We're writing poetry in my Literary Arts classes - apology poems, to be specific, based on the poem, "This Is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams. My students are exploring the art of apologizing poetically. To take it a step further (and copycat the book, "This Is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness" by Joyce Sidman) they are giving the recipients of the poems/apologies the opportunity to respond, also via poetry.
I told them I was writing a poem to my sister to apologize for hitting her on the head with a hammer.
Well, the shock value worked and they were hooked! I gave them no more explanation and told them they'd have to wait for my poem to hear the rest of the story. When I told them that my sister would respond in the form of a poem, they were skeptical..."You really think she'll write you back? You think she'll write you a
poem?" They were probably also thinking, "You think she'll forgive you?" Ha! So, because
my sister is awesome, she played along and wrote a response. I thought our apology and response were too fun not to share, so here they are:
To my sister, Alicia:
Hammer
We were little then
and I was littler than you
(not like now, when I’m the “little” sister in age only)
and our world consisted of a great big backyard
and the basement of our split-level house.
I don’t remember hating you
or harboring jealousy
or any of the dark and stormy feelings that normally lead
to such an act.
But still, in the basement, it happened.
Playing as you were in the My Little Pony tent
happy as a lark
probably singing (and recording yourself on cassette tape)
your moment of happiness, of cozy content,
crashing down with a single blow
to
the
head.
It hit you with the hammer from the tool belt
that was left for me under the tree that year
(I can’t imagine why mom or dad thought that would be a good gift)
and I still don’t know why I did it.
Maybe I really was just pretending to build the tent.
Maybe.
I’m sorry.
I’m glad that you are my best friend now.
(I guess I did manage to knock some sense out of you.)
from Amy
To my sister, Amy:
Re: Hammer
As I sat in my tent on the brink
With a book and a juicebox to drink
I didn’t know I should dread
A hammer blow to the head
Butt thairs know lastin’ dammige (I thinck!)
I forgive you for you were a child
And your hammer wielding was still wild
Along with your tools
You were given no rules
So in hindsight this really was mild
from Alicia
