the ocean always dreamed blue dreams

This is a very thought provoking and beautiful piece qimi! I like the hopefulness and positivity of it.

Thank You, Skib, which is what I hoped for! I wanted to show that childhood still existed for this child, even though all the other conditions of war also prevailed.

Beautiful Qimi!

Stunning poem Qimi. I love this line:

Now I know what my language looks like

what a fascinating concept, and so true, of course. As always written with passion and fragility.

Thank you, Ijustmadethatup and Fifth. And thank you Fifth, for your astute observance. I got that idea from reading about a school that had been bombed in Afghanistan, a school for girls, but they still came, sometimes walking ten miles to get there. Then they would huddle around the fire trying to stay warm.

So when you're learning to read, and maybe she's a little older, just coming to an understanding of what the alphabet looks like is a start.

I have students who are bilingual, they speak Spanish fairly fluently, but they can't read it.

What makes this piece work so well is its
specifics. Also, rather than manipulating the reader as to how she should feel the emotional power is understated and subtle, and thus effective.

PS Your pictures are impressive!
(

Ack, I know that I had written a response last night and for some reason it didn't post. Grrrr.

Either way, I love it and I would be more to say if I had not lost my post :S

Lovely poem qimissung -- poems about the delights of childhood hit me strong these days -- this line was my favorite:

"Some days I play on the swings with my friends
our feet try to touch the clouds"

I like the inverted image here of having our feet in the clouds (and conversely) our heads on the ground. Powerful and playful stuff!

Thank you, AuntShecky! I'm glad you like the pictures. I love them, too. I love the kingfisher looking contemplatively out to sea, and the one of the little girls running. laughing.

Thank you, Dan. Gr-r-r-r back at you, my friend.

Comedian, thank you. What a beautiful image, to have our feet in the clouds and our heads on the ground. It perfectly captures the world of this child, don't you think? Reality can never be to far away, yet she still finds time to play.

I, too, love the delights of childhood-they are so ephemeral, after all.