Last Monday, the Dream Keepers were delighted to welcome guest speaker Keri Gerlach, Director of Marketing at Clement Manor, Inc. in Milwaukee. Keri is both a photographer and a writer. She brought beautiful framed photos and invited the young people to use them for inspiration. What fun we had!
The first group of writings comes from a photo of a tree's gnarled roots in spring, just before the earth has come back to life.
Around The Tree
by Lamar Hobson
I walk around a tree like three
times. It looks like darkness and
big as this tree is, I think if I touch him,
he going to eat me.
Everyone Has Roots
by Olivia Bell
Some people are like leaves, unstable, always moving with the wind. The season changes, they wither and die. They take and give shade under the harshness of the sun, but rarely do they stay all year long. In your time of need, the wind has taken them, and they will not return upon your calling.
Others are like branches on a tree. Little do they move with the wind or rain, but if you need a place to rest your head, they may break under your weight, and leave you hanging high and dry.
Some, very few, are the roots that help that tree live. When you find some roots, hold onto them. When the wind blows, they'll help anchor you to the ground. Don't let go.
Beneath the Big Tree
by Elisha Branch
Beneath the big tree is where I like to be
Where I hide and no one can see.
Beneath the big tree is where I run and flee
to be alone with no one just me.
I go to the tree and be and I don't know, sometimes I'll sleep
Beneath the big tree is just like me
I can tell it anything and my secrets will keep.
I go to the tree to think about what I could be
and look at myself and see what no one else sees
There is not place like the big tree
I can't go anywhere else because anywhere else doesn't want me.
One day I decided to leave the big tree
And I saw boys and girls and they were all unhappy.
There was no protection and the world scared me
And just as she told me, I ran back to be with my friend beneath the big tree.
Roots
by Natalie Branch
As I gazed at the picture of this miraculous tree's roots, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. This simple picture contained such detail without so much as making a sound. I remember thinking as I gazed at this picture, that roots are the foundation of life. Everyone wants to know where their genetic makeup comes from, and it all comes from their roots. No one comes about as they wish, for we all have an ancestor to blame or to thank for your traits. It's because of our roots that we have the blue eyes that we love or the hairy backs that we hate. But if it wasn't for roots we wouldn't be here today. From your roots you have grown into a full grown tree. Life comes from the roots through the tree right to the new leaves. Your roots go on forever, and not many know how far. Just live your life the best you can and pass your old and new roots to the next born star.
The next two pieces of writing were inspired by a picture of an island near Door County, Wisconsin. The island looked dark and gloomy under a heavily clouded sky.
Mystery Island
by Ashley Kinnard
It was a stormy night on mystery island. No one knew what it was really called because the myths said, "If anyone tried to find out the real name, they would be cursed forever. Also, their family members would be cursed." So this is why no one comes to mystery island.. But I am on mystery island because it is a good vacation area—not many people. Also, there is another myth that Black Beard left three wishes in his treasure chest of with all sorts of goods. So I have dug for two years. I hope Black Beard's ghost gives me the wishes. Finally, I hit something in the ground! A treasure chest! I am the luckiest girl in the world!
The Storm
by Kenneth W.
When I first saw the picture, it shocked me. Look how the clouds are and how dark they are. It's like it changes color. It seems a storm is coming. A big rain storm is coming. When the clouds get like that it means that something is going to happen. It might rain or snow or you might have a tornado. I wouldn't want to be there in it, because I don't want anything to happen to me.
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