Do you have a nursery rhyme or poem, or saying from childhood that still stays with you? In my case, I internalized a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:
Photo credit and copyright: Biography.com
There was a little girl
There was a little girl,
Who had a little curl,
Right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good,
She was very good indeed,
But when she was bad she was horrid.
It was one my mother said to me frequently, and I still occasionally fall into the trap of thinking I can only be very good, or horrid. Influence from this poem is referenced in portions of my manuscript. And while I’m all degrees in between, isn’t it funny the words and stories that shape us when we’re young…
Tell me yours?
Happy Manuscript Monday, readers!
Love, Marla
Special thanks to the Poetry Foundation for sharing so many beautiful works on their site.
Your mother and my mother must have been related.
That is so strange!! Just a couple days ago I had that same poem rattling around in my head for no particular reason!! Oh how vividly I can hear mom reciting that poem!!
Cant think of anything specific for myself right now, but I’m sure there were a few!
Great post!