Moving further into the beginning of the book. This time, "Mementos"
Remember to share:
Tabatha Yeatts has created a link to poems teachers and librarians can print for poetry month, titled "Poetry in The Halls". I'm grateful to be one of the poets!
Jama Rattigan has a post here with many poets' goals for April.
The Progressive Poem schedule can be found on the right!
The Years of Rocking
I’m touching the chair from 1901
when Great Grandpa’s hands
turned the wood and bent the strips
of my centenarian rocking chair.
I’m rocking the chair that
Great Grandpa’s hands
finished for daughter, Rosa, my grandma.
I’m dusting the chair that
Great Grandpa’s hands touched
those years ago, now rocked by
Grandma’s own children.
One was my dad –
little boy rocking.
I’m blessed with the chair that
Great Grandpa’s hands
created for years ahead,
rocking me,
then daughter and son,
my grandchildren, too.
Children smiled and hugged teddys
in their small rocking chair
made by Great Grandpa’s hands
with loving care.
Did he see them
from way up there?
Linda Baie ©
OH, what a precious heirloom! And you've immortalized it in your heartfelt poem. Cornelius is happy you included the hugged teddys in the poem too. :) There's nothing like handmade, especially if those hands are so loving. Thank you for this!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, Jama. Happy that you like the 'teddys', too. It is a most loved part of my life.
DeleteNot only is this rocking chair a treasure, but so is your poem. I love how you have captured history and belonging in this one. My cupboards are full of doilies, tablecloths and afghans created by the women who came before me. I keep them even if I don't use them. I also have a cradle that my father created, waiting for the next baby to use it again.
ReplyDeleteWe would have fun sharing together, I'm sure, Cheriee. Yes, I have those old 'creations', too. We gave away the cradle to a family in need, but this rocker will stay. All are special knowing the 'hands' that touched and created them. Thanks for telling me!
DeletePoem and rocker both warm my heart.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diane
DeleteYour poem and your chair are wonderful’
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteThere's something so meaningful in items created by hand with such love. And your poem that tells the story of the children who've rocked in the chair.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ramona, it is a pleasure to tell the stories.
DeleteLinda,
ReplyDeleteA few years ago our basement flooded. As you can imagine, we lost many items from water damage. Among them was a pair of chairs that had sat at my grandparents house. As we worked to clean the basement I realized that getting rid of the item was hard because of the way it represented a story. You've done such a beautiful job in this poem of capturing the story (stories) woven in the chair.
Thanks, Cathy, and I'm so sorry about your flooding damage. It feels good to capture some of these special things in poetry, so that the story can be passed on, even if the object somehow goes.
DeleteI love the memories in this chair. The generations that have rocked there. And I love the way you structured the poem- I'm touching, I'm rocking, I'm dusting, I'm blessed…It really works.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carol, it is one special thing to me.
Delete