Poem A Day Challenge April 16, 2019

I have been occupied hand sewing appliqué to a quilt. My part must be finished is this evening, and I am not sure I will be done in time. Everything always takes longer than I anticipate, especially when dealing with 1/8 inch stitches. 

I am thankful that I had the seed for this poem started so I didn't have to start from scratch at 10:00 last night. It doesn't feel done, but it's all the time I have for it now.


these hands

these hands have 

held onto

sweethearts
friends,
brothers, sisters
children, grandchildren
my mother and father
and aging grandparents

These hands have
cradled history

bathed infants
changed diapers,
washed faces
dried tears
smacked bottoms

these hands have
brought joy

massaged 

my ailing mother
caressed lovers,
secretly
pleasured me,

these hands have 

built things

held hammers,
pounded nails,
painted walls
sanded and
repaired furniture

these hands have 

created beauty

measured bodies,
cut and stitched fabric
wound yarn
worked needles 

and hooks

these hands have
mucked in dirt

planted seeds and seedlings

pulled weeds
tied up plants
harvested the fruits 

of my labour 

these hands have
fed my family

handled knives, spoons
kneaded dough,
rolled and patted pastry
measured ingredients
filled jars
and tightened rings

these hands have
worked hard

washed dishes
and toilets,
hung clothes on lines

swept floors
scrubbed counters,
floors and walls

these hands have
brought change

knocked on doors 

dialed phones
written letters
held signs
delivered pamphlets

these hands have
carried memories

hankies tied up

with lunch money
given to me by my granny
books
pencils and paper
a viola
and a clarinet
(the last two,
were not successes)

these hands have

suffered

burns
cuts
carpel tunnel
chapped, cracked skin
aging

these hands have
communicated

beckoned
waved goodbye
acted out songs
clapped rhythms
applauded greatness
and effort

these hands have

gripped 

coffee in morning
and
celebratory
glasses of wine,
at night

these hands

Poem A Day Challenge April 15, 2019

I've been working on this poem off and on for nearly a year, ever since my sister's death from a fentanyl overdose last June. It's for her, all the other people with mental health issues, and those of us who love them.

Today I'm setting it free.

Hold On

Go dive into the darkness
It's what you have to do
A friend is feeling lonely
A friend is needing you

Short sojourns in that darkness
Might be traversed alone
But for those who bide inside it
There is no place called home

Together in that bleakness
Where you have been before
Sit with her in silence
And end up being more

There are things inside us
That we can not understand
Horrors beyond measure
Til love holds out a hand

We can't make feelings whither
Or fix what hurts inside
But It's better here together
With nothing left to hide

There is no shame in sorrow
There's no embarrassment in pain
Just be there tomorrow
If you're needed once again

From the depths of darkness
A story must be told,
your ears are there to listen
your arms are there to hold

#IMWAYR April 15, 2019

#IMWAYR time again, when readers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to in the past week. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at Book Date. Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers host the kidlit rendition. Whatever you are looking forward to in your next great read, these are fabulous places to start your search.

Writing poetry, reading other people's poetry, sewing on a quilt, and working, have really interfered with my reading life. Thankfully there have still been some segments of time for reading picture books. 

I want to give a shout out to all the people who are writing paint chip poetry. Because of you all I went off and collected a mess of paint chips from the hardware store and have been doing poetry workshops in the library. Almost all of the children's work has been amazing. Next week I will try to get copies so I can share them with you. The best part of it all was seeing a charming obstreperous lad go from writing one brilliant antisocial poem, to one so full of tenderness that tears came to my eyes. 

BLOG POSTS LAST WEEK

Poem A Day Posts

7. endings are never really
8. Dealing With The Inevitable
9. Quail
10. Paint Chip Poetry
11. Amanda
12. Characters*
13. Morning Joy
14. Another One

PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

Little Whale by Jo Weaver

I've been reading this book to groups of primary students this week. They were completely captivated. I wish the book had a map showing the whales' migration route. I ended up pulling out a map to show the distance these animals travel. I don't think they really understand how far this is, but they were still impressed, especially those who had been to Mexico themselves! The other thing we talked about was what was true and what might be fiction. Kindergarten, grade one and grade two are very clever!

