Friday, July 31, 2009

Poetry Friday - What I Learned From My Mother

I just returned from spending nearly two weeks with my recently widowed mother. Despite her grief she is managing well, and still teaching me much. This poem is for her.
What I Learned From My Mother
by Julia Kasdorf

I learned from my mother how to love
the living, to have plenty of vases on hand
in case you have to rush to the hospital
with peonies cut from the lawn, black ants
still stuck to the buds. I learned to save jars
large enough to hold fruit salad for a whole
grieving household, to cube home-canned pears
and peaches, to slice through maroon grape skins
and flick out the sexual seeds with a knife point.

Read the entire poem.
The round up is being hosted by Sylvia Vardell at Poetry for Children. Do stop by and take in all the wonderful works being shared this week. Happy poetry Friday all!

8 comments:

  1. lovely poem, Tricia. I'm so glad you had your recent visit--looking forward to seeing you on my return.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful poem. Welcome back!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh Tricia, that is beautiful. Kasdorf is new to me, too. Thank you. "I learned to believe I had the power to ease
    awful pains materially like an angel." Powerful.

    I'm so glad you got to spend time with your mother.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a lovely poem for this rainy Friday afternoon. Thanks, Tricia.

    Andy

    ReplyDelete
  5. I spent a month with my mom this summer after her shoulder replacement surgery. I just sent the link for this poem to her. Perfect. Hope your mom's heart keeps healing. Yours, too.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for sharing this lovely poem. Welcome back, we missed you!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi, Tricia,
    Thanks for making time for the Poetry Friday gathering. I hope you had a good visit with your mom-- what a beautiful and tender poem to share.
    Thanks!
    Sylvia

    ReplyDelete