Poetry Friday's party today is hosted by Carol Varsalon at Beyond Literacy Link. Carol shares a poetic 'memo' to Mother Earth today and offers all of us a poetry bouquet (changing from bouquet, now it's truly an entire flower shop!) of entries for her #naturenurtures gallery. Thanks, Carol!
We are meeting and working hard planning to re-open the used bookstore where I have been volunteering. It will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary! Once upon a time, there was a part-time paid manager but in the past few years, this non-profit is entirely run by volunteers. As I said, we're working hard and without the special rewards of helping customers and talking with them about books! But soon, we're going try to open again as safely for all concerned as possible. This entails lists, some meetings, individually working at the store itself, going through donations, choosing books to sell online (we only do some), pulling books to pass on to make room for new ones. It's a lot of work, but I and those others with me love the store. I have only been there for a few years since I retired from teaching, but others have been there literally for years and years.
This poem was sent to me and to other workers by one of our leaders as a thank you for these recent weeks, for getting ready! I'm sure every one of you has a list of workers to thank, too, as I do: those on the front lines--medical personnel, grocery workers, transit & delivery drivers, those who are in charge of cleaning, the police and firefighters; the teachers finishing a year they won't forget, and those small business owners preparing some kind of open, all worried about safety and their businesses. It is thoughtful to consider the work and to say thank you.
Here's the beginning of the poem.
To be of use
BY MARGE PIERCY
The people I love the best
jump into work head first
without dallying in the shallows
and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.
They seem to become natives of that element,
the black sleek heads of seals
bouncing like half-submerged balls.
I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,
who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,
who do what has to be done, again and again.
and the rest can be found HERE!
Linda, the poem you shared from Piercy written in 1982 is so on target for these times. I just love the work you are doing in the book store. You and your team are working effortlessly to promote reading as a lifelong practice. Do the grandgirls ever help you out at the shop?
ReplyDeleteGreat lines: "I want to be with people who submerge
in the task, who go into the fields to harvest
and work in a row and pass the bags along,"
Teamwork is so important in the 21st century. It is my hope that one day we will be able to reunite with our fellow teammates, bond, and helped make a better world. The pandemic has taught us the importance of this.
What a workhorse of a poem. Gratitude is important - and so too are people willing to step up and do the hard work. I do hope your current efforts are rewarded with interactions and joy, very soon!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful poem. I love how it makes me, the reader, want to be one of those people. I love working hard along side friends. Truly, my best friendships are those of a parallel focus. Thank you for sharing this poem. It's a keeper!
ReplyDeleteI love that poem! It sounds like you are doing good work, Linda. I have 8-10 bags of books to give away...it made me wish I could have a "free book" yard sale. (I am having them picked up as part of an American Red Cross donation since yard sales aren't happening.) Good luck navigating being open and being safe!
ReplyDeleteThanks, everyone. I was so grateful to receive this poem & wanted to share it with everyone. Tabatha, I did share from my porch some of my new arcs & picture books that I receive from publishers. A few from the neighborhood came by to gather a few. I didn't sell, just giveaways.
ReplyDeleteYES to gratitude. Such a perfect poem to honor all those who work on our behalf, people we often take for granted. And thank YOU for volunteering at the used bookstore and for making plans to reopen. I'm sure local booklovers miss the chance to drop in, browse, chat, and find a treasure.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jama, what a strange time to live. We are finding about people in interesting ways these days. I am looking forward to visiting wtih our customers!
DeleteI have great respect for all the essential workers who have worked through the height of this mess. This poem honors them so well. Thank you for your hard work readying your bookstore for its reopening - SO much to think about. Stay safe and enjoy your customers, Linda. :)
ReplyDeleteI am working, but nothing close to what some are doing, Bridget. That is what gets to me, too, all the details, plus the information keeps changing! We hope to do our best! Thanks!
DeleteThe bookstore is lucky to have so many passionate volunteers like yourself! How special that someone sent you all this poem in thanks. I love "The work of the world is common as mud." It's true. The poem also reminds me of these lines from Naomi Shihab Nye's "Famous": "I want to be famous in the way a pulley is famous,/ or a buttonhole, not because it did anything spectacular,/ but because it never forgot what it could do."
ReplyDeleteYes, I so appreciated the poem, Michelle! Thanks for Naomi Nye's words, too. She knows how thing are in many ways, too.
DeleteI love seeing this poem here when we are working hard to make life normal for each other. You in the book store, teachers in their online classrooms, and even workers like my daughters, professionals getting the job done despite all the hurdles to cross.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you liked it. Me, too, hence wanting to share with everyone, perhaps passing it on? Thanks, Margaret.
DeleteWhat a wonderful poem to share right now.Marge Piercy's word choice is so powerful. Her poem reminds me to be mindful about what work is the most important work--what is worth doing? Thanks for sharing this today and for all that you're doing to work toward safely reopening your book store--a community hub, I am sure!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Molly. Yes, the store is on a street with other small stores, all trying hard to stay! The poem feels important tome. I'm glad you like it, too!
DeleteThis poem is a favorite of mine which I've shared often--I'm so glad you have some water to carry and a destination to carry it to. Be well in your work!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Heidi, this was new to me & now will be a favorite, too!
DeleteFabulous poem, Linda. I'm somewhat jealous of your work there. The books and the camaraderie... it's good work! Thanks for all your work and for sharing this poem... love it!
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be fun if you lived here & could volunteer? We have some young people, even highschool aged, but most are retired! I'm happy that you enjoyed the poem, Karen. Thanks!
DeleteLinda, thank you (and your fellow volunteers) for working to get the bookstore reopened. Now, more than ever, we need books. I love the poem your colleague chose, and especially loved the swimming analogy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this richly layered poem Linda, I like the ending stanza especially, calling out to :
ReplyDelete"The pitcher cries for water to carry
and a person for work that is real."
I echo Tabatha's thoughts and words above while you prepare to return to the bookshop, be vigilant and "Good luck navigating being open and being safe!"
Thank you, Sally & Michelle. It's pleasure working at the bookstore & sharing this poem! Every day I think of the workers doing what is needed for all of us to keep going.
ReplyDeleteI love that poem, especially
ReplyDelete"The pitcher cries for water to carry
and a person for work that is real."
Hooray for your volunteer work in the bookstore!
Thanks, Mary Lee, yes I love the idea that Piercy has given to us about work.
DeleteLinda, this is wonderful. I think of myself as a helper and a doer...but I am also a slow adapter. I think a lot about what I can do and what I can realistically commit to. So in emergency situations, I think by the time I come to some specific thing to do, the emergency is often over. This poem is terrific food for thought--thank you.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that that is why the poem is so powerful, Laura, makes us think about our own lives & what we want to do with them. It's tough to choose always. Thank you for sharing those thoughts.
DeleteI am late to the party, but so appreciative of your post and this spectacular, hardworking poem (I had also singled out those ending two lines, as Michelle and Mary Lee did!) - so perfect for now. And so appreciative of YOU - your generous embrace of each new day. Take good care and best wishes for the bookstore in its "golden" year! XO
ReplyDeleteThanks, Robyn, okay to be late. I hope your Memorial Day weekend was filled with goodness.
Delete