Stretching

Don't know what possessed me, but I decided to try some things this semester that are WAAAAAYYY out of my comfort zone...out of my "jump right in and get straight A's zone!!!
It is a bit terrifying, but I am determined to keep at it.
The first leap I am taking is a core exercise class.  I am definitely the worst out of shape in the class, the most overweight and the slowest, but that doesn't matter. Well, I keep telling myself that it doesn't matter, even as we all stand in front of the mirror dressed in t-shirts and yoga pants: I love my body and am taking care of it- doesn't matter what the mirror say to me!

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My next adventure piece involves a Monday night poetry class. My daughter E and my not- quite daughter N took poetry classes from the lovely Joan over the past few years.  They both enjoyed it and both won student writing awards for their poetry--- mine, not so much!
But I do enjoy writing and I know that there is only one way to get better...to keep practicing...hence the poetry class.  E warned me in advance and the instructor warned us that we were just starting out and could consider ourselves C students.  Good thing I was warned when I got my first poem handed back....C+....lowest mark of my entire three years of college!!  But I am okay with it, and I am having fun writing.  I was quite intimidated when we read our poems out to the entire class: I knew that mine was not that great.  There are also two girls who are excellent poets in the making and I love hearing what they have written.  I keep reminding myself that it doesn't matter that they are in the A category and I am in the C category; what matters is that I am here and I am trying.
And for your reading pleasure, here is one of my poems:

My journey into poetry... (first week)

I stand on the edge

Peer into the darkness

Excited for what is coming

Nervous

Jump!

Poetry Journey (second week)

I leap towards the words

falling...into darkness...my stomach lurches

fragments of poems rush by, 
eloquent words 
swirling, twisting,choking the weak sounds escaping my mouth.

I fall past the registrar's desk

HELP! STOP ME!!

Sorry, too late, the add/drop day has passed.

You must keep going...

Words slap me as I keep falling...

edited: June 2013....you will never guess what happened....I was nominated by my social work professor for a student writing award for my poetry...and I won third place!!! Can you believe that?  I am still amazed that my jump off into the unknown turned out to be something so cathargic for me and touching to others!!