Streets

[Penny]

Thank you, Melissa, for mentioning the poem Streets in your review on this site and in your article on Suite 101. This multi-section poem means so much to me. It took about a year to write the first draft! My goal was to summarize my life using different places where I have lived. Moving as a child created some difficult transitions, and there are five stanzas (5-9) that focus on moves made within the same four year period. Each section ranges from 5 to 10 lines, so it took many revisions to capture the essence of each place in a short amount of space. But, as with much of my poetry, writing about this theme helped me deal with the tears and joys of each experience. I hope it continues to touch the hearts of others, especially those who have lived in many places.