Roots and Leaves: A Blog Preface

As a 7th/8th grade teacher in the 7th ward here in New Orleans,  You can find yourself without much time to be engrossed in those interest that are truly your hearts desire to explore.  I have had to let go of three projects I had been very excited to work on: 1) my personal poetry--both formal and spoken word, 2) My graphic novel that I had started organizing, and 3) my journal that in which I usually record the goings on in my life.  I have had some recent experiences that have helped motivate me to do so, including my younger adventurous and stylish brother moving into my house here in New Orleans.  I am going to work myself into reengaging myself back into these works.  My goal will be to blog at least once a week.             
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Withunder the Willow Tree
                                    
I found a place
where the poetry is
                or rather
where it will be
if you are there also

where in the course of a day
it never receives the sun’s full light
where shadowchildren
run through dirty air
climb spiretowers
swim through sand
watch moonsets starrises
and command snails

A place where you can listen to the youngoldman
speak spirittalk
siphon wind
windpaint
lavadance
leafkiss
and rainwalk

a place, _______
where faerietrains will lead you
listening through songrivers singing
until the day you childtrick yourself--
                                                          out
                                                               from
                                                                      withunder
                                                          the
                                                      willow
                                                          tree
                                                                                                                            -Cid Galicia
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Title: The Willow Tree
In poetic writing you have a symbol, that is am image with a larger meaning.  In my writing I have had one major repeating symbol over the years and it is The Willow Tree.  It represents a large number of the strongest parts of my writing: family, the feminine, nature, tradition, growth, solitude and more.


Blog Titles
Just as a tree has many branches, so will this blog share something similar:


Branch 1:  This blog title will foreshadow all things poetic
                       -personal poetic works
                       -poetry events I attend
                       -quotes and other poetic works I am reading for personal study or pleasure


Branch 2:  This blog title will foreshadow the goings-on in my school and classroom


Branch 3:  This blog title will foreshadow personal thoughts or experiences not pertaining specifically to the 
                 poetic staple of its purpose and may be (might even be encouraged) to skip as a reader.