Hidden: Poems about Serious Topics

Happy November Poetry Friday friends! Be sure to visit Writing the World for kids, where Laura is graciously hosting today's round-up. 

Every year at the end of October, I place this jar with broken pieces of clay pottery on my mantle. I discovered each one in the soil after a heavy rainstorm had rumbled over the ridge. It was interesting to find them scattered in different areas of my backyard. These pieces are a link to the past and to the history of this beloved hill top I now call home. Though each one is unique, they are all made from the same clay. They are a reminder of all those who came before me and lived upon this land. While I will never know them or the stories of their life, I can honor them by preserving what remains.

Sometimes the stories of the past are left untold or may be easily forgotten with the passing of time. These shards of clay help me to remember. I feel that the past begs us to listen. It wants to tell the story. So I must listen. 

photo by Kiesha Shepard

Invitation to Write:

Think about the times you have stumbled across something you had never seen before or had been hidden away. It might be a time you found an interesting rock in the ground or maybe you found an old stuffed animal in a closet. Have you ever found something unexpectedly and wondered about where it came from? If you have, try imagining that it could speak to you. Listen. What is it saying to you? Let it tell you its story. It's when we truly listen, that the stories of the past unfold!