Poetry Friday is hosted by Molly Hogan here at Nix The Comfort Zone! She's lamenting the splintering of Maine's one area code in a new poem form and sharing a special swap from Tabatha. Thanks for hosting, Molly!Four years ago on Poetry Friday here I took Amy Ludwig VanDerwater's challenge on Michelle Heidenrich Barnes' Today's Little Ditty to write about small things. I wrote the following poem for my granddaughter Ingrid, then seven, who noticed and was sad that a wire wastebasket in my office seemed lonely, never used for its intended goal, to fill with trash!
The Lonely Wastebasket
A woeful wire wastebasket
sits lonely by my desk,
dejected and rejected.
Waiting for work.
Crumpled scraps of abandoned words
find home with another group nearby.
In the kitchen,
a charming red metal can
holds a colorful collage of trash,
ripe for making assorted acquaintances.
Linda Baie ©All Rights
Now Ingrid is eleven and while we now spend time together most every week, the pandemic first lessened some of the time and we began sharing poems back and forth via text or email. This past Wednesday as I was spending the day with her sister Imogene, Ingrid sent us both a poem. She still remembers!
untitled
How is the lonely wastebasket
sitting over there?
Tell Imogene to treat
him well and with lots of care.
Fill up his bucket with love
How is the lonely wastebasket
sitting over there?
Ingrid Krahling ©
Oh, my goodness...what a sweet observation. I love how kids see things. And, to think of a wastebasket filled up with words and lovingly crumpled papers! I admire and am inspired by how you grandmother. Someday, I hope to do the same for some special children in my life.
ReplyDeleteWell, I did not see that one coming! What a delight. Also, thank-you for sharing your granddaughters. I get so much joy from your interactions with them. (I think I can see me in them, many years ago.)
ReplyDeleteWonderful to see the poetic influence circle back around! Also, more generally, to see Ingrid and Imogene thriving as they develop their many talents and interests with their supportive family :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, I just love that conversation in poetry.
ReplyDeleteI love Ingrid's poem and her use of repetition. So sweet! Children, like your grandmother was, are so compassionate.
ReplyDeleteYou gave us so much to love in this poem. I'm back on those enchanting words, 'colorful collage of trash.' As I look into my waste basket, beside my writing desk, I can't describe the contents with better words. Perfection!
ReplyDeleteOh! This post delights me on so many levels! The initial observation, the poetic response (way to mentor poetry, Linda!) and now this spontaneous gift of a poem with its purposeful repetition. Reading this post made me feel lighter. Thanks so much for that!
ReplyDeleteLinda, I will think of a trash can differently now that your grandchildren prompted an endearing exchange of thoughts. Your new can "ripe for making assorted acquaintances" has a purpose based on your action plan. You have fostered such an amazing love of reading and writing poetry with your grandgirls as evidenced by Ingrid's poem. Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteThis is quite the "trashy" poetic conversation, Linda. (Hee-hee...see what I did there?) I love that you share poetry and imagination and care for inanimate objects' feelings in your family. You and Ingrid are awesome!
ReplyDeleteIt's as if that basket is too pretty to hold trash. I love that you have nurtured the poet in your grandgirl. Such an adorable poem full of voice.
ReplyDeleteNothing trashy about your poem Linda. Such great use of alliteration to set it on its way. Poetry of objects is a wonderful thing in which to invest. your words remind me of Valerie Worth. Love the ending of your post. Such a delightful ribbon with which to tie up this delightful post.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about your dear,
ReplyDelete"dejected and rejected." waste basket, and next popped up Ingrid's poem–a perfect pairing, and yes so much love here, thanks Linda!
How much fun is that! Great memory (and great poem!), Ingrid!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely thing to be communicating with your granddaughter via poems! (And amazing that she remembered from 7 to 11!) Both yours and hers are very fun to read aloud.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun that Ingrid remembered the lonely wastebasket and wrote a poem about it! I know that you're loving your time with the girls. Fun that they have separate days with you when they get to be the center of your world.
ReplyDeleteThanks to everyone for coming by and, as Bridget wrote, enjoying my 'trashy' post! Every day is lots of fun if only one notices!
ReplyDeleteLinda, you and your granddaughters just have the sweetest relationship. And I love that they're growing up as poets! So glad you're part of the PF Community. xox
ReplyDeletePoetry helps us in the happiest and the direst of times, doesn't it? I want the girls to know that! Thanks, Laura!
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