From Robert Lee Brewer:
Recently, I recorded a “selfie” poem for my publisher Press 53. Click here to watch me recite “the silence between us” from my collection Solving the World’s Problems.
For today’s prompt, write a family poem. It could be about your family, someone else’s family, a big family, a small family. It could be about one person in the family or a group picture. Your call. Just write that poem.
I shouldn't do this since I used an already written poem yesterday but this is one of my favorite family poems I have written...
ReplyDeleteWhere's Linda?
You read me the list of CD's
you and your husband have collected as
we search for music for the family reunion
but as you read me the titles
I wonder and finally ask you
where is Linda?
Where is the music you love
the songs we sang as we sat
on the floor of your living room
me strumming my guitar
you with your dulcimer?
Where is Joan Baez?
Bob Dylan? Where are
the Mama's and Papa's
California Dreaming?
Where have all the flowers gone
and is the answer still
Blowing in the Wind?
Where is Joni Mitchell's
Chelsea Morning?
Does it echo in the sounds of silence?
Or Jim Croce's Time in a Bottle?
has it washed out to sea?
Does Jimi Hendrix still rock your world?
Is Janis Joplin still crying
out to her Bobby McGee?
Those windshield wipers
still keeping time to every
song we ever knew?
Where's Linda I ask...
and you answer I don't know.
My goodness you get up early! Lovely nostalgic and bit sad poem. Liked it. Thanks for sharing,
DeleteAwesome way you dealt with a list of song titles!! What music WAS on the list?
DeleteI don't remember except it was a lot of loud head banging type of music
DeleteKarl Benson, Return to Forever, Pink Floyd, Metallica, Rob Zombie, White Zombie, John Coltraine, John Luc ponte, djengo Rheinhardt. Herbie Hancock. Dave Rubeck, Jimi Hendrix, Duke Ellington, Metal Church, Testament, Pantara, Man o war. I just changed my style for awhile. We didn't have any music for awhile and Mark gave us some. And I grew to like Jazz for awhile.
Deletenow I like classical and Medieval and celtic music
DeleteShadowfax Shadowdance is one of my all time favorites as my years progressed.
Deleteoh yeah! love jazz and Celtic music... some classical. cannot listen to Wagner though! his music makes me angry!!! lol! you would love our Michael Flatley DVD's
DeleteI have tooooo many of these to not post an old one. Which one was the question. I decided to post the oldest poem I have, period. It was written when Ian was 4 years old. He is 42 now.
ReplyDeleteTHE CHANGELING
You are not my baby.
I pushed, grunted, cried, screamed
to expel those eight pounds
from my womb. I know that
boy and he is not you.
Your fat-bellied body
would not fit through the hole
from which my child appeared.
You, who laugh at my jokes
and tell ones I don't get,
(but other toddlers do.)
You who tell me all
about the pictures on
the backs of your eyes when
you go to sleep at
night. No, not my baby.
My baby holds on to
me, always wants me near.
My baby lies asleep
in my arms, comforted.
My baby latches on
to my full breasts, for all
the love and food he needs.
You devil dwarf have made
my breasts shrivel and droop
and taken my child's place.
You who mimic my worst
traits, record them in great
detail to play back at
me in miniature
at exactly the wrong
time, again and again.
You with your opinions,
who dares to disagree
with me, why are you here?
Why did you steal away
my baby? You who won't
let me hug you, let me
pick you up, let me hold
you whenever I want,
but only at times, ones
that you choose, ones that you
choose less and less often.
You changeling elf, baby
thief, come back to me
before I lose you too.
wow! this one still moves me and leaves me breathless and amazed... so well written!
DeleteWow indeed! Poignant!
DeleteThis tickles my innards for some reason. I guess because I felt the same way about Mark. He grew up too fast. Told me he was a "man" at 3 years old because he had a watch!!! Well written.
DeleteMy Family and Me
ReplyDeleteMy family began with my mother, my father and me,
the uncles and aunts and grandmothers lived afar
so for a while there only were us three
and I was their special, cherished star.
One day my sister came, then brothers two
filled the house, the family was complete
my mother and father had such a lot to do
they often went to bed with tired feet.
In time we grew, had families of our own
Now some of them have families as well
When you have a family you are never alone
No matter where it is that they may dwell.
My family is scattered yet not so far
my heart won't always know just where they are.
lovely! and quite true! with family you are never alone.
DeleteThere's your sonnet!! I think you use the word "family" a bit too often, especially in the 3rd verse, but overall I enjoyed it very much.
DeleteThanks, I agree. The third verse needs reworking. The 3rd line in the first verse needs to read: The uncles, aunts an cousins lived afar... I am unsure what to substitute for the word families, though. Any suggestions?
Deletesorry guys. made a stomach mistake today. drank Gatorade on an empty stomach and didn't eat all day. ended up with a serious head ache and throwing up for 6 hours this evening. still weak. trying to eat crackers.
ReplyDeleteOld Poem...
ReplyDeleteMy Heritage
pirates, poets, gypsies and elves
journeying down running mazes
blindly stumble into warm rib embraces.
Suffocating laughter wreaks havoc on playing souls.
Dew envelopes my senses...
dancing ever dancing with sweat soaked hair.
Twirl! Swirl! uniting spirits with my violin.
Artist, whores, hillbillies and queens,
always with our chins up, anticipating.
Gladly exchange punch for punch.
Punch up for strokes. Forever honorable
playing games with tricksters. Forever proud
we wait to be taken, heart pounding,
heated face firing waves of disgust
that stains my heart bloody.
Rain will wash it clean.
One more:
She is...
She is fragrant lavender lotion
tomato plants in the window
warm apple pie at holidays
an active happy window.
She is fudge, cookies and no-bakes
and books. Books galore!!!
Sweatpants and sneakers
tales of our family lore.
She is Christmas and the 4th of July
all things Irish put together
crossword puzzles in the paper
she is my very own mother.
don't quite understand the first one although it is quite pretty... the second one is good as well. can you explain what an active happy window is? I know our very own mother decorated windows at holidays... is that what that line means?
Deleteyes, that is what I meant.
Delete