Friday, August 23, 2013

Stillness


[My Grandpa and me in front of the little cottage at 364 Christleton that I think of every time I think about my childhood, where I learned everything I know about safety, refuge and peace. He is holding up a small fish. I am holding up The One That Got Away!]


My grandmother's cottage was so still,
the ticking of the metal wind-up clock 
on the kitchen windowsill 
cleaved the silence, 
and could be heard in every room.
In my life, I have borrowed 
the peace and safety I knew
in that little house,
planted it in my heart,
watered it with tears and with hope,
and carry it with me, now,
like my grandmother's sheltering arms
around me.

For Margaret's prompt at Real Toads: to write a poem about stillness and silence without overusing the words. Hard to do,  I discovered.


36 comments:

  1. Oh, a retreat! An image of shelter with sheltering arms that last! Beautiful and calm.

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  2. So beautiful and peaceful! :)

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  3. How nice 'little house,
    planted it in my heart,'~
    what a nice memory to warm up and lean on. ~ so peaceful poem

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  4. That is so very beautiful, Sherry. Your poem really makes me feel still and at peace.

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  5. This really is beautiful. We all need that safety to cherish and carry with us.

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  6. Love that peaceful house! It is such a blessing to have a serene surrounding like this around a house, Sherry.
    So beautiful...:)

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  7. Beautiful poem for stillness.....wonderful that you carried this memory throughout your life.

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  8. This is a very special poem, Sherry.

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  9. I love this, Sherry. I know how important my grandparents were in my life, and I'm so glad you had yours to provide peace in your life.
    I distinctly remember being in a car, driving past Christleton Avenue, when I was small. I started reading early and read street signs to myself, figuring out how to pronounce the words. I think my dad might have helped me with "Christleton" but I remember that it fascinated me.
    Who knew a house on that street would be protecting and providing peace for a friend I'd have 60 years later?
    Luv, K

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  10. ....and what a beautiful garden your heart is Sherry....:-)

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  11. Oh my goodness...this is why I love your writing it is always so rich with poignant important memories and straight from your heart.

    " I have borrowed
    the peace and safety I knew
    in that little house,
    planted it in my heart,"

    Love it, Sherry!

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  12. You didn't overuse the word. I got such a sense of safety and peace. Nicely done. And nice they were in your life.

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  13. Ticking of the clock cleaved th esilence ... cool Sherry

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  14. Sherry, words (mine at least) will not do this justice. How blessed to have these kinds of precious memories of grandparents. I can only hope my grandchildren will feel that way when they are my age.

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  15. truly comforting piece, mi amiga

    I have no progeny to remember me like this but I do have my memories, like your ticking clock I have the waft of my mamasita making home made tortillas in the kitchen as her loving singing voice filled every empty space in the house and every cell in my heart. Lovely memories.

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  16. Oh, Sherry, not only is the family picture priceless (I love when poets publish their own family photos, and you wtih the one that got away!), this peaceful, graceful take on the safety and serenity of your grandparents' home is winning and wonderful. Thx for your comment on my moon poem, too. Love, Amy

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  17. Sherry, this is gorgeously perfect. We all ache for that still, safe place. Yours is just beautiful.

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  18. Some things life cannot ever take away. I'm glad that place will always be part of you, Sherry--you bring its soothing stillness alive here.

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  19. This is so touching Sherry, I was very close to my maternal grandmother growing up and a lot of childhood memories revolve around her

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  20. What a lovely family cottage ~ To my mind, the symbol of strength and courage from our grandparents & ancestors ~

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  21. "I have borrowed the peace"... that is honestly, the greatest compliment of love I can think of. I am so glad this prompt took you down memory lane and you shared a part of what makes you strong with us. :)

    By the way I do have the interview done. I am going to edit it a bit... Will email it to you soon.

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  22. a very touching piece ... it's beautiful.

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  23. This was beautiful! I love all that you shared~ It is a cottage I hope you turn to often in your dreams! Love this one!
    Wondrous :D

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  24. I too had a wonderful (maternal) Grandfather, Sherry. He taught me so much my father couldn't (my father was not a nice man). It's good to share wonderful memories with you, my friend. :-) Thank you.

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  25. I too had a wonderful (maternal) Grandfather, Sherry. He taught me so much my father couldn't (my father was not a nice man). It's good to share wonderful memories with you, my friend. :-) Thank you.

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  26. Lovely such a wonderful legacy to be left - and a great way to capture it too. I hope we can all be such successful grandparents one day.

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  27. This was so lovely...memories sealed tight and the cleaving of silence? Perfection!

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  28. What a beautiful posy of memories that live in your heart. Your grandparents planted the seeds, you tended the garden. Reading your words imparted a sense of shelter and deep peace, something I feel whenever I read your poems. Thank you for this.

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  29. What a beautiful memory to hold in your heart and draw from when needed.

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  30. I could feel the safety and nostalgia in each chosen word. So lovely!

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