Friday, July 18, 2014

Poetry Friday - Sitting in the Sand

Last week I left Virginia and made the long road trip to NY. Ten+ hours in a car is not my idea of fun. However, getting home is always lovely. I had a nice visit with my mother, who happens to be celebrating her 85th birthday today, and my brother and his family. I drove home earlier this week in what at times were torrential downpours.

My trips to western NY always include a trip to Lake Ontario to walk on the pier. I take my mother with me and push her in her wheelchair. These walks are quite nostalgic, as she tells me all about growing up in the town of Summerville on the lake.

I'll be heading back in a month for my niece's wedding, which means I probably won't see the ocean this summer unless I take time off to make a day trip. Just like my visits to the lake, I find so much peace and comfort in the water.

Today I'm sharing a poem from a book I found last week in a library discard pile. That book is DOGS AND DRAGONS, TREES AND DREAMS by Karla Kuskin.

Sitting in the Sand
by Karla Kuskin

Sitting in the sand and the sea comes up
So you put your hands together
And you use them like a cup
And you dip them in the water
With a scooping kind of motion
And before the sea goes out again
You have a sip of ocean.

I do hope you'll take some time to check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected today by Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference. Happy poetry Friday friends.

12 comments:

  1. I've always loved this poem by Karla Kuskin. So glad you rescued her book from the discard pile. I know there's so much new children's poetry to put on the shelves, but many of the books that are being discarded are out of print and won't be seen again. Wish there were a solution to this...

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  2. I love the undulating rhythm. I'm so glad you found the book. It's sad to think it was in a discard pile.

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  3. My favorite poet is Karla Kuskin, so thank you for the gift today, Tricia. What a lovely poem it is. I'm headed to the ocean for a week tomorrow & will dip my hands in again & again. Glad you had a bit of water with your mother!

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  4. Happy Birthday to your mother! I hope you have some more peaceful, comforting times this summer.

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  5. Yes, Happy wishes to your mother! Since we are new residents by the seashore, I'll dip an extra handful of ocean for you next time we're there. Wishing you more warm visiting and safe travels this summer.

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  6. Happy birthday to your mom! I am currently home with my 87 year-old mom and we'll be celebrating her birthday tomorrow with her bridge club. I'm baking the cake today!

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  7. How nice that you were able to spend your mother's birthday with her. Thanks for sharing this poem with me. I was sad the book was in the discard pile, but glad it found a good home. Thanks for sharing this poem.

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  8. You were meant to have that book and keep a bit of the ocean with you always. Safe travels and enjoy the wedding festivities!

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  9. What is the library world coming to when Karla Kuskin's poems are discarded. Arrrrrrrgggggg, as I run around the house screaming uncontrollably.

    Jane

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  10. So glad you were able to rescue that book! Drinking in that poem was refreshing to say the least.

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  11. What beautiful imagery here. Karla Kuskin's voice is so beautiful. Drinking from the ocean... I can almost taste it.

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  12. Karla Kushkin's "Sitting in the Sand" poem is a song, it's so musical.

    This collection is like a rare shell tossed up on the sand for you. And now I will go on the hunt to find a copy for myself with your kind sharing of the title.
    And like Robyn, I will cup a salty handful of sea for Miss Rumphius Effect next time we are at the shore, which is an easy distance drive.
    Good wishes for your mother too.

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