[Stylist] poem for your enjoyment

Fri Oct 14 21:50:00 UTC 2022

Nice to hear it, Richard, thanks for your comments, 😊

Ann M. Chiappetta, M.S.

Making Meaningful ConnectionsThrough Media 

914.393.6605 USA

 <mailto:Anniecms64 at gmail.com> Anniecms64 at gmail.com

All things Annie:  <http://www.annchiappetta.com> www.annchiappetta.com 

From: Stylist <stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Richard R. Thomas via Stylist
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2022 5:03 PM
To: Writers' Division Mailing List <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Richard R. Thomas <richardrthomas48 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Stylist] poem for your enjoyment

Nice  Ann:

I felt the  fascination of that little girl.

I had a world war II mom and dad.

Mom loved to cook and dad built a boat and an upstairs apartment with a table saw and hand tools and it was always the best.

The boat was the center of vacations growing up with many stories involving me, dad and grandpa.

The apartment was fitted to a teenager and the finest place to exist I could have imagined.

And then, moms chicken and cookies, sigh. 

I miss them more than I can put into words but they will never be here again.

Richard R. Thomas

Sent from Mail <https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986>  for Windows

From: Ann Chiappetta via Stylist <mailto:stylist at nfbnet.org> 
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2022 3:45 PM
To: Writers' Division Mailing List <mailto:stylist at nfbnet.org> 
Cc: Ann Chiappetta <mailto:anniecms64 at gmail.com> 
Subject: Re: [Stylist] poem for your enjoyment

Hi all-

I revised the poem and gave it a better title. Comments welcome

Implements of My Youth

By Ann Chiappetta

1.

I learned to cook prior to food preparation machines and commercial blenders 

We used whisks, hand-crank mixers and potato mashers.  I stood on the Romper Room emblazoned stool beside Mom until my little arms tired. I whipped cream, eggs, and sifted flour. I was practicing to be a Suzie Homemaker, don’t you know. At nine

I learned to scramble eggs, boil water for macaroni, and help make

meatloaf and meatballs.  The serving spoon with the little holes and the potato masher made the move with us. I estimate the utensils are over fifty years old, the spoon is solid stainless riveted to hardwood handle grips. The masher is also riveted and sturdy, not even a bit of rust. 

2. 

Dad’s folding carpenter’s   measuring stick   given to him by his father

was the last tool Laid in a reverent place among elderly scrapers, hammers and planers. Bobby, said a friend 

your making mistakes, get rid of that thing. The measuring tape wasn’t as fun to play with

And pinched tender fingers more than once. Dad would 

release the stop and as if by magic it zipped into the case. and

He would chuckle and say something about The wonders of modern technology

Then whip out the stubby pencil from behind an ear, mark the wood

clip it back to his waist and return to work with the hand saw. I pretended the curled papery bits from shaving the wood

that fell like Dogwood petals onto the shop floor were

Secret messages from fairies or a mouse. I put them to my nose and inhaled the fragrances 

Cedar or pine was the best

3. 

Pop gardened and gave me the first taste of fresh mint, Strawberries 

warmed and sweetened by the sun. Pickled cucumbers 

in jars so big a child’s hands could not carry or open them. 

My little fingers squeezed Lupini beans from their casings 

as directed By the little Italian lady visiting From next-door

and my lips tingled from a bit of afternoon antipasto 

confidence tempered by losing a few hands of Casino. I tried 

buying Lupini beans and couldn’t find them Though I 

remember the card game rules and pulpy fragrant Refinements Of the shop

And how attached I am to a few outdated implements

The telltale products of my youth.

Ann M. Chiappetta, M.S.

