Poetry Friday is hosted today by Karen Edmisten. Check out her page for links to more poets sharing work today.
In 1958, when I was five years old, my parents and other relatives set out on a great adventure north. I have been writing bits and pieces about that time for a while. Over the last couple of years I interviewed remaining family members for more details and stories about their adventure. I need motivation to write, and so I am hoping to post bits and pieces of their saga here every Friday. I doubt they will be in any kind of order. I'm just hoping to get some kind of reasonable drafts out there. I am hoping for feedback both on the construction of the poetry, and perhaps more story from family.
leaving
they who didn't own much
to start, sold everything
kept the essentials
dishes, cutlery,
frying pan, cooking pot,
a change of clothes,
diapers and bedding
loaded up car trunks,
tied larger items to roofs,
piled the rest
into the one truck
someone owned.
nigh onto penniless
this motley crew
a convoy of
my maternal relations
parents, teens, children and newborns
packed into bench seats
bade their farewells
to those left behind
high on hope
like generations before them,
they abandoned their hometown
and set out on the long trek
into the hinterland
north of Prince George
deep into the Pine Valley
they were
loggers, pioneers, dreamers
heads and hearts filled
with plans and schemes
for a better life
I hope you do keep going with it and share with us, Cheriee. You've set up a poignant scene, with hopeful dreamers -- even wee bairns -- heading off into the valley.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic way to preserve some family history while honing your poetry writing skills. Looking forward to reading more!
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be wonderful, Cheriee. Now I want to know more, especially about what happened to you!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading more of this story. Lots of wonderful things happening here!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful start!
ReplyDeleteSo poignant. It's all very strong. My favorite verse is:
ReplyDeletenigh onto penniless
this motley crew
a convoy of
my maternal relations
parents, teens, children and newborns
packed into bench seats
bade their farewells
to those left behind
"high on hope
ReplyDeletelike generations before them"
What a great way to start to capture the story of your family.
I have to laugh at myself, Cheriee--here in MD we have a Prince George's County, and I first pictured your family traveling north of HERE to, I don't know, New York? I see now that your "north of Prince George" must be *uite far north indeed! I love the specific list of what they did save, what they did take. Were you born yet? This is story I'd like to follow!
ReplyDeletePrince George is a city in the middle of British Columbia here in Canada. It's not as far north as Alaska, but it's pretty far.
DeleteAll of your details bring this to life--looking forward to reading more!
ReplyDeleteCheriee, your story that chronicles your family history is interesting. I liked many thoughts but the last stanza notes the hope the loggers, pioneers, and reamers had. I also like what followed:
ReplyDeleteheads and hearts filled
with plans and schemes
for a better life