
Story time with Aunt Helen
I Remember…
I remember the holes in the green roll-down blinds
and how they looked like a starry sky.
I remember caramel-colored fly paper
hanging twisty from the ceiling
dotted with black.
I remember making cakes and cookies
when we got to play with water in the sandbox.
I remember lying sick on the couch
and how the flowers in the living room curtains
became faces.
I remember story time with Aunt Helen.
I remember angel food cake
and strawberries with whipped cream
for every birthday.
I remember licking the beaters.
I remember Saturday work
and how much I hated it.
I remember washing the cream separator last
and how slimy the dishcloth got
in old soap and lukewarm water.
I remember early wash day mornings
with the sounds of the chugging machine
and daddy playing quartet records
while he waited for another load
to hang on the line.
I remember starting the fire in the sleigh—
the smell of kerosene and smoke
and how one side of my leg
would soon be sunburn-hot.
I remember grape juice and pop—
our Christmas dinner “wine.”
I remember frosty spring mornings
and cracking crystal ice.
I remember spring evenings
full of the drone and ribbet of frogs.
I remember the smell of earth
and the wind holding its breath
just before a summer rain.
I remember the gentle sound of grazing chickens
on summer holiday mornings.
I remember how prickly nervous I got
gathering eggs from nesting hens.
I remember the smell of the kitchen
when Mom made pickles.
I remember the smell of wheat
in the fall when Dad was combining.
I remember the sweet-sour caramel crab-apples
Mom made for fall picnics.
I remember reading
till 2:00 or 3:00 a.m.
and wishing Anne of Green Gables
was my friend.
©2016 by Violet Nesdoly (All rights reserved)
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I decided to take the April 29th NaPoWriMo challenge of writing an “I remember’ poem:
“… write a poem based on things you remember. Try to focus on specific details, and don’t worry about whether the memories are of important events, or are connected to each other.”
I discovered, once I got started, it was hard to stop! The poem contains only a few of my memories. Are they anything like yours?
And with that I come to the end of poem-a-day National Poetry Month 2016! It was fun posting a new poem every day, even though sometimes a little hectic. Of the 30 poems I published this April, 28 were newly written this month. Thanks for all who came by to read and leave a comment!
I’ll now get back to my usual about twice-a-week posting schedule.