It's the final Poetry Friday of Poetry Month, and the marvelous Laura Purdie Salas has the honor of being our host today at her blog, Writing The World for Kids! Thank you Laura! I also want to say thanks to Mary Lee Hahn at A Year of Reading, and her wonderful April posts/poems. I have had the pleasure of being inspired by the media shared at her site often this month, and am thankful for it. Mary Lee's work has helped me publish a few posts since I've tried to write every April day. Please visit!
Don't forget to look to the right to see whose turn it is to add a line to the 2nd Annual Progressive Poem, the idea created by Irene Latham at Live Your Poem. Then head over to see how it's going! We're almost at the end!
A giveaway to note! Visit the Teaching Authors website for a terrific giveaway.
If you’d like to see more of the spectacular happenings occurring in April, check out Jama Rattigan’s blog, Jama’s Alphabet Soup.
I've been thinking a lot about this little book that I've kept for a long time. I have current addresses on my computer now, but for close family and friends, their information still is entered in this address book, and carried in my handbag. I've also entered dates of births and deaths. In my memory, the book holds story upon story. I only need to look at a page of names and changes of addresses, records. I recently recorded another goodbye in this book, hence my poem.
Dear Little Book
little
brown
leather
book
simple
title
ADDRESSES-look
at
the names
still
known
and
recorded -
those
gone
pencil
scratches
history
clear
cities,
people
all
are dear
this
small book
stories
strong
human
lives
my
folksong
©Linda
Baie, 2013
I like that last line, Linda. While cleaning out my dad's house in recent months, I came home with my mother's address book. It looks very similar to yours, but a bit more tattered and stuffed with little yellow sticky notes where she just pasted the new changes over the old ones. Yes, lots of stories there.
ReplyDeleteDoraine, thank you! I think my brother has my mother's book. In today's computer world, I wonder why there are still so many address books on sale?
DeleteI have a hard time keeping my address book up to date, Linda. Every Christmas, I wish I had done a better job during the year! I especially like the last stanza -- nice image!
ReplyDeleteI know about the up to date. They aren't all in there anymore-mostly I update the online labels. Thanks Tabatha.
DeleteAwh that 's lovely, Linda. My folksong indeed.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Catherine.
DeleteI'm so attracted to the enjambment in your lines "Addresses--look/ at the names/still known." It's a perfect space to pause in your poem!
ReplyDeleteThank you Laura. I like that you 'like' that. I also fussed with the punctuation, wanting to show 'how' to read it. Fun to play with it!
DeleteI, too, still have a leather/paper address book even though most of my contacts are in my phone or on my computer. I love that you wrote such a concise, heartfelt ode to that almost extinct but important book. Thank you, Linda! =)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Bridget. Glad to hear of someone else who still has one!
Deletehuman lives
ReplyDeletemy folksong
So, so true, Linda. I too have a book like this, frayed and tattere but so precious. Just leafing through it makes me realize how much has changed in my life - and how many lives within this little book have also changed. Gives one pause, right?!
I'm glad I wrote and shared so I could hear about everyone's books, too, Tara. It is really a history, isn't it?
DeleteBeautiful, Linda. Love that last line: "My folksong."
ReplyDeleteViolet N.
Thank you Violet!
DeleteOh, the stories our address books could tell. I also love the last line, my folksong.
ReplyDeleteThanks Margaret. I may have found new sources of inspiration!
DeleteThis is really lovely, Linda. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteCatherine
Thanks Catherine-it was fun to write!
DeleteHi dear Linda, the last four lines resonated with me:
ReplyDelete"this small book
stories strong
human lives
my folksong"
I remember having an address book once before - and getting new and old friends to write their particulars on it. yes, they do evoke that lost air of nostalgia. :)
Thanks Myra. I still wonder if anyone is purchasing all those address books I see in the stores?
DeleteI have loved writing with you this month, Linda! We'll have to find a way to trade prompts in the future!
ReplyDeleteThank you Mary Lee. It's been a pleasure!
DeleteLinda, this is so lovely! And I'm embarrassed to say I haven't seen ANY of Mary Lee's prompts. I will be checking out her Poetry Month posts soon. I love how personal your poem is...
ReplyDeleteThanks Laura. I hope you do check out Mary Lee's posts-quite wonderful!
DeleteWonderful subject and wonderful poem!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ruth.
DeleteI still keep an address book by hand. I think you nailed it - it's those scratched out bits and stories I don't want to let go of! Another vote from here for "my folksong" - wonderful. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks Robyn-such fun to hear others still are keeping their address book-hard to part with it!
Delete