Growing

Growing hurts sometimes;

saying goodbye to friends,

to things you've known and done

to things you wanted to do.

Growing heals sometimes

the shattered dreams and hopes

of a life you once knew

leading you to a new knowledge of yourself.

Growing is fun sometimes

meeting new friends

learning new things

making changes that feel good and moving on.

Growing is necessary always.

Without change there is stagnation

death instead of life.

To choose to live is to choose to grow.

Copyright 2002

Fran is a Career Counsellor, Workshop Developer and Facilitator and e-zine Editor. You can sign up for her ezine at get_free_info_here_@getresponse.com or check out her website for more information www.franwatson.ca

In The News:


The Guardian

Another plagiarism scandal hits poetry community
The Guardian
Assiduous digging by the online poetry community, led by the poet and academic Ira Lightman, then discovered that Morgan, a British poet and teacher, had lifted lines and phrases from a host of different writers. One of Morgan's poems, "Monkey Stops ...


OUPblog (blog)

Getting to the heart of poetry
OUPblog (blog)
Oxford University Press recently partnered with The Poetry Archive to support Poetry by Heart, a new national poetry competition in England which saw thousands of students aged 14 to 18 competing to become national champion for their skill in ...
DELUCA: Poetry, in motionNiagara Gazette
My View: Poet laureate Rufus CollinsonGloucester Daily Times

all 3 news articles »

Making poetry accessible
Los Angeles Times
“I've thought about that and sort of reversed it,” William Stafford says here in response to an interviewer's question about when he decided to be a poet. “My question is: 'When did other people give up the idea of being a poet?' You know when we are ...


Oregon youths in custody place in national poetry contest
Statesman Journal
The 18-year-old Salem woman jots down poetry, song lyrics, short stories and wandering thoughts. She writes in journals and on scraps of paper. She writes when she's upset; her darker thoughts are her muse. Just about the only time she's not writing is ...


Zap2it.com (blog)

'Downton Abbey' auction lets you read poetry to Mr. Bates - um, what?
Zap2it.com (blog)
The winner of the table-turning prize will read poetry to Coyle in a horse-drawn carriage ride in Central Park, and then take Coyle to dinner at the super fancy Per Se at the Time Warner Center, all the while making sure that Coyle's every need is ...
Downton Abbey's Brendan Coyle: Win a Romantic Date With Him!Us Magazine
Kinky Downton Abbey Dinner Date with Bates Up for AuctionVanity Fair

all 9 news articles »

East Bay Express

The East Bay Poetry Summit Brings Poetry Out of Bookstores and Into People's ...
East Bay Express
The poems at the reading varied wildly: one poet riffed on the phrase "the possibilities are endless"; another touched on topics like Twitter, the Verizon Guy, and the actress Tippi Hedren; another reader nearly yelled her disaffected Occupy-tinged poetry.


Make Yourself Heard Through Poetry
Jakarta Globe (blog)
“Poetry is the grooves in the universe's arteries,” described Okka who spends her growing-up years in between three countries; Indonesia, Australia and the United States. Poetry, according to her, is about letting go of fear and letting the words come out.


Boston Globe

Poetry slam fosters hope
Boston Globe
Like all the teenagers who participate in the Louder Than a Bomb poetry slam, now in its second year in Massachusetts, these students from Lowell's FreeVerse! team are learning to meet life's big questions head on, with bravery, enthusiasm, and a ...


La Grange students become well-versed on poetry
The Doings La Grange
LA GRANGE — Vomit, snot and monsters aren't the usual themes for waxing poetic. But fourth-graders at Ogden Avenue School embraced the freedom to flex their creativity this month at a workshop conducted by guest poet and facilitator Bill Buczinsky.


Breaking Ground Poets to bring slam poetry to Dietrich
Wilkes Barre Times-Leader
On May 26, join the Breaking Ground Poets at the Dietrich Theater as they present their annual Breaking Ground Poets Poetry Slam. In this live competition, members of the Breaking Ground Poets will perform original poetry over the course of three ...

and more »
Google News

Whats A Prisoner to Do?

What's a prisoner to do when justice fails and... Read More

Colorful Talk

"I heard what you said, Red. Yet, I have to... Read More

I Shall Wait...

I Shall Wait..On all the new mornings, and every singking... Read More

You Lost Your Last Gamble and Me

I will never think twice nor will I roll the... Read More

Two Poems with Triggers [and a commentary]

So Many Einstein'sThe morning mist, insists there is a God.... Read More

Ode to: The Ice Maiden of Ampatos Summit [now in: English and Spanish]

Dedcate to Antonio Castillo. L. Of. Los Andes UniversitarioOde to:The... Read More

Daybreak at Pikes Creek [a Poem]

Daybreak at Pikes Creek [Summer of 2005]Daybreak by Lake Superior... Read More

The Butcher of Lima and Footprints to Mantaro Valley (Two Poems)

Footprints to Mantaro Valley (Peru; in English and Spanish)In what... Read More

Looking Out the Rear Window

The funeral rite concluded With the pastor shaking hands, Offering... Read More

Publishing Your Poetry

If you are serious about seeing your work published by... Read More

Four Poems: Two for the Devil, Two for Peru

Here is some witty poetry (not sure if that is... Read More

Stones

As I picked up some of the polished gemstones in... Read More

Bleed

now is not the time to open open that great... Read More

Key Largo - Frater Albertus

Key Largo:The fans turn lazily in front of the doorThey... Read More

Two Poems: San Jeronimo Brook & [in English and Spanish]

Fair Andes! Thy arms reach highOf iron-woven solid stone Thu... Read More

The Power of Eating Disorders

I want to get closeI am afraid.Afraid of what... Read More

A Happiness Poem

If a happiness poem could bring forth a smile, Then... Read More

Ive Learned

You cannot make someone love you. All you can do... Read More

Life is a Fantasy

LIFE IS A FANTASY!A pink-eyed rabbit, fuzzy whiteHops in bedrooms... Read More

Two Poems on the Traditions of Peru [in English and Spanish]

Atahualpa's Game [Peruvian]Sometimes, it's not wise To share your wisdom... Read More

Mechanical Poetry - Part Three

Have you ever read the lyrics of a Simon and... Read More

Write Your Way to Fame

Have you ever thought about how nice it would be... Read More

My Grannio

I never thought I would have to say GOODBYE to... Read More

Three Poems: Liberty, Death, and a Frog [with Commentary on Liberty]

Frog SummerSummer grows hot, for the New-blooded frogs; The bugs... Read More

Two Poems: Boyhood, and Old Age [with a note on style]

BoyhoodOh me! Thy glorious days have flown! I mealy noticed,... Read More