A Mother's Day Picnic

[alee_grrl]

Sunday, every Sunday, let's have a community picnic. It's probably been a long week, and it's lovely to have a few minutes to sit back and relax and enjoy some good conversation in a less formal space. Feel free to bring something for the Picnic Basket - a poem you liked this week, a thought you had or something you experienced, or even something completely unrelated to poetry whatsoever that you just feel like sharing. Just take a moment to say hello, and maybe have a bite to eat; no one is going anywhere fast, and the shade promises some relief from the everyday heat. Let’s get to know each other a bit better, here under the branches of the poet’s tree.

Comments

A poem for mother's day

[alee_grrl]

I know many wonderful mother's out there and despite the fact that I do feel that this is a bit of a Hallmark holiday, I think it is great that we take the time to honor and remember those who are good mothers (and that we do the same a month later for good fathers).

So I thought I'd bring along a poem on mothers for today's picnic: Sonnets are full of love, and this my tome by Christina Rossetti.

Apologies: Weekly Roundups likely to be delayed a bit longer

[alee_grrl]

A dear friend just found out that her sister's husband was in a motorcycle accident and suffered severe head trauma. The damage is really too severe and the will be with drawing the life support later in the day at the wishes of the family. So my friend is trying to figure out how to get to Maine to be with her sister. Fortuitously I was visiting my friend when the call came through. Since I'm done with classes I can house sit for them and their animals. I do need to run back to my place sometimes the next few days to get more medications, water plants and do a few other things. Thankfully I can take their dog with me to get all that done (she's a very good dog), and then come home and see to the cats. The upshot is that things may not happen quite a smoothly as I would like with weekly roundups and weekly challenges this week.

Re: Apologies: Weekly Roundups likely to be delayed a bit longer

[raze]

I'm glad to hear you're able to be there for your friend; please offer the family my condolensces.

Re: Apologies: Weekly Roundups likely to be delayed a bit longer

[alee_grrl]

Thank you.

Re: Apologies: Weekly Roundups likely to be delayed a bit longer

[untonuggan]

Oh goodness, I'm so sorry to hear that. *gentle hugs*

Re: Apologies: Weekly Roundups likely to be delayed a bit longer

[alee_grrl]

Thank you.

Re: Apologies: Weekly Roundups likely to be delayed a bit longer

[lynnoconnacht]

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's sister's husband! Please offer the family my condolences.

Though, I'm glad that you're able to be there for your friend. *sends good thoughts*

Re: Apologies: Weekly Roundups likely to be delayed a bit longer

[alee_grrl]

Thank you. My friend says thank you for the condolences and good thoughts.

Re: Apologies: Weekly Roundups likely to be delayed a bit longer

[bookblather]

Don't worry about it: a friend in need trumps us. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

Re: Apologies: Weekly Roundups likely to be delayed a bit longer

[alee_grrl]

Thank you.

Re: Apologies: Weekly Roundups likely to be delayed a bit longer

[zirconium]

Oh, yikes. I'm so sorry -- and very glad, for their sake, that the timing is right for you to help them out. And yay for very good doggies.

(And I'm fine with the challenge I'm to judge happening whenever the timing is right. Fwiw, I will likely be offline completely from Friday through Sunday, so messages sent during that period may not get answered until Monday evening.)

Re: Apologies: Weekly Roundups likely to be delayed a bit longer

[alee_grrl]

Thank you.

The next challenge won't go up until next Sunday and the deadline will be the following Friday at 11:59 EST. Thanks again for being willing to judge.

[raze]

I've decided to bring a poem along today that I'm hoping caters both to those with wonderful relationships with their mothers, and those with strained ones. The poem is Marble by Andrea Gibson and has some of the most lovely imagery of a mother-daughter relationship I've read, as well as some of the most lancing. It is a spoken-word poem and the only version I found quickly on Youtube has someone's home-spun image slideshow that probably doesn't have much to do with the author's intention so: listen even if you do other things than watch.

[alee_grrl]

Wow. I had to sit for a moment and catch my breath, to absorb the intensity of the poem. As one whose relationship with her mother is beyond strained, this echoed through my heart. Thank you for sharing this lovely and powerful piece.

[zirconium]

There was a blossom festival in the neighborhood north of mine yesterday. I would have liked to see it, but couldn't manage it; my partner and a friend didn't know about it, but ended up biking around it. ;-)

Anyway, thinking about that reminds me of the pretty badges Tina Nguyen posted for International 5 Line Poetry Month...

http://tina.mnnguyen.com/2012/05/08/badgeslogos-for-may-2012-5lines/

[alee_grrl]

The blossom festival sounds lovely. And those badges are absolutely gorgeous!