I Remember…

I had my first poetry class the other day, and we had to write a poem (based on Joe Brainard’s I REMEMBER). You should try it; start with your earliest memory, just let the phrases flow without thinking about what you’re writing, and make sure to keep with the format! Here’s my version of the poem -

I remember saying that Rudolph would guide Santa’s way through the clouds. I remember I’ve seen myself say that in a home video. I remember wordless lumps in throats during kisses. I remember forgetting how to hold a pencil. I remember mailing letters back to the sender, unopened. I remember going to McDonalds with my parents every other weekend. I remember that every time we went, I thought that one day they’d die. I remember thinking a ghost lived in the walls of my grandparent’s house, and that a terrorist living in the basement. I remember my Winnie the Pooh baby blanket; I still have some shreds. I remember an old man, hand hovering above mine, energy shooting into my palm. I remember trying to see auras; I still can’t. I remember kissing a girl; it felt just like kissing a guy. I remember looking up during an eclipse. I remember looking back down before I saw anything because someone had warned me I’d go blind. I remember learning Braille incase I ever went blind. I remember getting splattered with bugs on a rollercoaster at night. I remember eating a sour cream and onion cricket. I remember nearly throwing up afterwards. I remember my mom tying white bows in my long hair. I remember seeing my grandma being fed through a tube. I remember whipped cream on my tongue feels like air. I remember the burn blisters on his fingers, the feel of his hands on my thighs. I remember that first, awkward time. I remember blood being taken in a hospital. I remember screaming for it back because it was mine.