Summer Stock Sunday - 27 / Poetry Train Monday - 165 - Expecting Someone Altogether Different

My vintage look at summer for Summer Stock Sunday, hosted by Robin at Around the Island.


















When my husband and I first began going out, he took me to the Exhibition in Toronto, known locally as the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition.) At one point we hopped in a photo booth and took the first of a series of summer photo booth pictures.

Once we got married, we moved our previous CNE tradition to our anniversary, and made sure to take a photo booth shot at some point during our day.

This one was taken here in Halifax a few years ago, just after we'd seen a movie. I'm looking forward to a lifetime collection of these.








Last week I mentioned my husband's suggestion that I write a sexy poem. And several of you wondered if I'd written one.

Here it is - it may actually be more romantic than sexy, but who's quibbling?


Expecting Someone Altogether Different


On my day off from work
I threw on my shapeless
Comfy black pants
My slightly-too-big
Cotton top
My grass-stained garden clogs

I shuffled into the car
To pick you up from work
And because the timing
Had been so close
With Mom not knowing
If she'd be back from the store
If you'd have to call a cab
I parked the car
I went in the store

With my day-off-from-work
Unwashed hair
Stained clogs
Shapeless clothing

How many women
I thought to myself
Would enter their
Husband's workplace
Looking like this?

When you saw me
Your eyes lit up
Your smile was not
For the customer before you
And she could tell
She turned to look
I'm sure she was expecting
To see someone
Altogether different
Attached to the smile
To the look
You gave me

© Julia Smith / Aug. 14, 2010

How to participate in the 3:15 Experiment

Starting on the night of July 31/Aug. 1, set your alarm for 3:15 am, wake up, write a poem in the midst of your sleepiness and go back to sleep. Repeat each night for the month of August.

Visit the originators of the project for more information:

Danika Dinsmore

Gwendolyn Alley

For more poetry, Ride the Poetry Train!

Robin says What a wonderful poem - I love the honesty and the sentiment, and above all the love, that shines through it. I love your photobooth tradition too, what a great idea.

Jessica Sieghart says The photo booth shots are an awesome idea! I like the fact that you spend your anniversary in a similar way each year, too. You wrote that poem at 3:15 in the morning? You go girl!!!

Akelamalu Love the romantic poem - that smile says it all!

Poetry Train Monday - 163 - At Least

I'm taking part in The 3:15 Experiment for the first time ever.

It began back in 1993. I signed up to do it last year when I first heard about it, but I was only a few months into my acupuncture treatment, and at this point last year I was still struggling through my days with chronic pain issues.

I enjoyed reading the poems that emerged from this poetry event over at Art Predator's blog, however, and this year when it rolled around again, I made sure I was ready for it.

For more information on The 3:15 Experiment, visit Danika Dinsmore and Gwendolyn Alley and they'll fill you in on all the details.

The Coles Notes version:

Starting on the night of July 31/Aug. 1, set your alarm for 3:15 am, wake up, write a poem in the midst of your sleepiness and go back to sleep. Repeat each night for the month of August.

For today's Poetry Train, here is my first-ever middle-of-the-night poem, in its raw stage, as written at 3:30 this morning.













At Least


Tried to get home
But it had snowed
Tried to return
But the snowfall was epic
Tried to get inside
But the front of the house was plastered
Tried to clear the way
But there was no shovel
Dug in with my two hands
My two mittened hands
Snow shot up inside my sleeves
Tried to get in
Long hours ahead
Two mittened shovels

At least
The porch light was on

- Julia Smith, 2010

For more poetry, Ride the Poetry Train!

Photo by Steve Gallagher

Naquillity says I do like the poems I've seen from the experiment and yours is no exception. I love what you did here. It's a great start to a month long exercise. Good luck.

Stan Ski says I might give it a go...It seems to work OK for you, in your trial run.

Aniket says I think its a nice idea to wake up "just" for writing and then sleeping. It should be given a try..