The Story of my Blog Title

Quilt of Dragonflies- My blog is named that for a reason.I am lucky enough to own a genuine Quilt of Dragonflies, which I am sure brings me good dreams when I sleep beneath it. It was given to me by a friend of my mother's, who handmade the entire thing. Color meets pattern in this fantastic piece of artwork which sits on my bed. Brilliant shades of purple, blue, and green intersperse with tie dye dragonflies. I will not hesitate to call it my inspiration.







Sunday, February 10, 2013

City of Dreams or A Weekend in New York

It's big. Really big, crowded, humming with life.
At first, I am utterly overwhelmed. I've been here before, of course.
Sometimes I come here in my dreams, spinning in the mosaic of people, having found my place in life.

This time, I am hustled out of the car, onto the streets. It's winter, but in this city winter means fashionable coats, not cold. The warmth of humanity wraps itself around me.
Breathing in famously thick air. Sluggish.
Looking upwards, I have to work to find the sky. But it is beautiful.

This city never sleeps, but I do. Somewhere in the rush of the Square, the thousands of people, I doze off. Then, I dream.
I dream of the pavements where my boots make solid sounds and the high heels of business women hurry to work.

 I dream of the smells that permeate the air, the hot rush or white steam seeping from the subway vents. I dream of the people-in red. in black. in burnt yellow ochre, each with their own purpose. My purpose here is not to have one.

I dream of the lights which blind me, the buildings which dwarf me, the shops which tantalize me, the shows which stun me, the men and women who impress me or frighten me, the streets which excite me, the cabs which honk at me, and the city.

The city which causes me to dream.

A Collection of My Recent Haikus or Few Words

shadows being thrown
across my bedroom ceiling
my eyelids heavy

the poetry flows
I think you do this to me
Hello to my muse

couple feet of snow
whiteness, beauty, shoveling
now my shoulders hurt


it's funny how I
can see your smile so clearly
even in my sleep



That Dreaded Poem You Wrote For School or No Judgements


Dreaming

I lie in bed awake at night
And when I dream, while fast asleep
I am a bird, wings raised in flight

Awake before the dawn’s first light
Remembering dreams, struggling to keep
I lie in bed awake at night

Soaring high in sparkling white
Dreaming sweetly, delving deep
I am a bird, wings raised in flight

But when I cannot sleep, my sight
Across my bedroom ceiling sweeps
I lie in bed awake at night

Start counting sheep, put up a fight
I cannot sleep, I cry, I weep
I am a bird, wings raised in flight

Awake, asleep, it is my plight
Forever in the bedclothes heaped
I lie in bed awake at night
I am a bird, wings raised in flight

A Question From a Friend

recently i was asked a question by a friend. a question that made me ponder
as i feel asleep each night and woke up each morning, this question stayed with me, floating in the back of my mind. each time i smiled or ate a quiet breakfast with a book or struggled
over an essay. at some point, or maybe a collection of points, a litany of moments, i discovered
that i had an answer.
here it is.

What are you going to do?
                What am I going to do?
well, i am going to live the way that i want to live. i am going to dance and sing and laugh.
i will probably also be laughed at.
i am going to brighten someone's day by sharing with them a secret smile, though i may not know them.
i am going to love and be loved.
i am going to run outside at the first drop of the first spring rain fall, without my rain boots on. then, i will turn my face to the sky and catch the first drops of a new season on my tongue.
i am going to be sad, watch my face get runny in the bathroom mirror as i begin to cry. but i will feel better soon.
i am going to listen to music that makes me sing along, loud, with the car windows down. i will hear the symphony of the everyday.
i am going to tell secrets with my brothers under the summer sun. i will watch the stars. i will say good morning to the people i meet.
i am going to hibernate in the cocoon of my blankets on winter nights and listen to the roar of the wind.
i am going to do well in school. i will make my family proud.
i am going to live life without regrets. well, i will regret saying that. but i can always try.
i am going to find my friends and hold them close. and always tell everyone what they mean to me. while i can.
i am going to let happiness into my life, even on the cloudy days.
i am going to do the best i can. it may not always be the right thing, but i can apologize.
i am going to live the way that i want to live.
you should too.

Blog Lovin'

Due to a huge snowstorm and a long weekend off from school, I have decided to give my blog some loving. Happy New Year, and I love you, Quilt of Dragonflies! I have been doing lots of writing, wrote a decent villanelle for English a couple weeks ago, and lots of haikus, because they are fun to write and to read. I have been in a regional Shakespeare contest, visited New York City to see two Broadway productions, and I have started a 2013 jar of all the things that make me smile in my life. I encourage everyone to do this latest thing, as it has caused me to be more grateful about the incredible world each one of us has at our fingertips. School has been tough, and we are getting dumped with snow here in New England, but I mostly keep a smile on my face and some colorful scarf around my neck (I love the snow, and I love colorful scarves, so honestly, winter hasn't been too bad). I have been singing, dancing, writing, reading, knitting, and generally finding little things to make me happy in the cold dark days filled with stressful tests and gusts of wind. I hope to bombard the Quilt with poetry shortly, as I find all the writing I have been doing and put it up for the world to see. Many thanks to the followers who have stayed with me despite my prolonged absences. You guys are the best!

Claire


My 2013 jar on New Year's Day. Since then I have been adding plenty of vibrantly colored strips of paper, filled with touching experiences. 

A beautiful morning in my town. We have had a decent amount of snow here, including the 2+ feet which was dumped on us yesterday!

A Broadway weekend in New York. Every time I visit that city, I end up never wanting to leave.