(Re-post from last August – for lack of anything new. 🙂 )
.
.
Children
are free flow
like liquid Jello,
sparkling
splashing
filling any form.
Why must we chill them,
make them set?
.
(c) 1982, 2018 Betty Hayes Albright
Original pencil drawing (c) 1965
Seasonings 
Lovely and unlike you, nothing new 🙂
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Hi Harry, and thank you! (Have had a little writer’s block going on lately….)
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Indeed. A fine poem. 🙂
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Thank you, Rigel. 🙂
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As one who was “chilled and set”, I love this one a LOT, Betty–and what an amazing drawing!! I didn’t realize you were an artist too–you’ve been holdin’ out on your SOS!! love, Caddo
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Thanks, Caddo! Was never really an artist – though enjoyed drawing back in high school. 🙂
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What a lovely metaphor for growing up! I think I still have moments of jello… 😉
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Me too, Holly – lots of jello moments here. 🙂
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Oh, may some part of myself, my children, and grandchildren never truly “set up”!
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I agree, Granbee – so important to hang on to that child within!
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Yes, a beautiful metaphor, Betty, and you had me sighing at the end~
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Thank you, Lauren! 🙂
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It may be unavoidable, even desirable, a degree of structure, but the actual nature of form achieved may be so positive.
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Ah yes – it’s the form that’s important – and the freedom to keep it flexible, perhaps?
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From the copywrite dates it looks as if you wrote this over a 30 year period – at least. That opens up a whole new realm of speculation about this poem: who is the one being “set”, who is the child?
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John – this was written in ’82 when my sons were approaching middle school age… that age where society really starts trying to mold them.
As for copyright dates, I always add the current year when posting here, for copyright protection. Otherwise it could slip into public domain, I’ve been told. (Where did the last 30 years go?? They slip away so fast. Now I’m watching grandchildren being chilled and set! 🙂 )
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Excellent! We’ve just had one and are enjoying the battle of ideas between winding her up or lulling her down. Thanks for concisely stating what we all question 🙂
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Adam, congratulations on your new little one! I have a feeling you’ll find just the right balance between “winding” and “lulling”. 🙂
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lovely poem, Betty…..I suppose I always felt free on the inside somewhere! Love to you!! Linda
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Thank you, Linda! Luckily I think we never lose that freedom on the inside – we just need to keep digging it out when it gets buried. 🙂
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Good question, Betty. I suspect that setting is part of the problem we are facing today. Art and poetry are the juice that enlivens the world and even inspires the art of mathematics, but too much has been set and driven away from what it could be in a more child-wonderful world.
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I agree, Thomas – plus our disconnection from nature, and society’s focus on dogma, technology, and blind belief…. those things also take away the free-flowing wonder of play and delight that we’re born with. Thanks for your thoughtful comment!
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Very simple, very special, Betty!
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Thanks for saying so, Diane. 🙂
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Flowing into any form…personalities like liquid…this one brings up a lot for me, Betty. I’ve always had a sense of disdain for the easy malleability of what I’ve felt is my own identity. I often wish to be set, just put me in the fridge and let me get more solid so that I can who, exactly, I am…and many other thoughts arise. Thanks!
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