(Poetry) freight train demure
Freight Train Demure was the name of my niche poetry site, and has become somewhat of a descriptor for my poetry. Read a few and it will make sense (i think). Poems can be RAW: an undefined idea, a sketch, or first draft; or REFINED: a mature draft, or a final-for-now piece.
Where did the name come from?
Sometime in 2004, sitting at Mississippi Pizza in Portland, Oregon, listening to Rustica, now Tin Silver, with a mixture of new and old friends.
A new friend says to an old friend, "Erin is so demure."
Old friend replies, "Yeah, like a freight train!"
We laughed, we liked it, it stuck. Old friend promises he is writing a song titled "freight train demure". It's been 10 years. Sometimes great ideas have long incubation periods.
Important Note:
I acknowledge that memory often shifts reality. My mind or experience, for whatever reason, may have shifted a reality you experienced, or I may have just changed something on purpose. It's alright; it's just poetry.
What else?
I am also a former teacher at both the high school and college levels. When invited and able, I participate in writer workshops, work with teachers about teaching writing, and custom-design and facilitate writing workshops for students. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to get paid to do it.
Where did the name come from?
Sometime in 2004, sitting at Mississippi Pizza in Portland, Oregon, listening to Rustica, now Tin Silver, with a mixture of new and old friends.
A new friend says to an old friend, "Erin is so demure."
Old friend replies, "Yeah, like a freight train!"
We laughed, we liked it, it stuck. Old friend promises he is writing a song titled "freight train demure". It's been 10 years. Sometimes great ideas have long incubation periods.
Important Note:
I acknowledge that memory often shifts reality. My mind or experience, for whatever reason, may have shifted a reality you experienced, or I may have just changed something on purpose. It's alright; it's just poetry.
What else?
I am also a former teacher at both the high school and college levels. When invited and able, I participate in writer workshops, work with teachers about teaching writing, and custom-design and facilitate writing workshops for students. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to get paid to do it.
Writing from mommaland
I was a writer
who dreamed of being an artist
and became an educator
while still writing
until I became a mom
and now am finding my writer self
again
through my momma self
Sharing MommaLand moments of hilarity, failure, discovery, joy, and "what the..." from my life with Ace and Zee.
I imagine my kids when they are older sitting in a group therapy session saying, or wearing a t-shirt to say, "My mom is a writer, what's your excuse?"
Ace and Zee, it all comes from love for you, and all the other mommas out there, whose love also consumes, on this crazy wonderful ride.
who dreamed of being an artist
and became an educator
while still writing
until I became a mom
and now am finding my writer self
again
through my momma self
Sharing MommaLand moments of hilarity, failure, discovery, joy, and "what the..." from my life with Ace and Zee.
I imagine my kids when they are older sitting in a group therapy session saying, or wearing a t-shirt to say, "My mom is a writer, what's your excuse?"
Ace and Zee, it all comes from love for you, and all the other mommas out there, whose love also consumes, on this crazy wonderful ride.
education on the verge
I've been an educator my whole life, although formally since 2000, as a teacher, teacher-leader, curriculum coordinator, gifted education coordinator, instructional coach, literacy coach, administrative intern, and private consultant. As an educator, I believe we should...
and I believe...
More at Verge Learning.
- Ask Questions
- Be Authentic
- Do Good With A Vengeance
- Focus On The Verge
- Simplify And Go
- Tell Our/Your Story
and I believe...
- Empower Is Power
- Equity Is Not Optional
- Two Is Better Than One
More at Verge Learning.
Just keep running
I run and write about running as part of a community. The Chafing The Dream running and writing team is a family. Here is our "story" (also on the website)...
We are not professional athletes. We don’t have sponsors or endorsements. You won’t see us on the cover of Runners World. We have day jobs, well, most of us do. We run for the medals, cool tech-tees, free beer, to get ourselves off the couch and away from our kids, to have an excuse to travel, to have an excuse to drink in the morning, to be able to eat ice cream and smoked ribs, to slow down the aging process, to wear tutus and other crazy costumes, to spend more time with friends, to drink free beer in the morning, to hear strangers yell our names like we are rock stars. We run because it’s fun, and yes, because it’s good for us, mentally and physically. We run because at some point we wanted to try it or someone coerced into trying it, and then at another point we fell in love with it (although it is often a love/hate relationship).
We are CHAFING THE DREAM, not chasing it. Chasing it implies we still haven’t achieved, and that would be false. Just getting out there and running is the dream. And boy does it chafe sometimes, but that’s how we like it. It reminds us that our dream is real, that being human involves some friction, and that living is sometimes painful and rewarding at the same time.
We hope you read our stories and laugh, and maybe be a little inspired to go on a crazy running adventure yourself, and definitely say a toast in our honor and tip one back for us.
We are not professional athletes. We don’t have sponsors or endorsements. You won’t see us on the cover of Runners World. We have day jobs, well, most of us do. We run for the medals, cool tech-tees, free beer, to get ourselves off the couch and away from our kids, to have an excuse to travel, to have an excuse to drink in the morning, to be able to eat ice cream and smoked ribs, to slow down the aging process, to wear tutus and other crazy costumes, to spend more time with friends, to drink free beer in the morning, to hear strangers yell our names like we are rock stars. We run because it’s fun, and yes, because it’s good for us, mentally and physically. We run because at some point we wanted to try it or someone coerced into trying it, and then at another point we fell in love with it (although it is often a love/hate relationship).
We are CHAFING THE DREAM, not chasing it. Chasing it implies we still haven’t achieved, and that would be false. Just getting out there and running is the dream. And boy does it chafe sometimes, but that’s how we like it. It reminds us that our dream is real, that being human involves some friction, and that living is sometimes painful and rewarding at the same time.
We hope you read our stories and laugh, and maybe be a little inspired to go on a crazy running adventure yourself, and definitely say a toast in our honor and tip one back for us.
The formal stuff...
- My Formal EducationB.A. English, Creative Writing: Poetry, University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998
- B.S. Secondary Education: Language Arts, University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998
- M.Ed. Curriculum & Instruction: Integrating the Arts, Lesley University, 2005
- Talented & Gifted Education Certificate, Pacific University, 2010
- Educational Leadership: Administrator Licensure program, Lewis & Clark College, 2014
