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Okanagan College's Adult Special Education program has a unique creative writing course called "Writing Your Life," where students can explore other ways of knowing through stories, poems, songs, prayers, letters and field trips. Meet the students and read their work below.

Poems by Ricky Barnes

Ricky Barnes, when he is not cheering for his favourite soccer team (or football, as he would call it) Liverpool Football Club England, watching movies, and connecting on Facebook, can be found writing amazing poetry in ASE’s creative writing course, “Write Your Life."  Below are three of Ricky’s favourite poems.

I feel……

I feel LUCKY because a vase of cactus white flowers is calming,
I feel ALIVE watering my roses Pink, Red and White flowers,
I feel INSPIRED when Phoebe soccer cleats running fast,
I feel DELIGHTED Phoebe match done, so proud of her,
I feel AMAZED when I go the pond and ducks go by,
I feel ADVENTUROUS when I go to the Forest and the Sun out,
I feel EAGER my first car, is coming, it’s coming,
I feel HAPPY as long as my scooter is ‘perfick’.

I Went Out Today

I went out today
Into the Beach
There were People Volleyballing
And Viewing and Visiting.
There were People Walking
And Waving and Working.
There were People Swimming
And Snorkeling and Sliding
There were People Happily Human

Day and Night

Sun takes the coldness in the cloudless blue sky.
The night guides the moonlight sky forward in black shadow
The stars shows the bright sky shining brilliantly
Stone looks frightening at the pools edge

Poems by Ellen Mackenzie

Yellow Blanket

Tattered faded yellow blanket 
Needs to be pitched 
In the sad garbage can 
Bent and misshapen 
Being turffed around 
 
Heartbroken to see it go 
My eyes are full of tears 
One less faded yellow blanket
 To be carted and stowed in a cupboard 
The other blankets are moping 
So forlorn 
 
Soft and yellow 
It lived in a crib 
A sucky blanket for Emma 
To cuddle and roll around on 
It lays with a shredded dog toy 
Waiting for me to retrieve it 
That tattered faded yellow blanket 
So full of memories

Scurrying Legs 

Loons cry ever loudly 
Water lapping at the sand 
We walk leisurely 
Trying not to step on ants 
Spiders are racing around 

Ice Eagle 

Sunshine warms the earth 
Ice is breaking on the lake
Eager to catch fish 
Before the eagle can strike 
I watch his talons open