Sarah Allen's Blog, page 6

I Can’t Focus on Writing Thi...

Image Source

I Can’t Focus on Writing Thi...
I can’t focus on writing aWhy is there so much dust on myWas that my stomach or a knock on theMy math worksheet should come first or maybeWhen did teacher say to turn in ourShould I write mine on Cleopatra orHow many notifications do I have onOh look a video aboutCould that be what this poem Was it due tomorrow or the nextIf I told my teacher I can’t focus what would sheMom says it’s time forWe haven’t had pancakes for dinner sinceMaybe if I just put one finalAnd they lived happily ever
-Sarah Allen

Pet Diaries

Image SourcePet Diaries

Yay! I love you!I love the smell of your breath in the morning!I love the sound you make walking on the squeaky stairs!Squeaky! Yay! I love my squeaky!I love that you’re pouring kibble in my bowl!Yummy!I love the chew marks on my bowl! I love my rawhide that’s broken in halfand the fresh one on top of the washerwhere I can stare at itall day long!I love the taste of toilet bowl waterBecause it almost tastes like you!Love, love, LOVE!!!the dog!

Dear Sirs:I am sorry to say my orders have not been followed.Perhaps I was not clear that from the hours of 11-3 p.m., I am to be leftUndisturbed. I will permit some level of frolic only outside those hours.Another matter: you can imagine my horror when, on Tuesday last, upon leapingUp to the living room windowsill, which, as you are no doubt aware,Is my spot, I was confronted by a horrid collection of those plastic thingsThe smallish one calls Lego’s. It made my nap extraordinarily uncomfortable.I’m sure this will be addressed in the future,As will the unappetizing temperature of my dish.Oh, one more thing.Could you please do something about that obnoxious canine?He was drinking out of the toilet again.From her Majesty,
The Cat

The Dragon Inside

Image SourceThe Dragon Inside
The dragon in my closetleft a black mark on my shoe.She tore my jeans—and flip-flopsare her favorite thing to chew!The dragon in the kitchenalways burns my whole wheat toast.He scorched the trash compactorbut he makes a good pot roast.The dragon in the parking lotroars at all the buseswhile they unload all the kiddies,and he blazes, growls and cusses.The dragon playing dodgeballblows her short fuse every time.One dragon burned my homework,and the teacher thought that I’mthe one who's doing all the damage.The secret though, you see,is these dragons all got nothingon the dragon inside me.

-Sarah Allen

REPRESENTED BY BRIANNE JOHNSON AT WRITERS HOUSE!!!!

Guys.

Guys.

I have been waiting years to make this announcement.

I sent my first agent query in 2012. It was for my first book which was rejected very justly for a multitude of reasons mostly being that it sucked. I still have a special place in my heart for that book.

Four books and hundreds of rejections later, I can finally announce.

I AM OFFICIALLY REPRESENTED BY BRIANNE JOHNSON AT WRITERS HOUSE!!!

It's been a few weeks now, and we've actually been on sub to editors for a month. I can't even believe I get to say that.

I'll do a longer, more in depth post about how it all went down at another time, I think. For now, its just celebration time!!

If you have agent questions or just need query trench commiseration feel free to comment and I'll be there for you!

Sarah

Star-Nosed Mole

Image Source
Star-Nosed Mole

Pig-snouted, fleshy-finger-feeler rimmedstar nose sniffer, using star-touch to push, tell, taste.Do stars shine undergroundif nobody can see?Dig, dig, dig through the earth to a starnosed center. Who knows of what earth-starssmell, touch, taste?She knows, the mole. She who hassniffed the star-centered earth.Star-dusted dust, dirt, grime.Do you dare hold close the starry-facedblind-eyed ground digger?Do you dare draw near?Come carefully, for the star-nosedknows what stars dwellunder the surface of you.

Blurgsday

Image Source
Blurgsday
Sunday’s when we go to churchand say our prayers and scripture search.Monday we go back to schoolto make our brain a power tool.Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: worklike bankers, teachers, moms and clerks.Friday night is party timeunless you’d rather have downtimesnug with a book, then Saturdaywe whip through chores so we can play.Then comes the best day of them all!Blurgsday, when ideas call!On Blurgsday ride a purple horseor take a Bigfoot finding course.On Blurgsday you can paint with mudor dance upon a flower bud,sing too loud or scrape your knees.You get to be whate'er you please.Wait, hold on, what’s that you say?You say there’s no such Blurgsday day?Can I still wear my Blurgsday bestand welcome some dear Blurgsday guest?Would you eat some Blurgsday caketo celebrate that we’re awake?If you check your calendaryou’ll see it’s best if you plan fora Blurgsday minute, so to speak,every single day next week.


-Sarah Allen

The Neckless Giraffe

The Neckless Giraffe

All giraffe clans have a neckless giraffehanging somewhere on their family tree.Unfortunately in this giraffe familythe neckless giraffe here is me.I can’t reach the treetops,the juiciest leaves,so I have to eat grass with the zebras.The baboons won’t talkto me. Meerkat pups mockeven more than the laughing hyenas.How would you feel if you had to do full-on splitsjust bending down for a drink?Or not being able to seehiding lions?It’s scarier than you might think.My great, great, great grandma,the one other member of my famwithout a long neck,was so sick of jerk fussshe joined a big circus.She’s a clown, but get’s clownish respect.

But what’s this? Oh see here,the Old Gnu Express delivered some mail to my bunk.A penpal for me?Could it possibly be?Signed, an Elephant without a trunk!


-Sarah Allen

The Sundew Plant

Image Source

Car Wash

Image SourceCar Wash
Whoosh, thwump, squirsh, squeewax and polish, shampoo eddyweesh weesh weesh weehwomp hwomp squeegywhurring rub and tires shinypastel pink blue bubblywhoosha hula jalousieoff dust, dirt, and debrisoff boot print, mud sprint, miles of meback with more miles soon as can beno more of my miles can you seethe road isn’t new, but am I? Maybe.

If Mrs. Clause Was President

Image Source, Stephanie Lee
If Mrs. Clause was President
I think that'd be pretty great.
If Mrs. Clause was President
there'd be smiles in every state.
She'd take care of us 364 days a year
while her husband took care of the one.
She would make sure each kid has a warm place to sleep
and never stop till she was done.
If Mrs. Clause was president
she would know every child by name.
She would welcome the white folks and brown folks
and black folks and all kinds of folks just the same.
Whenever our country had problems,
like our mom she'd have thoughtful advice.
She'd see each of us as our very best selves
whether we had been naughty or nice.
There would be fewer people out hurting each other
'cause weapons would only be toys
and she'd care for all creatures from Blitzen to Vixen
from Oregon to Illinois.
If Mrs. Clause was president,
I think that'd be pretty great.
But maybe if we treated all people like she would
we'd make smiles in every state.