by Kat | Apr 22, 2021 | General, Poetry
Sometimes poetry is witty and clever…I think my grandfather’s favorite poet, Carl Sandburg, hits this brilliantly with his poem Fog. When my grandfather would recite this poem to me I could see exactly what Sandburg meant in the clever way he uses a cat to describe fog. (Don’t ask me about Sandburg’s other poetry though because I have tried to read it but none of it grabbed me like hearing my grandfather recite Fog from memory.)
But recently a poem landed in my email just when the winds were racing around my neighborhood. It is witty, brilliant, it made me chuckle…and it made me look at things from that rascally wind’s perspective!
Bonus moments occur when I keep thinking about the poem and I read it again and again. This poem by Gwendolyn Bennett is just incredible (as is she!) A Black woman – a writer and and educator who was born in Texas in 1902 must have at times felt like the wind was raging around her… and perhaps, just maybe, she felt like the wind around her students!
Wind
Gwendolyn Bennett
The wind was a care-free soul
That broke the chains of earth,
And stood for a moment across the land
With the wild halloo of his mirth
He little cared that he ripped up trees,
That houses fell at his hand,
That his step broke the calm of the breast of the seas,
That his feet stirred clouds of sand.
But when he had had his little joke,
Had shouted and laughed and sung,
When the trees were scarred, their branches broke,
And their foliage aching hung,
He crept to his cave with a healthy tread,
with rain-filled eyes and low-bowed head.
This poem is in the public domain.
Please make sure you stop by and see what Kym, Bonny, and Sarah have to share with you today!
See you back here on Monday with an update on my word! I hope you are having a great week and your weekend will be full of fun things!
by Kat | Apr 21, 2021 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
My favorite place to vacation is anyplace by the ocean [lake]. — Nina Arianda
I am pretty sure that if Nina Arianda had see any of the Great Lakes she would absolutely wanted to vacation there. This week I have a “change of scenery” as we are visiting Erie and more specifically, Presque Isle – which just might be my favorite place on earth and even on a grey day the views are just glorious!
If only letting go of COVID fears was as easy as changing the scenery. I am two weeks past my second vaccine, but the idea of immersing myself back into “pre-COVID life” is still such a scary thought. I read this article in the NYTimes and I am working on rethinking risks and overcoming my COVID fears, but it is not easy. What about you? How are you doing post vaccine? How are you re-entering life? Do you have a plan? I really want to know… I think a good discussion around this would be a wonderful start – so please tell me your thoughts!
While I have no knitting photos this week, you are not missing anything. There is hardly any change from last week’s images, lol. I am at the slow going portion of Purl Strings. Lots of counting, seed stitching, and so much more increasing to do. I have knit about 3 inches of the cuff of Sock One, but I have a good bit of knitting yet before I get to the heel.
However, there is so much to do outdoors here (with practically no COVID fears!) I have been walking and walking and walking and watching all the birds. So.many.birds! We have discovered new trails and have seen so many new things. Each day is just a bit greener than the day before! It is crazy but today there is snow in the forecast so I just might get some knitting time in!
While the reading was minimal this week, I did have one finish.
The Cold Millions by Jess Walter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A fascinating story about a part of history that I knew nothing about. The writing style very much reminded me of Leif Anger or Kent Haruf. I listened and the cast of narrators were wonderful. I loved how the characters each were woven into the story… together but separately. If you want to learn more about labor in the early 1900’s in America, this book is an excellent place to start. I highly recommend it!
That is all I have for today, as always – if you wrote a post to share please leave you link below and thank you!
by Kat | Apr 15, 2021 | General, Poetry
This week we are all sharing thoughts on ‘new beginnings’ and poetry. One would think this would be an easy topic because there are so.many.poems about beginning.
At first I thought that I’d share the poem that took my hand and began my love of poetry. It is a lovely poem by Derek Walcott called Love After Love. Kym shared it on her blog a few years ago during April. I printed it out and it is on the board by my desk. I read it often. It is an excellent poem to read to yourself or better yet, listen to Tom Hiddleston read it here.