4 stars

Awâsis and the World-Famous Bannock by Dallas Hunt & Amanda Strong (Illustrations)

This charming story tells us about a young girl, who in the process of delivering her grandmother's world famous bannock, accidentally drops it in the river. Lucky for her different animals give her the ingredients to make another batch. I like that Cree is used through every book and that there is pronunciation guide in the back matter. There is also a bannock recipe.
Both of these creators are Indigenous Canadians. 🍁

4 stars

We Are Brothers by Yves Nadon & Jean Claverie (Illustrator)

This beautiful book is full of tenderness and love as an older brother encourages his younger sibling to leap off a rock into a lake. Jean Claverie's illustrations add a richness and depth to the story. 
Yves Nadon is a French Canadian author. 🍁

4 stars

Square (The Shapes Trilogy #2) by Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen (Illustrator)

I really liked the humour in Triangle. This one has humour, but it's also got a depth that can lead to meaningful conversations.

4 stars

Giraffe Problems by Jory John & Lane Smith (Illustrations)

Giraffe is mortified by his long neck. He wants to be like other animals. Then he meets turtle who shows him how remarkable his long neck really is. I hoped this book would work with younger students, but it is a bit text heavy for them. I tried just going through the book with Ada and looking at the pictures, but all she really wanted to do was look at the section where Giraffe is hiding.

NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

Robins: Songbirds of Spring by Mia Posada

The information in this book is delivered through rhyming poetry and delightful illustrations. The back matter includes four pages of additional details about robins.

3.5 stars

Jane Goodall by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara & Beatrice Cerocchi (Illustrator)

I am impressed with how much information is delivered in this simple book. My only complaint is that in many pages the print blends into the background colours making it difficult to read.

5 stars

Mama Dug a Little Den by Jennifer Ward & Steve Jenkins (Illustrations)

This book is brilliant. Steve Jenkins artwork is as spectacular as only his can be. Jennifer Ward's text is written in two parts. Each two page spread features the den of a different animal. At the top of the page is a poem about the animal's den. At the bottom is a nonfiction paragraph with more information.

5 stars

When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana by Michael James Mahin & José Ramirez (Illustrator)

I remember being gobsmacked by Santana's first album in my final years of high school, long, long ago in the late 1960's. After reading this book I went to listen to some of that music and was impressed all over again.
I appreciated learning more about his early years and how he became such a renowned musician. José Ramirez' artwork is just stunning.

If you are not acquainted with Carlos Santana's genius, go and listen to this version of Evil Ways at Woodstock. Go even if you are. The trip is worth it.

CURRENTLY

I am almost finished listening to Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan. I'm embarrassed to admit that I hardly made any progress in Love and Laughter in the Time of Chemotherapy by Manjusha Pawagi.

UP NEXT

My next audiobook will be whatever shows up or whatever I feel like listening to. I'm hoping to start reading Watch Us Rise by Renée Watson. Luckily no one else had a reserve on it and I was able to renew it. 

PROGRESS ON MY READING GOALS

#MustReadIn2018 10/25

#MustReadNFIn2018 5/12 1 in progress

25 Books by Canadian Indigenous Authors 7/25

25 books by Canadian Authors 22/25

Goodreads Reading Challenge 130/333

Poem A Day Challenge April 14, 2019

As the eldest of five children, I came to adore all of my siblings, but that doesn't mean it was always easy. This is from one of my earliest memories. I am not certain if these feelings are from the third or fourth baby. 

Both of my little brothers are precious to me now. 

Another One

I might have been three, but I think I was four

This new infant I did not adore

It had the adults in a tizzy

Their fuss and bother made me dizzy

This one was not ordinary 

This one made me quite contrary

The nasty little newborn beast

Had deprived me of my birthday feast

Making matters even worse 

It was a he child, such a curse

Were not three daughters quite enough

Were we not sweet, were we not tough?

Into the bedroom I stealthily crept

Peaking at the wee one as it slept

What made this mewling child unique?

