guest poet : Amara Tankersley

Part of the fun of having FBNL be in blog format rather than its own website is the opportunity to feature other items than just my own poems. In honor of sister Eilena's birthday, my daughter, then-12-year-old Amara Tankersley wanted to show off her verse. 

Amara is now leaving for college, Eilena is 9.

As far as I know, this one is untitled.

* * *

Eilena enjoyed having fun

in the warm summer's sun.

She took rides

in her red wagon

and pretended she was

a fierce dragon.

While she sat on a small chair

there was a strange silence in the air-

Eilena went up the many stairs,

"Surprise!" yelled her family with

birthday gifts in the chairs.

Happy Birthday Ena-beena!

From Amara.

inside sun

2/1/2011- Garron, you're turning nine. So glad to have somebody as enthusiastic about Star Wars & Blue Devil comics as I am to talk to. I wrote this for your Celebration of Life at WMS a few years ago. When you were a baby we called you our inside sun- you would rouse us to wake the moment there was light outside. It still pertains to you, for you are fiery & prone to flares of exhalation at any moment about any number of subjects. Happy birthday to a wonderfully challenging son! Daddy wouldn't trade a second of you!

* * *

He tells me so much more than expected-
utterances so unfettered they soar-
super-powered, mud-splattered action-rocket-stegosaurs!

Bam- Pyoo- Crash! Than stop. Daddy guess what?
Today- today we learned the sun is burning hot with gasses
and it has spots!

Miss Rogers says someday- actually- it will be a super-nova!
Miss Rogers says it- it is so amazing!

Suddenly, his story ends,
his arms embrace me,
tension strays from its orbit
ordained to dissolve, a runaway planet
reflective of the sun's keen rays- 
snuggled- snoozing- super-nova son

Miss Rogers is right. He is so amazing.