And as excellent as that poem is, I thought to myself that I should read more poems and find another that speaks to me about another beginning. Thanks to Sylvia Plath I did not have to look far. I found her poem, Morning Song and thought this is the most excellent beginning… the birth of a child. Ms. Plath reminded me of those all those feelings when I brought my Rachel home from the hospital 32 years ago. Honestly, it was such a scary thought… I was responsible for this tiny little baby! A new beginning for both of us!
Morning Song
Love set you going like a fat gold watch.
The midwife slapped your footsoles, and your bald cry
Took its place among the elements.
Our voices echo, magnifying your arrival. New statue.
In a drafty museum, your nakedness
Shadows our safety. We stand round blankly as walls.
I’m no more your mother
Than the cloud that distills a mirror to reflect its own slow
Effacement at the wind’s hand.
All night your moth-breath
Flickers among the flat pink roses. I wake to listen:
A far sea moves in my ear.
One cry, and I stumble from bed, cow-heavy and floral
In my Victorian nightgown.
Your mouth opens clean as a cat’s. The window square
Whitens and swallows its dull stars. And now you try
Your handful of notes;
The clear vowels rise like balloons.
Sylvia Plath, “Morning Song” from Collected Poems. Copyright © 1960, 1965, 1971, 1981 by the Estate of Sylvia Plath.
Please go and see what Kym, Bonny, and Sarah are sharing today!
I will be back next week for Unraveled Wednesday!
by Kat | Apr 14, 2021 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Cut and secure the front steek. — Mary Jane Mucklestone, Modern Daily Knitting Field Guide No. 17, Lopi
The fear is real!
I don’t think it matters how many times you have knit a sweater that requires steeking, it always is a nerve-racking experience. I mean, take a scissors and cut your knitting? Seriously?
A pullover becomes a cardigan… snip, snip, snip!
And despite the nerves… it is like magic. My previous favored mode for steeking was Ysolda’s method described here. But I am having some fears about having enough yarn to knit the two button bands so I was not willing to waste any on crocheting. And you know what? It just might have won me over! It worked very well!
But those floats! Gah, I just love them!
Said sweater had a little spa treatment after steeking and is drying… sigh. I am hopeful that I will be able to start the button bands today!
But let’s talk about that ribbon, shall we?
Winston’s mom has been sending me links to Etsy shops that had fabric that she thought might be perfect for hats! AND!! One of those shops had ribbon! The ribbon is just luscious! It is not stiff at all, and the colors!! Once I have those button bands done I will be carefully stitching it over the steeked edges. I almost want to wear the sweater inside out so everyone sees this ribbon! LOL
Soon to be hats for Winston!
I tried to patiently wait for my Daytripper to dry, really I did! But I gave in and cast on my Marled Purl Strings! I love how this sweater starts out! Last week Jane asked what my yarn was… it is Holst Garn Coast. If you have not tried knitting with Coast… you should immediately remedy that! It is lovely and it wears beautifully! Just enough cotton to be a summer sweater and just enough wool to hold its shape incredibly well!
Purl Strings No. 2 is underway!
I also want to wind up a skein of Miss Babs Deep Sea Jellyfish sock yarn so I can cast on Carole’s Picot Edge Socks. (Ravelry link, sorry about that!) Anyways, I am in need of a “semi-mindless” knit and these socks are so much fun! Enough to keep your attention but a sock that you don’t have to be focused on every stitch!
The reading this week though!
Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed listening to this book. It is a collection of essays about nature (and us, in a way) I enjoyed Macdonald’s storytelling but I did not always connect with her thoughts. However it is beautifully written and I recommend it!
In the Shelter: Finding a Home in the World by Pádraig Ó Tuama
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
There are some books that seem to have been written for you, this was that book for me. It was exactly what I needed and the words were a balm to my spirit. If you are in need of reassurance in a sea of doubt – read this book. If you are questioning life – read this book. If you are feeling lost – read this book. If you just want to get lost in the beauty of the writing – read this book.
I highly recommend!
