Photo by Amy LV
Henry and Clary Sage on July 21
Photo by Amy LV
Students - On Sunday, the last two kittens our family is fostering will be off to their new homes. Throughout this spring and summer of Covid-19, we have had the pleasure of caring for a mother cat named Clara (her new family named her Molly) and Clara's five kittens: Nutmeg (now Opal), Pepper, Clary Sage, Rosemary, and Ginger (soon to be Gertrude Stein). Caring for these kittens and watching them grow has given our family so much joy. Now it is natural and right for them to have bigger lives in homes of their own, but still...it is sad to split them up and to say goodbye.
Poems stand by us in times of emotion: happiness, fear, grief. Wherever you are right now, there is a poem to match. Have you ever written a poem about letting something go? If you wish to try this, you might start by making a list of losses you have experienced and then choosing one to write from. Oftentimes our joys and sorrows hold hands and together, these feelings and experiences make us who we are. In your poem, see if you can hold two emotions at once.
Did you notice that I repeated the words they were ours? This poem is very short, but those words are important, important enough for me to write twice. Repetition is a way to slowly sew meaning into a reader's heart. When you write, reread your work to see if there are words or lines important enough to repeat.
Did you notice that I repeated the words they were ours? This poem is very short, but those words are important, important enough for me to write twice. Repetition is a way to slowly sew meaning into a reader's heart. When you write, reread your work to see if there are words or lines important enough to repeat.
Margaret is hosting this week's Poetry Friday party over at Reflections on the Teche with a generous share and the question: What is Poetry? We invite everybody to join in each Friday as we share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship. Check out my left sidebar to learn where to find this poetry goodness each week of the year.
Please share a comment below if you wish.day
Oh, Amy. Hugs. Your love and the beginning you gave them will stay with them always.
ReplyDeleteMay poetry always accompany us through times of change and challenge.
ReplyDeleteI've never raised kittens and it must be sad saying good bye. Your poem addresses the feelings in a lovely way. I hope they like their new homes.
ReplyDeleteI found this little gem in your post, "Repetition is a way to slowly sew meaning into a reader's heart." Saving it for use with my students. We once had puppies; Puppy Surprise Christmas is a fun memory in our family. It's a lot of work but so much joy. The families who adopt your kittens take a piece of your goodness and kindness with them.
ReplyDeleteAmy, this is a very sweet poem with such a great impact on my thought process: "Poems stand by us in times of emotion."
ReplyDeleteRepetition is a way to slowly sew meaning into a reader's heart."
Amy ... one of my dearest "young" memories is raising a litter of unexpected kittens and naming them all. I see them in my mind to this day. We lost the runt and I eventually wrote that bit of memoir with students ... but what really strikes me is your repetition, the importance of the line (as you reiterate) "they were ours." The addition of "once" - that one word - adds such a shot of poignance. It led me to remember a friend who wanted to adopt the child she was fostering - she feared having to give him up. Her father said "Just love him as much as you can for as long as you have him." That phrase stuck deep in my heart ... and I feel it stir again while reading of your kittens, in turn thinking about so much of life's temporary nature. That phrase, your poem - so few words, such deep impact - oh, and the friend did adopt that child. The story goes on... as do love and memories.
ReplyDeleteThank you-
Fran
"Oftentimes our joys and sorrows hold hands"--what a fabulous line. Thanks for your sweet poem about endings and letting go.
ReplyDeleteI too loved this treasured line in your thoughts, "sew meaning into a reader's heart," you caught mine with this line and your touching poem, thanks Amy, xo
ReplyDeleteThank you for this lovely post, Amy. Your words went straight to my heart.
ReplyDelete