Making Meaningful ConnectionsThrough Media 

914.393.6605 USA

 <mailto:Anniecms64 at gmail.com> Anniecms64 at gmail.com

All things Annie:  <http://www.annchiappetta.com> www.annchiappetta.com 

From: Stylist <stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org <mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org> > On Behalf Of Chris Kuell via Stylist
Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2022 7:34 PM
To: 'Writers' Division Mailing List' <stylist at nfbnet.org <mailto:stylist at nfbnet.org> >
Cc: ckuell at comcast.net <mailto:ckuell at comcast.net> 
Subject: Re: [Stylist] poem for your enjoyment

Hey Annie,

I enjoyed this poem—thanks for sharing.

It’s almost like 3 poems, a memory mash-up, if you will. So while it reads perfectly fine as is, I could imagine it being broken up into 3 smaller poems. With the kitchen utensils, your father’s carpentry, and gardening as themes, you tap into warm  memories that might be enhanced with the senses of sound and smell and taste. You already have these elements, but I imagine they could be expanded. 

Again, thanks for sharing.

Chris

From: Stylist < <mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org> stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Ann Chiappetta via Stylist
Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2022 2:35 PM
To: 'Writers' Division Mailing List' < <mailto:stylist at nfbnet.org> stylist at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Ann Chiappetta < <mailto:anniecms64 at gmail.com> anniecms64 at gmail.com>
Subject: [Stylist] poem for your enjoyment

The Masher’s Last Stan

By Ann Chiappetta

Blog:  <https://www.thought-wheel.com/the-mashers-last-stand/> https://www.thought-wheel.com/the-mashers-last-stand/

I learned to cook prior to food preparation machines and commercial blenders 

We used whisks, hand-crank mixers and potato mashers.  I stood on the Romper Room emblazoned stool beside Mom until my little arms tired. I whipped cream, eggs, and sifted flour. I was practicing to be a Suzie Homemaker, don’t you know.

After my parents divorced and we moved into an apartment, the budding skills became necessity. At nine I learned to scramble eggs, boil water for macaroni, and help make

meatloaf and meatballs.  The spoon with the little holes and the potato masher made the move with us.  

I estimate the utensils are over fifty years old, the spoon is solid stainless riveted to hardwood handle grips. The masher is also riveted and sturdy, not even a bit of rust. 

Dad’s carpenter’s   measuring stick   given to him by his father

was the final tool

Laid in a reverent place among elderly scrapers, hammers and planers.

Bobby, said a friend, your making mistakes, get rid of that thing.

The measuring tape wasn’t as fun to play with

And pinched my tender fingers more than once

Dad would release the stop and we listened to it retract as if by magic and

He would chuckle and say something about

The wonders of modern technology

Then whip out the stubby pencil from behind an ear, mark the wood

clip it back to his waist and return to work with the hand saw.

I pretended the curled papery bits from shaving the wood

that fell like

Dogwood petals onto the shop floor were

Secret messages from fairies or a mouse

I put them to my nose and inhaled the fragrances 

Cedar or pine was the best

Pop gardened and gave me the first taste of fresh mint

Strawberries warmed and sweetened by the sun

Pickled cucumbers in jars so big a child’s hands could not 

carry or open them 

My little fingers squeezed

Lupini beans from their casings as directed

By the little Italian lady visiting

>From next-door

and my lips tingled from

a bit of afternoon antipasto 

and my confidence was tempered

by losing a few hands of Casino

I tried buying lupini beans and couldn’t find them

Though I remember the card game rules and pulpy fragrant

Refinements Of the shop

And how attached I am to a few outdated implements

The telltale products of my youth.

 <mailto:Anniecms64 at gmail.com> Anniecms64 at gmail.com

Ann M. Chiappetta, M.S.

Making Meaningful ConnectionsThrough Media 

914.393.6605 USA

 <mailto:Anniecms64 at gmail.com> Anniecms64 at gmail.com

All things Annie:  <http://www.annchiappetta.com> www.annchiappetta.com 

Ann M. Chiappetta, M.S.

Making Meaningful ConnectionsThrough Media 

914.393.6605 USA

 <mailto:Anniecms64 at gmail.com> Anniecms64 at gmail.com

All things Annie:  <http://www.annchiappetta.com> www.annchiappetta.com 

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