He had no fur, no wings, no beak

I looked outside the window and opened it a bit

Wondering if I threw him out, could I get away with it?

If out the dormer he I dumped,

Could I say that he had jumped?

Happily we two were saved

An aunt came in and hugs she gave

To me, not him and so it is

My little brother got to live

Poem A Day Challenge April 13, 2019

I am a very lucky Grandmother who shares a house with her son, daughter-in-law, and 22 month old granddaughter. 

Morning Joy

“Gamma!”
she cries,
smiling wide,
outstretched arms
toddle wobbling
down the hall
up and
into my heart
again


Links to other bloggers who are participating in the Poem a Day Challenge can be found here. 

Poem A Day Challenge & Poetry Friday April 12, 2019

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Irene Latham at Live Your Poem. 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. To motivate myself to write, I plan to post bits and pieces of their saga here every Friday. They might not be in any kind of order. I'm just hoping to get some kind of reasonable drafts out there. I hope for feedback both on the construction of the poetry, and more details from family.

This is the second instalment. You can read the first one here. 


Characters

my father
wanted to be more
than a tree faller
hard work didn’t frighten him
he intended to
build a nest egg,
fancied being a farmer
an horizon of sheep
filled his dreams

my mother
busy with four
children under six
and her belly full
of my baby brother,
followed him,
eyes primed
on possibility
trusting in him 
and a chunk of land
to call their own.

my parents were young
Daddy not yet 26
Mommy barely 25

the eldest of the lot,
my mother’s brother, Walter,
and his wife, Margaret,
were old enough to be her parents
they knew what was what
had been through the ringer
and survived
some of their
dozen children were
still in the nest
Peter, their youngest,
was only a couple of years older
than my five years

three of their older boys
(my mother’s age and younger)
brought wives and
passels of children:
Billy and Joyce,
Howard and Lynn,
Lee and Sharon

these were wild
untamed men,
a society of survivors,
hardworking,
undaunted,
taunting disaster and
fearless in the face
of adversity

they spoke the language of laughter
were appeased by a strong cup of coffee
and a shot of rye whisky.

I feared and revered them,
then, and for many years to follow.

the women were
get on with it
goddesses
did what they had to do
cooked, cleaned,
nursed babies,
carried
grit and determination
in their genes
had no truck with
giving up
their capacity for love
for joy
for forgiveness
was only outdone
by their generosity

a girl couldn’t get better role models than them

still can’t

Poem A Day Challenge April 11, 2019

In a life time of teaching, there are many students, for all kinds of reasons, who never leave your consciousness. Some of them break your heart. This is especially true if you feel you have failed them. This is a poem for one of the girls I still find myself wondering and worrying about. It might be hard to read for some pf you.

Amanda

I think of you while washing dishes

A ten-year-old girl, already lost

Already missing

We just didn’t know it yet

Brutalized by your psychopathic brother

Rescued from sexual slavery at the age of nine

I met you in May, late in the school year

But kept you for the next one

You were already lost

Trying to keep it together

In a family ripped apart by poverty and

Circumstances beyond its control

Never mind

Not being able to keep on top of laundry

No food was in the house

Attendance was hit and miss

Your confession to a classmate

About your abuse

Turned into a debacle,

Another betrayal by someone

Who claimed to be friend

I held onto you with my whole heart

Held you up the best I could

Celebrated every day you came

Worried then

Worry now,

Twenty odd years later

But you were already lost

Already disappearing

Your grade six and seven teachers

Focused on attendance

I thought you needed more

But you were smart

They saw school as

The route to your salvation

We,

Your mother,

Teachers,

Councillors,

And friends

We let you down

Didn’t save you

Couldn’t save you

Could we?

At 15 you were picked up

For prostitution.

Your probation officer called me,

Wanted someone to

Talk about your character

I wept afterwards

I weep still

Later I discovered you were

Finally, officially, missing

Today I thought of you while doing dishes

I think of you all the time

I wonder if you are still lost

I wonder if you can never be found

I wonder if it’s too late

for you to be saved


Links to previous poems can be seen here