Many of our grandmothers knit sweaters,
but we knit letters into textured yarns,
teasing images free
as we stitch our lives together
shoveling mountains of loss and
bright shining metaphor
into one big alphabet soup
served up at The Sunday Whirl.
This is our virtual quilting bee
our sharing of wine and words.
Stitching together color bright squares,
friends whirl through each Sunday’s wordle.
Comments become an expected and welcome relish
graciously left like generous tips at every stop.
Each week we eat ripe plums
while juice drips from our chins
onto keyboards that drift our stories
through cyberspace intertwining ideas
celebrating words, changing our lives
sharing that place of practice and polish.
Our lyrical flow glows like silvery moonlight
winding through the endless branches
of my neighbor’s ancient cottonwood tree
illuminating what would otherwise remain
eternally shrouded and obscure.
Brenda Warren 2012
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Process Notes:
The words were giving me a hard time this week. Viv often writes her piece discussing the words themselves, or the wordling process. I used her strategy and focused my piece on all of you who write each week at the Whirl. You are a light each week. The prompt site We Write Poems, often says “more participants make richer soup.” I imagine that is where my soup metaphor found light. This piece feels unfinished, but I’ve polished and placed words so many times it’s becoming a blur. It is time to post and get on with the New Year!
Here are the words from the wordle this week:
loss * shovel * friends * expected
stop * plum * letters * drift
sweaters * wind * stitches * yarn
undercaws 
Sun Jan 8, 2012 Daily
With thanks to the Sunday Whirl prompt list of: loss, shovel, friends, expected, stop, plum, letters, drift, sweaters, wind, stitches, and yarn
Sixteen Winters Ago
A Blizzards’ expected snow requires a shovel
The snow blower keeps the shaven rows plum as the loss of white
Reveals the drives and walks, the wind laughs returning the drift
Once we are able to stop we can gather in our indoor sweaters
With his tales and mine, our stitches will create a new yarn
That we’ll be able to share with friends in letters or over the phone
Though we’ve yet to receive all that much snow this year –
Unable to get to the fire house because of several feet in the
In our Blizzard of ’96 – He almost delivered a baby up the street!
‘Always be prepared’ is a good motto for the Boy Scouts
As well as other community volunteers, neighbors and friends
Look for us we’ll be ready with our gear, tea, and hot coco too
For now our sky is blue, the air has a chill, but it isn’t freezing
I’ve just had some tea, and might settle down for a nap
That is after I’ve picked up my needles and knit a few words…
JP/davh
I guess the bold words didn’t make it through the copy and paste. But they are all used in the first two verses. Thanks again, Brenda
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Brenda thank you so much for stopping by julesgemstonepages.wordpress.com
I could not get to the Sunday Whirl through Margo’s wonderful list of prompts (Computer issues). And not only have you provided them for me but you have also made me feel most welcome to explore this list through your own verse. Now I have a challenge for my Daily piece that can be found at http://www.writingourwayhome.com in the group Daily Gathering. (That is once it is written). I shall also post it here for you. And if I can ever find out how to get to the Sunday Whirl… maybe I’ll be able to post it there too. Thanks again, Jules
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lovely poem, Brenda.
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“Many of our grandmothers knit sweaters,
but we knit letters into textured yarns,”
I loved these opening lines! So musical.
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Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
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really love this and am getting wonderful ideas on how I can work on my next wordle// Like Daydreamertoo said earlier, it is amazing how the same set of words are used in such different contexts by each wordle friend…
thank you!
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Great! I can’t wait to read your next one, it’s only a day way. 🙂
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Hi Brenda. Very good use of the words. There is value in contemplating the process sometimes, not just in writing but in all of life, I think. I like the way you wove in the word plum. That one word gave me the hardest time. Hope you have a Happy New Year!
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Plum stumped me, too, until I thought of the apology poem by William Carlos Williams referring to the plums he ate that were not his. 🙂 It made me connect everyone’s weekly contributions with juicy plums to bite into and savor. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and Happy New Year to you, as well.
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Thank you, Brenda. Beautiful writing.
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Thank you.
