[stylist] Memorial Day

[Jackie Williams via stylist]

Lynda,
It is so good to have an update on you both and to see you again being
creative in your short moments.
There is much to comment on, your blog about writing from journals, and your
sestina.
The article about writing using a journal is excellent as a roadmap, but
primarily for the sighted or partially sighted. For myself, if I could get
around, I would be dependent on a tape recorder, or memory, or in some way
be tied to a computer. Therefore I use memory, reminiscing, and a screen
reader to make notes as soon as possible about words, phrases, ideas, etc.,
in a "commonplace" file in my documents
Your Haiku were beautiful, superb, and truly showed how you mined what you
had seen in your traveled, and distilled it to finally honed bits of this
fine Japanese form.
About your sestina, I do like it that you have uneven length of sentences
throughout. I did not know that was allowed, but in doing that, you have
made it more meaningful, easy to comprehend, and capture the pathos of your
memories, but also, almost give us a roadmap for effective writing. A
sestina has always intimidated me, but it is less so now, after you have
shown us how to make it more flexible.
There is one line that made me smile: "become confused, like an old woman's
diminished desire." You are not an old woman. How do you know it does not
increase? According to the latest research, women in their eighties
experience increased desire and sexual fulfillment than in their earlier
years. You must visit a retirement village some day and watch the people
walking with their pillows to another's living accommodation For their
evenings Assignation. Sexual freedom is not only hitting the Gay, Lesbian,
etc., groups, but all the others who have been pushed into great aunt, and
grandparents roles supposedly devoid of all their natural desires. It is a
good metaphor for a poem, but    I would like to see poetry challenge these
myths. 
My comments in no way effect my feeling that it is wonderful to have you
accessible to us, and sharing your beautiful thoughts. Everything you are
doing is full of grace.  My thoughts , I hope, will bubble up around you and
give support and love.    
I also love your quote from James Baldwin.
Jackie 


-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lynda Lambert
via stylist
Sent: Saturday, May 24, 2014 8:41 AM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] Memorial Day

I wrote this memorial day poem in 2000.
Writing from my memories of family gatherings on Memorial Days, and mingled
with a "Memorable" event in our family. I will cut and paste it below, and
attach the copy of it for those who may find the cut and paste jumbled.  It
is in my favorite form, the sestina.  Lynda


Memorial Day - A Sestina for Multiple Voices

 

In my mother's kitchen my aunts each begin to speak

about family achievements and God's great mercy.

They hover over the wood table. They desire

to share hot casseroles wrapped in linen towels.  With a spirit

of joy  they cut into the fresh-baked apple pie.  They sing

praises of their children and pass  new photos to show a truth.

 

My aunt's pastor  brought  her a  truth

not  pleasing to speak 

about recent news from  Minnesota.  He'll sing

praises about her daughter's life.  He'll speak of God's mercy.

My aunt's  spirit

becomes confused like an old woman's diminished desire.

 

My daughter's love was my only desire

but I need to know the truth.

Tell me again about her spirit

dashed by an unfaithful lover.  I speak 

about my daughter's life that is over.  Mercy

is about a dirge to sing.

 

Group your words into stanzas - make a poem sing

The indentation of lines can vary as you desire

Single words can occupy entire lines - like, "mercy"

You can break up your words into the shape of truth

Allow the shape to be the message you speak

Use unconventional punctuation as a path to the spirit

 

Near the body the two women  felt  no spirit 

how could they sing

in this cold place?  They couldn't speak

of  work,  home, or desire

for new clothing to hang in closets or the truth

about unopened birthday cards and her need for mercy.

 

My aunt holds a photo and  prays  for mercy

She flicks away  dust with a wipe of  shattered spirit

This year it's a more remote truth -

no picnics in my mother's kitchen.  No voices to sing

around a wood table.  My mother's only desire

is for   visitors who come to speak

  

 O, God!  You are proved right as you speak.  Grant me a willing spirit.

Have mercy on me, O, God!  Let my tongue sing

on Memorial Day.  Let me desire wisdom and innermost truth.

 

 

                        Copyright, Lynda J. Lambert: August 2000. All rights
reserved.

 

Lynda McKinney Lambert, MFA
Artist, Educator, Author
104 River Road, Ellwood City, PA 16117
http://www.lyndalambert.com

"Human beings are creatures who conceal an interior of uncharted chaos which
lies beneath the surface reality"James Baldwin, The Creative Life (1962)