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Annie Flavin is a new friend of mine. I met her at Doe Bay–more specifically, in Anacortes, at the ferry station while we waited to board the boat and head to Orcas Island. Nobody knew each other. Hesitant participants emerged and introduced themselves, Annie one of them. She brought her husband and children with her (and later described, as in the first poem shared here today, how her babies made her feel more secure in a new setting) and instantly earned herself the title of the warm one, the smiley one, the one to make everyone feel at home.
She read the first poem here to the group that weekend, and it resonated with many. Talking later with her about her writing goals, she told me about how she fell in love with writing simple poems–most about motherhood–and her commitment of writing one poem a day. I wanted to read more and somehow became lucky enough to be a recipient of each poem, sent via text at the end of the day. I’ve been reading these poems for two weeks now and look forward to waking up and finding another one on my phone. Many times, they’ve been exactly what I needed to hear–simple reflections scraping up the exhaustion, worry, demands and mundane tasks of motherhood and magically spinning them into powerful truths to which so many can relate.
I’m honored to have Annie in this space today. Her poems are gifts–the kind of words you print out and tape to the refrigerator or forward to a friend after a long day.
Thank you, Annie, for sharing them with us.
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My Gifts
by Annie Flavin
They are my woobies.
My baby blankets,
my favorite stuffed animals,
my lovies,
my pacifiers,
my protectors,
my good night songs and
my good luck charms.
I don’t know when
what I am supposed to be for them
became
what they are for me.
I don’t know when
their spirits started
filling the cracks
that were in my own.
When “she’s beautiful”
became
“I’m beautiful.”
When “he’s brilliant”
became
“I’m brilliant.”
I don’t think
it’s good or fair or right
to use their lives
as caulking for my own.
But, what do you do
when their life’s spirit
is the most beautifully brilliant piece of work
you’ve ever created?
You give it to the world.
They are them.
I am me.
Each life unique.
Each its own.
Sentimental
by Annie Flavin
on our chest.
************
More coming soon to annieflavin.com
Heather says
Sentimental…struck a huge cord to this first time “Used to be tough as nails, now cries at everything” mom. Thank you for sharing!!!
Michelle says
Oh, Annie!
Love. Love you, love these words and the feelings they stir in me.
Thank you, Annie….Kelle….
I’m so incredibly grateful we shared time and space together. And now continue to.
xoxoxo
Michelle
Sara says
I couldn’t love this more! Was so great to meet you at Doe Bay, Annie and Kelle – you both have a gift for taking the ordinary of motherhood and making it extraordinary. Thank you, thank you, thank you. xoxoxo
Kayla says
Annie – your words resonate within me. I want more!
Aly Ragan says
I have been wanting to read more from Annie since Doe Bay. I too love to read small snippets of inspiration to get me through the day. These are my kind of poems! Thank you Kelle & Annie for sharing them. They are heartwarming and hysterical and relatable. And they leave me wanting to read more. Please make a ‘coffee table book of poetry on motherhood’ so I can have it at home 🙂
Wendy says
Love, love love this! Annie your heart and love shines in your words. B E A U T I F U L. Thank you and Kelle for sharing them. xo
mamma knows says
Hi Kelly,
This made me smile & think of your beautiful Nella. I hope it makes you smile too.
http://www.wate.com/story/25301722/san-francisco-down-syndrome-teen-celebrates-acceptance-to-college
Kami
Joann says
Loved every one of them!
Meggie1679 says
Ugh. Every single one of them was perfect. I’m crying at work. AGAIN.
CLeigh says
Love! “In the Closet”, I can so relate to! Well done, Happy Mother’s Day to all!
Jennifer says
I love every word.
Thank you for sharing.
Anna says
Each and every one of these poems struck a chord with me. I relate to these words on such a primal level of motherhood, wanting to remember each moment, get more sleep, remain thankful for the little details in their lives, start each day fresh, rest when they need me most (during that witching hour!), eat my own food in peace and fortheloveofgod have them eat their own food! I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. Thanks, Annie, for sharing these beautiful poems and words. Thanks, Kelle, for using your blog to bring attention to such a talented writer!
Jennifer Ketterhagen - Finding Joy and Sharing Beauty says
Love these! Thanks for sharing Kelle!
The onion Farmers Wife says
ahhhh…beautiful.
tricia*kushman*anderson says
A tough bitch and sentimental go hand in hand. I love you both. Your words inspire me and help me to be a better mother. xoxoxoxo
Karibean says
I LOVE these! Thanks so much for sharing– they’re wonderful.
Tisha says
oh i love these! I hope she shares more on her page. I would love a coffee table book of these.
Heidi LastName says
Happy Mother’s Day!
Lindsey says
I love this poetry, and love what Annie says about why she writes. I relate to that so, so much. I’m so grateful you shared these. xox
Kristen says
So beautiful! I loved the snapshots poem! It is exactly why I take so many photos of my kids! Beautiful writing, I am looking forward to hearing more poems from Annie!
liv says
Is a toddler whiney?
Is a teenager moody?
A mother is sentimental.
this part took my breath away. thank you for sharing your heart – i saw my own heart expressed through your words.
ktdid says
Thank you for sharing Annie’s poetry with us! They were beautiful.
Karen says
Annie! These are all very good but I especially like “Each Time”.
“In fact,
most of the time,
they’re waiting for me
in that fresh, new space.
I just have to join them.”
Such great reminders of motherhood and starting fresh every chance that we need to. Thanks for sharing, Kelle and Annie!
