Grace L. Park

September 5, 2014

“Dreaming of Friends” by Grace L. ParkPosted by

Grace L. Park (age 15)

DREAMING OF FRIENDS

A tiger in my dream chases me, and I wake cold in fear
My mother tells me that people don’t give up when they love you.
I dream of the tiger again. This time, we become friends.

—from 2014 Rattle Young Poets Anthology

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Why do you like to write poetry?

Grace L. Park: “I find that my poetry is strongest when it’s from my experiences. In fact, one of my favorite quotes is one by John Steinbeck, who said, ‘A story to be effective [has] to convey something from the writer to the reader, and the power of its offering [is] the measure of its excellence. Outside of that, there [are] no rules.’ These sijos are two of my attempts to capture some of my experiences and how they’ve affected me.”

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August 29, 2014

“The Power of Clothes” by Grace L. ParkPosted by

Grace L. Park (age 15)

THE POWER OF CLOTHES

I change from shorts to pantsuit, sweat left inside the car,
On top of the gym bag; careful steps in heels, not flip-flops. 
People act the way they dress; skipping is impossible in suits.

—from 2014 Rattle Young Poets Anthology

__________

Why do you like to write poetry?

Grace L. Park: “I find that my poetry is strongest when it’s from my experiences. In fact, one of my favorite quotes is one by John Steinbeck, who said, ‘A story to be effective [has] to convey something from the writer to the reader, and the power of its offering [is] the measure of its excellence. Outside of that, there [are] no rules.’ These sijos are two of my attempts to capture some of my experiences and how they’ve affected me.”

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July 14, 2014

“Grey Faith” by Grace L. ParkPosted by

Grace L. Park

GREY FAITH

I believe in greys:
In the heavy moments before something
Happens: start, stop. Breathe. 
I believe in the storm clouds before they rain.
 
I believe in greys:
Not black or white; ink being too final
For me; the grey softness of pencil; clay hands.
I believe in what can change. 
 
I believe in greys:
The fuzz of the car seat; my mother’s absolution
Enough for me. Harsh streetlights—years—flashing past, 
A silent film of sidewalks, dandelion wishes.
I believe that lamp posts burn longer than the moon. 
 
I believe in the greys:
In the before, the tomorrows and change-ables;
In the hopes of dirty concrete and second chance.
I believe that 
redemption 
is stronger than hope.
 

—from Rattle #42, Winter 2013

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Grace L. Park: “I think poetry’s a bit like photography; both take snapshots of their creators and the subject. However, I find that like the best portraits, a good poem captures not only my feelings, but also how I got there and what my thought process was. ‘Grey Faith’ is a ‘portrait’ of my reaction to a quote by Sherry L. Hoppe: ‘Between the radiant white of a clear conscience and the coal black of a conscience sullied by sin lie many shades of gray—where most of us live our lives. Not perfect but not beyond redemption.’ I have a faith—a grey one—that believes redemption is stronger than hope.”

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