This is the result of a group writing excercise we did at the beginning, middle, and end of our journey on the AZT. We each reflected on a piece of paper for 10 minutes without picking up our pencils–non-stop writing. Anything goes. Then, we each read our peice aloud. Each group member then says one line that stuck out to them. This creates a very long group poem that reflects where we are as a group. We then read the poem aloud and everyone picks, again, one line that sticks out to them, thus creating a shortened version of the poem. Included here is the short and long version of the beginning group poem and the ending group poem.
Enjoy!
Short Beginning:
What does it take to begin?
Frightening, Frightening
Yellow
Satellites that don’t work
Continue starting
Beginnings are also endings
Satellites that don’t work
Awe inspiring
Frightening
Not sure how we know, we just do
And I found my shovel
Long Beginning:
Yellow
Growing from the sun
I found my shovel
Yellow
I am yellow
I was green
Layers falling away
Laughter we’ve never heard before
Canyons, creases
Commit
What’s it like to begin
Laughter we’ve never heard before
Beginning is the end
Frightening
Frightening
To begin is to end
Its time
Beginning is also ending
Frightening
Awe inspiring experience
Not sure how we know it, we just do
It doesn’t feel like we just began
It feels like we just are
Not sure how we know it
Awe inspiring experience
Without recognition
It doesn’t feel like we just began
Awareness is heightened
Grateful for the people apart of this expedition
Listen better when I try to understand where I am
Pam
Watching things unfold as on a screen
Grateful for the people on this expedition
Grateful for the people on this expedition
Spinning
Recognize their ability to mix
Waiting
Wild way in which we are alive
Dizziness even in silence
Recognize the ability to mix
Stir things up
Moving forward with faith
Continue starting
Satellites that don’t work
Dare mighty things
Satelites that don’t work
Kaeli
Starting
Moving forward with faith
Really hate yellow
Artificial bananas
The cockapoo that lost 15in
The flavor grape was ruined for me forever
Artificial banana no bueno
Where did she go?
Blue is my favorite, red is my second.
Short Ending Poem:
Only if we take off our masks and play tea party
Talking about poop before every meal
Hafiz will always have the voice of Chris
Freakin’ meaning
Gathering life back
Steady and deeper
I often catch myself in places language does not go
A landscape that pulls me into its heart by its vastness
I don’t feel the need to run, I just don’t want to crawl.
Long Ending Poem:
Only if we take our masks off and play tea party
Meaning
Our story will have an ending
Easy or hard
All stories have endings.
Even if things are peachy
The landscape pulls me into its heart
Talking about poop before every meal
I’ve been to Mexico but I’m not complete
There’s a fence in the way
The perfect mid
1-2-3-4 of Hardy’s hooves
Will I be changed forever?
It pulls me by the heart into its vastness
Doors and borders—opposites
Is ending a door or a border?
Moving forward is easy, choosing a door is not
Is it just easier with one?
Moving forward is easy, choosing a door is not
Moving forward is easy, choosing a door is not
Images that stay with us even after we’ve forgotten
Occupying space
When does it end?
On the Utah border—again
I choose when it ends.
I don’t feel the need to run.
I don’t feel the need to run, I just don’t want to crawl.
Ranish: I am here
I just don’t want to crawl
This gum is stale
Here I am again
Here in the end to begin again
To ask why not
Freakin’ meaning
Keep going, growing, showing up
Mary Beth finally crossing the bridge—a celebration
Freakin’ meaning
I often catch myself in places language does not go
What does it mean to end where so many try to begin
Lost in places that language does not touch
You can’t forget brownies
I hope I made some sort of small impact
I’ll end your beginning!
Which questions can I answer? Which can I let go?
And of course you can’t forget brownies!
Maybe these moments are enough
I’ll end your beginning!
Those parts we take with us
Like pieces of each other
Each breadth a beginning and end
Easily redirected
Most of the time on auto
The point of contact where I end and you begin
Most of the time on auto
Following life back
Steady and deeper
Where I stop and you begin again, again
The plants don’t care, they just live to grow
Live to grow
I am by no means complete and I don’t intend to be
I am by no means complete
Unanimous growth
I’ve unzipped my skin
I am by no means complete and I never intend to be
Shedding my skin by rubbing on sharp stones
Sometimes needing to be ugly before they get better.
Wherever I go there I am
Long after the memories have faded into useless nostalgia
Wild and precious life
One wild and precious life
Sometimes needing to be ugly before they get better
The valuable expense to my
One wild and precious life
The self of no matter what.