Tara Michiels says
Ha! I love this! My kids can ALWAYS tell when I sneak chocolate only now they say it in that dreamy Ana and Elsa voice 😉
Jessica says
I saw myself in these words I couldn’t write myself. So beautiful, I cannot wait to read more. Thank you for sharing!
tailored says
Fabulous! I love love love the one about shoveling in food before they can ask for it! And then ask what’s in my mouth because they can smell it 🙂 Been there sooo many times!
Liz says
Awesome little snippets. I wanted to share a blog post I read today about a mama who lost her 3 year old Ryan after being struck by a vehicle. They are asking for it to be shared and spread across the world.
http://thrivemoms.com/blog/2014/5/6/redballoonsforryan
Selby says
Beautiful poetry – thankyou both so much for sharing with us all:)
Really rings true to me.
Cheers
Selby
Jackie says
These are fantastic and so so true! Thank you for sharing!
Faygie Fellig says
beautiful….
Kelle says
@Liz,
Thank you for sharing. I’ve been following Ryan’s story these past two days and am keeping this family in my thoughts and prayers. Heartbreaking.
I’m sharing the fundraising efforts and support for this family over at eHow later today.
~K
Lorna says
I am not one that enjoys poetry usually (and yes I minored in English at university, go figure!!) but I was quite taken with these – especially In the Closet, and Bitches get shit done – hilarious and SO accurate! Thanks for the midday giggles, I forwarded these onto my sisters for them to enjoy 🙂
MOMOF2 says
Man oh man, Annie, keep on writing!! I love it! Bitches Get Shit Done and In The Closet made me cry….happy and tired. I know, right. It’s just that they are so true and this mama always cries more when she is tired. Just one of those days when I think I just sat for the first time.
Kelle, we are so lucky that you met her!! Thanks for sharing!!
Donna says
I loved, and related, to every one of these. I think I’m going to regret every bad word, every grudging moment, some day. I think that helps us be better mother’s along the way.
‘Each Time’ = so me. Every day is a gift.
Donna says
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kristen Willenbrock says
Teary eyes and smiling face. Beautiful words. Thank you for sharing!!
Lia says
Wow, these poems are so beautiful and they resonate with me so strongly today. It sounds like my own voice, like I wrote these a year or so ago. My three children are just slightly older than your three. So sentimental, this mother. My oldest daughter started the hurtful words this year, and she is almost 9. However, I always have made it a point to apologize for my hurtful words thrown out in the heat of the moment. And she listened to me then. Because she came to me after her hurtful words and her heat were gone, and she told me she didn’t mean those hurtful things. They are listening to us, even in those hard moments.
Aleksandra Andrejevic-Bullock says
I like poetry anyway but these poems have ‘floored’ me, in the best possible way. I am almost incredulous at how much I share the exact experiences with the poet, who is a woman I don’t even know in real life…The poems are beautiful and they made me smile and also cry a little bit. Thank you Kelle and Annie!
Leslie Norgren says
Beautiful words. The speak what my heart beats.
Alicia says
SO good! And a great choice for mother’s day. Love her words. Just how I feel everyday.
medina family says
I LOVE these poems.
Motherhood made me a poet, too, but only for a brief moment. I wrote one down and still get teary eyed when I read it and think, “Gosh, who wrote that?”
I love the idea of writing one poem a day. Maybe I can get it back. Putting motherhood into small words with huge meaning.
These each spoke to me. Thanks for sharing them!
Tonya says
These are my kind of poems! I love, Love, LOVE these. They tugged at my heart strings, they made me tear up, they validated some of my own feelings.
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing Annie with us.
Annie says
Thank you all so much for reading and commenting! And, thank you to Kelle for letting me have a spot in her space.
Sarah N says
Annie, thank you for letting Kelle share your work with us (specifically, me). I laughed through your poems, giggling at how much truth was in there. Very “amen, sister, sing it again”, and then you cleverly inserted some really beautiful truths, observations, beauty to keep me afloat. Thank you.
Andrea says
I saw this pop up on my feed a few days ago, and I didn’t rush to read it because, truth be told, poetry’s not my thing.
BUT.
I read it just now and I love, love, love Annie’s poems. Who knew?
Thanks for sharing!
Jennifer says
I adore your poems Annie. Thank you.
The Caldwell Adventures says
I LOVED these, i mean loved these. bitch gets shit done and in the closet had me laughing so hard i was crying. i am sleep deprived and delirious, but loved your words so much, annie!!!
JennyV says
Annie,
I loved each and every poem. Some made me cry and some made me laugh. You have a wonderful talent. Thank you so much for sharing.
Annie says
Wow. I really loved each and every one of these poems. They all resonate with me. Beautiful.
I would love to have a book of your poems to read in the morning and at night to start and end my day!
Annie says
I also wanted to say Kelle I am thankful you shared these poems and about Annie’s personality and how and why she writes these.
More inspiration!
amyamanda says
Just caught the end of this quickly. Have to say that one of my classic lines, one that I’m sure my kids will remember and use on their own kids, is this:
“Chocolate? Mamas just smell that way!”
OhGreenTherapy says
I loved spending time with both of you, Kelle and Annie, and am inspired by your work. These poems are the lyrics of my life these days and it feels so good to know someone understands. Just like you and your family comforted me at Doe Bay, Annie (as I was feeling very lost without mine), these words are a balm for my soul too. So glad I get to read them. Thank you for sharing!