever you feel the urge.  Only for Emma, that process is a little different.  She can’t just work on typing it out whenever she wants – she still needs me to sit with her and hold her hand.

The other day I asked Emma if she had any idea what we could put on the blog.

Emma:  Reason poem

Me:  “I thought you said you didn’t want to share that one?”

Emma:  I am ready to share it

Me:  “Okay!  Let’s finish it up.”

So Emma was able to finally finish this revised version of her first poem and would like to share it after all.  She is pleased with it and it is now finished with no chance of being deleted (I wrote it down this time – hard copy).  I am a pretty big fan of her poetry and her perseverance over each letter.   I’m glad she changed her mind:)

Me:  “Do you want to put a picture with the poem?”

Emma:  Yes

Me:  “What do you have in mind?”

Emma:  paper airplane

Me:  “Wow!  Why a paper airplane?”

Emma:  It reacts with the wind

I found this one online and she liked it:)