Two generations, in a time-honored
Relay, passing the baton of
Existence --
All of the
Stuff which seems
Unremarkable, but which defined, made
Real, connected the
Elder runner to the past in the present. Now it all
Stands ready to meet a new future.
© Mary Lee Hahn, 2012
Poem #22, National Poetry Month, 2012
While I was home, I took all of the glass out of the china cupboard, carefully hand washed it all, then videotaped Mom telling the story of each piece. We had just finished when one of her friends came to visit and told me I must see the "exquisite" teacups in the high cupboards in the kitchen. This led to another whole tableful of dishes with stories to be recorded.
I'm sure I'll be writing again about those family stories, about that sense of connectedness to the women in my family...through the dishes that have been saved...passed on (where else?) in the kitchen of my childhood home.
Cathy, at Merely Day By Day, is joining me in a poem a day this month. Other daily poem writers include Amy at The Poem Farm, Linda at TeacherDance, Donna at Mainely Write, Laura at Writing the World for Kids (daily haiku), Liz at Liz in Ink (daily haiku), Sara at Read Write Believe (daily haiku), Jone at Deo Writer (daily haiku)...and YOU?
Wonderful story Mary Lee. There are those stories about each piece. I can pick one up & just say "I remember when this sat on my grandmother's dining room table, etc." Lovely idea to record with your mother. The larger challenge is where to put it all. Love the acrostic using the word "treasure". Of course! "Connected the elder runner to the past in the present" is a beautiful line.
ReplyDeleteLove this! What beautiful glass pieces. Great idea to videotape all your Mom's stories.
ReplyDeleteEvery time you go home, I notice how connected you get to your past, or this case, your mom's stories. What a gift to have the stories on tape. So glad you helped out your neighbor as well. Stories, stories everywhere!
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