Like Robin, I felt a ring of sadness to this piece too, a wistfulness almost. Those olive men falling like dominoes must have done it...that can't be a good thing!
May 24, 2015 at 11:01 PM
Anonymous said...
Oops! I made the same assumptions, and dived straight in!
The making-do and mending ethos was also part of my childhood.
I wondered why they put the word dive on the list. even after i read your comment at the bottom it still looks like Dive... this one i like and understand and GET, and humming is my thing. I hum all day long, my humming was a problem when i worked because i do it and don't even know i am doing it...
I liked that line with "olive men" ha,ha - had a giggle. Put your glasses on silly girl. ha,a Don't mind me, I'm just being silly. I think you did a great job with those words thrown at ya. H to M n lol
I think the word confusion was a very happy accident! I loved this piece..olive skinned men can be fickle but you can always rely on a sheep to make you smile!
I can't help but suspect that the olive men are dreaming of the speaker, however!
May 28, 2015 at 5:02 PM
[Image]
humming to myself
needle in and out
mending with love
the only way i can
trained in women's ways
needlework is tiresome
alone there's no laughter
dreaming a fool's dream
to leave this bleached land
for a green country
with stepping stones
through clear waters
concentrating
remembering the method
of the matriarch
diving into forced chores
humming to myself
i day dream of sheep
instead of days and olive men
falling like dominoes
For Sunday's Whirligig With my funny writing or poor eyesight: I thought "olive" was "dive" and "men" was "mend" so "olive men" was added as an afterthought when I read the words again...dreaming a fool's dream.
17 Comments
Close this window Jump to comment formThat one was hard..I don't write them anymore, but I try to play along when you post them. You did a great job using those words!
May 24, 2015 at 3:33 PM
Hello, I like your poem. You did well using the words provided. Enjoy your new week ahead!
May 24, 2015 at 4:32 PM
Great job, Gail. :-)
May 24, 2015 at 6:20 PM
I found this moving piece incredibly sad. As I read into it the woman left at home while her man was at war and it told of their long time apart
May 24, 2015 at 7:37 PM
I like "remembering the method / of the matriarch". I also liked your end note. Perhaps we need more mending men.
May 24, 2015 at 8:26 PM
Amazing how you can do that . . .
and tell a story . . .
May 24, 2015 at 9:14 PM
Like Robin, I felt a ring of sadness to this piece too, a wistfulness almost. Those olive men falling like dominoes must have done it...that can't be a good thing!
May 24, 2015 at 11:01 PM
Oops! I made the same assumptions, and dived straight in!
The making-do and mending ethos was also part of my childhood.
May 25, 2015 at 1:11 AM
Such poignancy within your thought-provoking poem.
Visit Keith's Ramblings!
May 25, 2015 at 3:06 AM
I wondered why they put the word dive on the list. even after i read your comment at the bottom it still looks like Dive... this one i like and understand and GET, and humming is my thing. I hum all day long, my humming was a problem when i worked because i do it and don't even know i am doing it...
May 25, 2015 at 4:18 AM
I liked that line with "olive men" ha,ha - had a giggle. Put your glasses on silly girl. ha,a Don't mind me, I'm just being silly. I think you did a great job with those words thrown at ya. H to M n lol
May 25, 2015 at 5:55 AM
I think the word confusion was a very happy accident! I loved this piece..olive skinned men can be fickle but you can always rely on a sheep to make you smile!
May 25, 2015 at 8:01 AM
wonderful!
this reminded me of the book 'Anonymous Was a Woman' so full of inspiring pioneer women whose needlework was truly art!
i think you would enjoy the book. :)
May 25, 2015 at 3:52 PM
I think humming (or singing) to oneself can help when we are doing our chores, especially needlework - never my favourite.
All the best Jan
May 25, 2015 at 6:38 PM
The fourth stanza is my favorite. What a strong ending.
May 25, 2015 at 7:36 PM
I absolutely LOVE "olive men"!
May 26, 2015 at 4:01 PM
I can't help but suspect that the olive men are dreaming of the speaker, however!
May 28, 2015 at 5:02 PM