It's April, Poetry Month, Day Eight! And it's Poetry Friday, hosted by Janice Scully at Salt City Verse! She's sharing a wonderful interview with David Elliott about his new book, At The Pond, and some extra advice for all. Thanks, Janice!
The bookmark, on top of the picture above, came into the bookstore at the end of March. Often people do donate books and leave 'treasures' in them. This time, it became my own treasure and I knew what I would do for April's poetry, write about found treasures, perhaps find new places to look? Happy April!
Plus! Check each day for the added line to the Progressive Poem, created by Irene Latham, now hosted by Margaret Simon! The link is to the right!
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| painted long years ago, a prize-winner |
Treasure from the Past
I grew up with a grandpa
who
raised pigs
ran a feed store
after losing nearly all his farm
in the Great Depression.
He read Shakespeare to me
along with The Wizard of Oz.
He taught me the starry sky
and to be kind to everyone.
When I remember him,
I think of patched pants
and work-worn hands,
his advice to love life
no matter what it brings,
especially when I was terrified
to go off to college
all alone. He promised
his thoughts would travel with me.
He sketched sometimes yet
I never knew that he won a prize
when he was young,
longed to be an artist.
The Great War took his palette.
I didn’t understand the grief
hidden away until I grew
to understand how it was
back, so far back, then.
Linda Baie ©
So thoughtful and loving, Linda...I recently came upon a photo and some info on my great-great-grandfather and have been wanting to write something about him. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Matt. I hope you do write. I have so many good memories of this grandfather and other grandparents, too.
DeleteThis is absolutely beautiful. You make me love your grandfather. He sounds like a special, special man!
ReplyDeleteHe really was, Carol. Sometimes I wish I could go back to talk to him again, now as older me instead of younger me. Thank you!
DeleteLinda, I love this remembrance of your grandfather. He seemed to be a caring grandpa with a talent for art. The war must have taken its toll on him as it with many others. This piece reminds me of Mary Lee's writing project years ago.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a beautiful poem and a lovely tribute to your grandfather, who sounds like a wonderful man. Thank you for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I love this grandpa! Discovering those hidden things... joy! I am quite enamored of your theme this month...treasures abound. Thank you! xo
ReplyDeleteLinda, what a beautiful treasure! I am wrestling also with the role memories play in forming our sense of what we treasure. And I carrie some "love life" wisdom shared to me by my grandfather as I left for college: "Go! He might have a good looking brother!" Thank you!
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ReplyDeleteI love your grandpa and your poem is just beautiful and so loving. Thanks for sharing the wonderful photos too -- an artist in your midst!
ReplyDelete"The Great War took his palette" is a haunting line, Linda. Beautiful portrait poem about your grandfather.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I love this poem and your connection to this wonderful person and your connection to him. The love between you is felt in your lines. I feel like I know this man. He would have gotten along really well with my Grandpa.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for loving my grandfather, too, everyone. Gone all afternoon so I need to catch up with your posts now!
ReplyDeleteLove for your grandfather and your bond radiates out from your lines, along with his wonderful attitude towards life despite having lost so much–Thanks for this beautiful and sensitive poem Linda–an artist and literary man.
ReplyDelete"The Great War took his palette." Phew. What a line, Linda. And what a grandpa. You sure take after him and his thoughts sure still travel with you. I love what these images evoke in you and in all of us. Happy Poetry Friday with these treasure-memories... xo
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure he was and how lucky you were to have him in your life. I know of the ravages of the Depression for so many in our family too. Those were tough times.
ReplyDeleteI love reading all the fabulous poetry projects for the month. Staying focused on revision is a challenge.
ReplyDeleteThis poem is a treasure. Those patched pants, work worn hands, and a palette taken by the war. I see Amy LV and I loved the same bits, bc his thoughts traveling with you to college also captured me!
ReplyDeleteOh, what a treasure indeed! And your memories are so specific:
ReplyDelete"He read Shakespeare to me
along with The Wizard of Oz.
He taught me the starry sky
and to be kind to everyone."
Glad you have this painting at hand, Linda!
Your grandpa is everything, Linda. I love the line: "He promised his thoughts would travel with me." I may borrow it as I live so far from my loves. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, Linda, what a great topic for your poems this month. Found treasures. Your grandpa sounds like an amazing man. That he read you Shakespeare and The Wizard of Oz sounds like a wonderful idea. I hope I have years enough left to read rich literature to my grandbabies. "The Great War took his palette" is perfection.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gift. I wish I could have known my grandparents.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a treasure, Linda! Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteThanks again to everyone. This was a 'treasure' to write! April is a special month!
ReplyDeleteWhat a special tribute to your grandpa! Thank you for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful Linda. I love "The Great War took his palette." what a poignant way to express the impact the war had on him. Thanks for sharing this with us.
ReplyDeleteYou've truly brought his character to life in this poem, Linda. I feel like he was someone I'd love to know too.
ReplyDelete