Learned balance behind the station
circling the radio tower.
Dad let go without letting me know
and after an hour
I was years ahead,
Ms. Independent.
Played in the gutter whenever it rained,
legs dangling in the sewer drain,
filth and mud caking,
then through the windowpane,
Ms. Independent.
Hopped the chain link fence
to capture the flag in the holly tree,
when concrete busted my knee.
Took my victory drips,
no boys catching me,
Ms. Independent.
Kept hearing Dad say, “Slow down, dear.
Pick a different career.”
But I was centuries away,
reading Shakespeare in bed.
Sans common sense, sans sanity,
Ms. Independent.
“I’ll do it all myself ‘cause
I’m afraid to rely on anyone else.”
Too proud to take truth
off the shelf.
A deep-rooted fairytale?
An inherent nightmare?
“I’m my own monster.”
There, I said it,
Ms. Independent.
NaPoWriMo Day 9-This poem is a response to Friday’s Flashback Track “Cosmic Dancer” and the question, what trait or talent were you born with? For me, it’s always been a fierce sense of independence that sometimes backfires. Visit here to see the full musical prompt and add your response.
Yard Sale of Thoughts 
Hooray for Ms Independent! Loved the bit about reading Shakespeare in bed. Can identify!
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Thank you, Ingrid. Great to find a kindred spirit.
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Yes, playing in the street gutters floating twigs and origami boats.
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Origami boats. Been wanting to do that with my littles. Thanks for connecting with me. 😀
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This looks like great fun! https://www.instructables.com/floating-boat-with-origami/
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This is great, thank you.
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I bet your parents loved the Tomboy you, whatever they said to your face. Great poem, KK. A honey monster, perhaps?
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Sweetest comment. Thank you very much. 😊I was a sticky tomboy, that’s for sure.
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I’m my own monster, I love that independent spirit, captured perfectly here.
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Thank you, Hobbo. It’s a trait that I love about myself, but I’ve also recognized can lead me astray. Appreciate your kind comments.
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And me and Dauphy appreciate your amazing poetry!
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So kind, especially from Dauphy. Thank him for me, will you? You’re by far my favorite writing duo.
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Aw, thank you. I’ll tell him. Extra treats for him today!
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terrifically taut poem, covers a lot in three stanzas; I love the ending: the whole poem was leading to that but it still needed to be said, with fierce authority !!
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Thank you, John. Not easy to admit those monsters within.
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but they are there: it is honest to acknowledge them: we just have to learn to live with them 🙂
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Fabulous!
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Thank you.
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A toast to Ms. Independent
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