Every part of this was a treasure, Ann. You showed me your masterful writing skills AND you even helped me see ways to improve my own writing. Thank you.
I was thinking of you last evening and how you said you wrote poetry. I see the poet in you here. I am struck by all the ways you brought images to life as I read this essay, and those tadpoles seen as commas in the algae will stay with me for a long time. I truly enjoyed this narrative that gave me a glimpse of you as a child and the places that formed you as a person, an observer of life, and writer.
Oct 5, 2023·edited Oct 5, 2023Liked by Ann Kroeker
I love this so much Ann - such beautiful storytelling, and such a great analogy. But more than that, this is such a great example of how vivid memoir-writing can suddenly take a reader back to a story long forgotten of their own. In this case, your words and detailed description of the tadpoles’ metamorphosis reminded me of the ones I used to keep as a child, and how I would watch their little heads develop and features take shape and how sad I was when they were finally became baby frogs and had hopped away. In fact, when you describe your process of letting go, it almost brought tears to my eyes. Thank you so much for this, both in the teaching, and in the telling.
I'm glad you scooped up this memory from your story hatchery and shared it with us! One of my favorite lines: "After our day at the farm, we rode down winding country roads in the evening light, and I stared at the mild ju balanced on my thin bare legs." In my mind I can see young Ann studying her treasure! And that was a treasure to me. Thanks, Ann :)
Every part of this was a treasure, Ann. You showed me your masterful writing skills AND you even helped me see ways to improve my own writing. Thank you.
I was thinking of you last evening and how you said you wrote poetry. I see the poet in you here. I am struck by all the ways you brought images to life as I read this essay, and those tadpoles seen as commas in the algae will stay with me for a long time. I truly enjoyed this narrative that gave me a glimpse of you as a child and the places that formed you as a person, an observer of life, and writer.
I love this so much Ann - such beautiful storytelling, and such a great analogy. But more than that, this is such a great example of how vivid memoir-writing can suddenly take a reader back to a story long forgotten of their own. In this case, your words and detailed description of the tadpoles’ metamorphosis reminded me of the ones I used to keep as a child, and how I would watch their little heads develop and features take shape and how sad I was when they were finally became baby frogs and had hopped away. In fact, when you describe your process of letting go, it almost brought tears to my eyes. Thank you so much for this, both in the teaching, and in the telling.
I'm glad you scooped up this memory from your story hatchery and shared it with us! One of my favorite lines: "After our day at the farm, we rode down winding country roads in the evening light, and I stared at the mild ju balanced on my thin bare legs." In my mind I can see young Ann studying her treasure! And that was a treasure to me. Thanks, Ann :)