My Musings & More
by Nicole Mathew
Recent Pieces
Khalil Gibran on Writing Poetry
Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary. - Khalil Gibran
Personal Writing Process
I have written for years. If I had to state an age, I would say I started writing seriously when I was in middle school, writing hopelessly romantic sappy poems to the silly crushes I had then. I remember keeping a journal and writing about how in love I was with boy...
Dream Descent
Sweet slumber is now upon me; the moonbeams cast shadows on my bed. Clouds of lavender lure me into the abyss and I fall ever so swift into a deep dream. The stars lead me through darkness to a world that seems to only exist within hidden thoughts. Memories that once...
Remembering an American Poet
Forty-two years ago today the world lost an American poet who, without a doubt, would have given the world much more had he lived longer. Tragically, he gave up his ghost in Paris, France on the third of July in 1971. To pay homage, here is my favorite poem by none...
Poem: Alternate Universe
A Hot Mess You see, she used to be popular. We used to envy Barbie, but now they call her ‘B’ on the streets, and she chases that dirty dragon through grunge of the City of Angels. Her hair, once wispy platinum and soft is now dry and broken, smelling of stale...
A Long Poem: Ekphrastic Poetry
For this week's Writer Wednesday, I want to share with you an ekphrastic poem I composed a few months ago that I have recently refined. First, let's define ekphrastic poetry. Definition of ekphrasis: a literary description of or commentary on a visual work of art....
Writer Wednesday: More Tankas
Tankas have become a form I enjoy, and the following poem is a tanka (or a series) of awkward moments. We've all had them, so why not make them poetic? Well, That Was Awkward... 1. “Great first date,” he said. Her eyes shone bright in the moon’s light. She leaned up...
Writer Wednesday: Favorite Poetry
This week for Writer Wednesday, I'm taking the easy way out: sharing three of my favorite poems instead of posting one penned by yours truly. Listed in no particular order, these three have always given me inspiration. Jim Morrison is my favorite American poet (his...
The Autumnal Equinox
Autumn has finally arrived! This is my favorite time of year, by far. The air is crisp, the leaves are beginning to change colors and fall, pumpkin patches are going to be thriving in no time. It's time to celebrate! It's time for bonfires with friends, curling up...
Goodbye to the Grove
Orange groves garnish the south Florida countryside, so far and so wide. A girl of ten plays hide and seek with the trees north of Lake June Road. Running through the dirty blonde sand, she stops to grab a fresh bite. The juice trickles down her chin… she tosses the...
Writing for the Workplace
No witty introduction to this one - we're diving head first today! I work in Corporate America… and I can’t tell you how many times I want to claw my eyeballs out of their sockets with the nearest sharp utensil when I read a terrible email from a colleague. Why does...
Wind Tankas
Tankas are a form of Japanese poetry, with a structure very similar to a haiku. Instead of stopping at 5-7-5, we add 2 more lines, making it 5-7-5-7-7. Below are some I composed for my poetry class about wind. We are collaborating with the Herron School of Art at...
Revision & Poetry
Well, this is embarrassing. I haven't been updating like I should. I have let things get in the way of writing for me again. That changes today. For those who know me, I'm somewhat a perfectionist when it comes to sharing my writing. I need to work on being more...
Reflection: Theories and Applications of Teaching Composition
When I began this course, I feared I did not have enough experience as a teacher like my fellow classmates, as I have only tutored in the academic setting. In fact, until this class began, I did not believe that I had a pedagogical background. I discovered that it has...
Personal Literacy History Prompted by Discussion
Since I was young, I have enjoyed reading and writing. What I didn’t realize until recently is that throughout my childhood, I was on the path to become literate. To me, literacy has changed a great deal since I was young. For example, my family did not have a...