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So are you the person who does the wordles? Says the befuddled person to her computer screen. This is just lovely and while I have only done one on December 18th- I certainly hope to join in and do a few more this coming year! Thank you for bringing your “lyrical flow” over to my blog today- it felt so nice! xo teri
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Thank you for stopping by, Teri. I appreciate your visit, and hope to see you at a future whirl. 🙂
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It was perfect. My mistake “yam” instead of “yarn” and found it so hard… so hard… I kept it even after I realized my mistake. Many wishes for words in the New Year! Thanks so much.
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Thank you for your well wishes, Annell. It’s always nice to see you here.
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I absolutely love that you wrote about us and the process. Your poem is a wonderful work of art.
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Thanks, Cheryl, Viv inspired the direction I took with the piece. I appreciate your kind words.
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LOVE it, Brenda. You’ve captured it so well! The “quilting bee” of cyberspace poets…I’m so glad to be a part of it all.
Happy New Year!
~Paula
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I’m glad you are here, too. Thanks Paula. 🙂
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Good solution for words you found challenging, Brenda. And you did get rolling quite well! Thanks for all the wordles. I have come to really enjoy them.
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Peggy, your piece this week is awesome! Thank you for your commitment to the Whirl, and happy happy new year.
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I think this is so marvellous. You stitched it so beautifully, An impressive quilt of words. Have a wonderful year Brenda, and thanks for the fabulous company.
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Right back at you, Irene. Thank you for being here each week. One day I’ll have time for the We Write Poems prompts, again.
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Plum is a lovely color. Quilting is an intricate way to put disparate pieces together into a coherent whole. I am blessed to read this poem!
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Thanks for your comments. I hope everyone is reading your work. The depth of your haiku continually astounds me.
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nice tribute to quilting
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Wonderful way to start the year, Brenda – thank you for the tribute and the weekly wordle challenge. 🙂
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Thanks Traci. I’m really hoping for good things for you this year!
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Brenda, this is wonderful. I love your use of metaphor here. I want to say, I for one, am so happy to have you as a friend and writing companion, through this vast blogland we exist in. I admire your continued support and dedication with the whirl.
Happy 2012!
Pamela
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Thank you Pamela. Your presence out there in the blogosphere matters to me. I long for the days of retirement (and summers), when my time is my own. In the meantime, seeing you here on Sundays is always a bright spot.
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Lovely. It is amazing how differently we seem to come up with the ideas that the wordle words inspire too. One word used in one way and in a totally different way and context by someone else. Sometimes we all seem to have the same idea and others exact opposites but, it is always, always so good to read everyone’s offerings from their muse.
Happy New Year Brenda, thanks for all you do to make it happen each week.
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Thank you Daydreamer. Your contributions each week are outstanding and informative. We also get some good banter going here from time to time. I cherish your participation each week, and am glad to be here amongst folks like yourself.
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Love your poem and I love the Whirl, Brenda! Many thanks for keeping it going. It is a bright spot for me, as well. And I love your plum analogy. The Whirl is JUICY (temptingly appealing!). Thank you for giving us this remarkable gift each week. Happy, happy new year!
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Thanks Marianne! I kept thinking of William Carlos Williams and the plums he ate from the ice box. It’s wonderful when images replay in different ways. Thank you for your continued support of both the whirl, and my work. You are a gem.
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This is absolutely beautiful, Brenda.
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This is wonderful, Brenda. Welcome to the irreverent Wordle club! And thank you for your hard work to bring us the stimulation of words each week. Happy New Year.
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It’s a pleasure to join the club, Viv. The work is my muse, it keeps me writing something each week, no matter how busy my days. Thank you for your grace and wit.
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Ahhh…lovely. I love the idea and the wonderful metaphors you found with your words. These lines especially: we knit letters into textured yarns,
teasing images free
as we stitch our lives together
It’s nice to stitch together and with the wordle form, particularly, there is the feel of a bee. What quilts we have made and shall make with y/our words.
Have a wonderful new year, Brenda.
margo
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Thanks Margo, it’s nice to reconnect with you. May your muse never quiet in 2012.
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nice…i like the eating of plums…makes me think of savoring…..happy new year!
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Happy New Year to you, too, Brian. Thanks for taking a bite… 🙂
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Nicely wordled, Brenda. Our words often DO illuminate that which otherwise would be shrouded. That is the joy of poetry and wordles, especially when they surprise the poet. I like the idea of celebrating words, changing lives. I agree. Happy New Year, Brenda.
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Thanks Mary. I’m glad you are back. I missed you last week.
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