The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I really wanted to love this book like I loved 84, Charring Cross Road… but, sadly, I didn’t. I missed the dialog back and forth… though there were funny moments. This is a journal of Helene Hanff’s trip to London… some of which I find incredibly implausible! (I mean who has a hysterectomy and even feels like doing anything, much less a transatlantic trip!) It also made me wince a bit at the embarrassing Americanism in it. (give out my address and phone number because they will buy me dinner… so tacky.) My recommendation is to absolutely read 84, Charring Cross Road but skip this book.
That is all I have for today! What about you? Do you have any book recommendations this week?
As always, if you wrote a post to share please leave your link below and thank you!
by Kat | Apr 12, 2021 | General, In This Moment
I have no idea who “Maxine” is, but boy this quote was my weekend! LOL (and who am I??)
I have been diligently working through the #cleaningarmy Spring Cleaning Challenge List (A huge thanks to Kym for sending me their way!) and I worked away on the kitchen over the weekend, ugh. But boy is it sparkly this morning! Today I have arrived at the dreaded bathroom/bedroom portion of the task list. I am wondering how I ever really did this without a list… I was a haphazard spring cleaner at best!
A weekend of cleaning was not what I really wanted to do, but I was on a roll.
I did manage a bit of spinning though! Saturday afternoon I virtually-spun with Jane, Sarah, Eileen, and Eileen’s sister and finished up some lingering singles on my wheel and I did some plying on Sunday! (If you’d like to join us, you are welcome! The more the merrier!) I need to give these beauties a bit of a soak to see how the twist evens out, but I am happy with my results on this!
My treat for finishing the bathroom/bedroom will be to ply up those reddish singles so I can get started on the fiber they complement!
Happy Monday All!
by Kat | Apr 8, 2021 | General, Poetry
Poetry is the revelation of a feeling that the poet believes to be interior and personal which the reader recognizes as his own. — Salvatore Quasimodo
One of the best things about National Poetry Month is the discovery of new-to-me poets and this year is no exception to that! When Kym asked if Bonny and I would be interested in joining her to share poetry, I never imagined how awesome this journey would be. I don’t remember if the enabler was Kym or Bonny but one of them sent out a list of poets for consideration and I had heard of some of the poets listed, but had really read none of the poetry by any of them! The bonus came when Kym invited Sarah to join us… so you get a quartet of poetry this month!
This week we are all sharing a bit of the prolific poetess, Elizabeth Alexander. I did not know Elizabeth Alexander, although she was the poet for President Obama’s inauguration in 2009. She wrote and read Praise Song for the Day. I can only say that I must have been in a coma for that, because I honestly do not remember it at all!
So I began my journey with Elizabeth in Antebellum Dream Book and wow! She took my hand and drew me along with her into her inner most thoughts and feelings. It was not enough, so I began reading Crave Radiance, which is a collection of her poetry with some cross-over as some of the poems from Antebellum Dream Book are contained in it.
The poem I am going to share today is from Antebellum Dream Book. Personally, I think we need a whole bunch of justices who embody this amazing dream!
Postpartum Dream #12: Appointment
by Elizabeth Alexander
I answered all
the Chief Justice’s questions
impeccably, and it wasn’t
very hard.
I waited
with my father
for the phone call.
“I guess I’ll be
the first black woman
on the Supreme Court
if I get this.”
“Damn straight,”
said my dad.
The President
appeared on television
playing golf and smiling.
He has a secret.
His secretary phones
and asks the question.
Maybe I could do it
when the baby
goes to kindergarten. Maybe
I could do it
on alternate Mondays.
Maybe my baby
could gurgle and coo
in a pen in my chambers,
pulling at the curls
on my barrister’s wig,
spitting up on my black robes.
Meanwhile,
I’m excited. I turned out
to be a good lawyer, the best,
just like my dad.
Copyright © 2001 by Elizabeth Alexander. Published by Greywolf Press.
Make sure you stop and see what Kym, Bonny, and Sarah have to share today!
Have an amazing remainder of the week and I will see you all back here on Monday!
Photo by Suzy Hazelwood from Pexels
