#2 (states)

States

Salt smells seep through my clothes,
as my memory goes to the beach.

Fresh air fills my nose,
as my mind goes to the old farm,
where land stretches as far as eyes see.

Hearts and eyes are hurting
as my feet pound the city streets,
where needles and switchblades litter
every walkway, life, and home.

The train blares my senses,
as my penny smushes,
and I remember the swingset
my father built on his own,
standing still at my childhood home.

Just four states make my memory.


This poem initially sought to answer the question of "What would it be like if you had to move to a new state every year?" However, when I set out to write it, I could only draw upon my own experiences. Thus, the states (per stanza) are Florida, Ohio, Georgia, and Tennessee. These are every state that I have lived in. I think it is very interesting how I wrote about states, especially since I concentrated only on my own lived memories, which is usually the case for amateur poets. I also unintenionally added a line to each stanza. After I noticed the pattern, I simply continued it throughout the poem, attempting to add a visually pleasing element, with the addition of the conclusive last line.