Poetry Pantry
May, 2017
I’ve a quilt of many colors my mother gave to me
She lovingly caressed it as she told its history.
“These pieces”, she said with quivering voice,
“Are from my grandmother’s dress.
I made it in her memory, after she’d been laid to rest.”
I looked at the quilt of colors my mother so carefully made.
Life’s like the quilt, I thought to myself, with pieces painstakingly laid.
Some colors are bright and happy, others are dark and sad
And the way we arrange the pieces reflects the life we’ve had.
I love my quilt of colors and display it with very great pride.
It’s more than a piece of fabric, it makes me feel good inside.
Very aware of my heritage and my place in the scheme of things.
We’re all keepers of memories, whether we’re paupers or kings.
As my mother passed on the memories of her grandmother to me
So I’ll entrust the memories to my daughter too, you see
She, in turn, will pass them on in an endless living chain
And the hopes and dreams of our ancestors
Will live again and again.
As those before, so those to come
Will encounter both joy and strife
And each generation be given the chance
To piece the quilt of life.
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Exquisitely crafted sentiments brought alive.
ReplyDeleteAnd the way we arrange the pieces reflects the life we’ve had.... that is wonderfully said..i will be thinking about that for a long time, Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAs a quilt maker myself Beverly I know now much love goes into the making and giving of every quilt...b
ReplyDeleteLike the quilt maker, you have put the pieces together into a lovely piece of quilted writing. Quilts hold memories and so do words. Maybe quilts and poems are the all the same?
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely....such history in the quilt and in the hearts and memories of a family...........I especially love the reference to the "hopes and dreams of our ancestors".
ReplyDeletei love this arrangement of colors telling who we really are...the wonderful, tender voice of the speaker touches so deeply...
ReplyDeleteThis is memorable poem about what is dear to our hearts, connecting young and old generations. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThere is so much beauty in this. You can see the well-loved pieces of fabric so clearly in this, and feel the loving links between the generations.
ReplyDeleteYour wonderful poem reminds me of my good intentions after my mother died: I was going to make a quilt of the clothes she left behind. The clothes were still hanging in the closet after my father died. The intended quilt came back to mind. Unfortunately, my bitter brother had different plans. Within days of my father's death, he had emptied the house of its contents, and left the state. Now all I have is memories.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry my poem brought painful memories to you...but you'll have to replace them with the happy memories and "quilt" them in words, which you do so well.
DeleteThis is so good, and I can understand that joy of a quilt. Also the renewal of all those pieces... reminds me of coat of many colors by Dolly Parton.
ReplyDelete"Life’s like the quilt, I thought to myself, with pieces painstakingly laid. Some colors are bright and happy, others are dark and sad and the way we arrange the pieces reflects the life we’ve had" sigh.. beautifully wise!
ReplyDeleteI did make a quilt for my son when he was not much more than a toddler. Now write instead, but watch my sister as she creates beauty from colored bits of fabric and gives them away as treasured gifts. Thank you for reminding me,
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Beautifully done--this is the way of quilts sometimes--they see the best and are the best of who we are
ReplyDeleteThis is stunning ... it, literally, brought a tear to my eye. I love rhyme done well (and you have nailed it in this piece) and I love poetry that celebrates family.
ReplyDeleteLife is all about memories of who we are and where we came from and the people that made us and there is better mememto than a a patch work quilt for that representing of whom we are all indeed made. Beautifully done.
ReplyDeleteWhat an effortless read - I was fully absorbed in the history and tenderness of your beautiful quilt
ReplyDeleteLife’s like the quilt,
ReplyDeleteSome colors are bright and happy,
others are dark and sad
And the way we arrange the pieces
reflects the life we’ve had.
Philosophically true, Beverly. Great observation!
Hank
I just love your poetry but I can't find any way to Follow you on this page. am I missing a button? Voo
ReplyDeletehttps://bluevineyard.blogspot.com/
wonderful to have such a quilt.....beautiful thoughts weaved in a perfect way!
ReplyDeleteI love when we incorporate memory in our art. This reminds me of a poem I wrote called Daisy Chain, a string of days where the ones from childhood are as faded as the last ones will be. Your poem moved me.
ReplyDelete