The Poetry Marathon

1 Nancy is such a day-dreamer.

2 and possibly a teacher and peacemaker.

3 She once came to school late, and instead of hurrying,

4 her sixth grade teacher  — and classmates — watched as she stopped

5 in the park across the street to watch a squirrel play.

6 She loves stories, imagining herself there

7 in short stories or novels, and with visuals on TV or film

8 Likable characters, of the present, or the past,

9 redeemable folks can draw her in.

10 especially late blooming heroes and saints.

11 Nancy is such a day-dreamer.

12  She loves stories, imagining herself there

13 applying what she read in stories

14 Like expecting Johnnie Tremain to be as brave as George Washington

15 Sometimes a real life friend, child, or sibling can gain confidence

16 from such idealistic expectations.  Sometimes just seek other advice.

By Nancy Ann Smith, Poetry Marathon, prompt #8,   June 25, 2022

file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/storytelling%20pic_files/23843396_1116965558406503_8867288065344593881_n(1).jpg

Storytelling, captures her attention.

She loved hearing about a fellow

taking a wonderful three country vacation

and seeing an old telephone

and a sign in three languages

in a corner of each church

in each country:

“Call Heaven, five minutes, and (the cost)”

The story had not yet reached the finale,

she is totally engaged.

She loves her Momma, and good stories.

By Nancy Ann Smith for Poetry Marathon  Prompt #7 ,  June 25, 2022

Hello, Nancy,

It is such a sweet gift —

permission to write you this letter.

God -as wonderful as we thought- gave me special permission

because something is coming

I am just to remind you of your reservoirs of love.

Remember in 1977,

when so many things were happening

turning you toward less dependent, more deliberate?

Oh, you didn’t see it that way.

The lay off,

the shut-off of the gas

and the phone,

paying the gas bill

only to find that the gas company could not reconnect

because there was a leak —

Those all seemed cruel facts of life,

but you were aware of the bills

from that point on.

Being a busy mom to two toddler boys,

a preschooler, and an almost first grader

kept you too dependent

but you needed to be aware.

That was also the summer when your cousin, Jimmy,

died from the motorcycle injuries.

You were right that God let me visit you

when the sadness felt too much to bear.

You knew that lovely scent of White Linen cologne,

as well as you knew that you were my dearest niece.

We both enjoyed dancing you around the living room

as your late afternoon fussing turned into giggles of delight.

As you grew to be a school girl

you loved getting up early to go to morning Mass

before I went to work,

we developed quite a bond.

You enjoyed being so loved — and somewhat spoiled. —

Losing Jimmy taught you

appreciate everyone while they are with you.

Your friends have been encouraged by the attention.

Your life has been blessed with a lot of love

sincere and generous love

in your parents, siblings, children, aunts

Do not waste time thinking of regrets.

God really does give us ALL that we need

when tough things come along.

That is how it is.

You will not always have the days or results you expected,

but you will always have loving care surrounding you.

God has you ready — and supported in the ways that count.

With Love from one of your favorites,

Aunt Leona Callahan

We can manage the cost and inconvenience

to have another workshop

with saws, drills, wrenches, clamps, etc

and a space to park and protect the car and riding mower.

The cement floor will be Plain Jane pavement,

Hooks will keep tools within easy reach,

a drawer will hold the screws, nails, drill bits and such.

No need for fancy oak or cherry wood.

At the cost of clearing the rock garden with its sunflowers

and poke berry bushes — beautiful wild nature —

we will be practical, cars will not be at the mercy

of Ohio winter storms. wearing out batteries.

A collection of manuals, mostly soft cover, some Oxford Dictionary- sized.

The Chilton’s Manuals, now as rare as hardback books on carpentry,

stored on a shelf, away from the sawdust.

No sense knitting pretty things, where practicality rules.

Next week it will be completed, and it will be

celebrated with cheddar cheese and real wine glasses —

much fancier than the satchel of crackers and juice drinks

that I offered as Irish hospitality.

By Nancy Ann Smith,   Poetry Marathon prompt #5,  June 25, 2022

1922, Ireland

Michael Collins took on a task

that reminds me too much

of Sisyphus, the Greek mythological king

punished for continued misleading.

Sisyphus was forced to push a large boulder Uphill

a difficult task for sure!

Michael Collins, too, is expected to push

the long suffering people to a common solution.

But Long-suffering people expect to be happier

than the people with power, who are thinking they have to give up

some of their hard-earned gains.

Neither side thinks the other side is giving enough.

Michael Collins fought with his friends

on the battlefields of independence.

But when he was elected to represent

he stopped living amongst the friends.

Political agreements were harder to find.

Suspicions were not measurable,

except in the shocking street killings.

Peace was harder to win

By Nancy Ann Smith,  Poetry Marathon Prompt #4,   June 25, 2022

The two cellos played

together, music foretold

their detours managed.

The two cellos spoke

with the soothe of melody

some variation

Husband and wife share,

their story tells of living —

not all unity.

Life, so like music,

ahhhhhh, sometimes,  sweetly in sync,

other times on hold.

By Nancy Ann Smith, Poetry Marathon #3, June 25, 2022

Thank you for putting words to my thought, dear Robert.

You are one of my favorites,

though I only know you through your published works

and an admiring, respecting description of you

wearing your common — well suited — bow tie

mentioned in a movie* of the 1980’s.

“But I have promises to keep,”**

a simple – yet strong – commitment,

meaning I will put great effort to

keeping, fulfilling, maintaining . . .

as far as I possibly can.

Pledges, Promises, Plans spoken out-loud.

When I promise to love forever, dear child

you can count on it —

despite spills, messes, broken treasures,

sassy retorts, sneaking out after I fall asleep,

even when you follow different politics.

I promise to love through time, beyond FOX vs MSNBC.

I too, “have promises to keep” —

loving you through our weeks and years of agreement

and especially during our disputed views

that cannot change that you were born to me.

You nursed and nuzzled and knew I would be there

promised in whispered love between this mother and my dear, beloved child.

by Nancy Ann Smith, Poetry Marathon Prompt #2, June 25, 2022

• Kate Nelligan played a college professor describing you in “Without  A Trace” 1983
• “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost, as seen in The Poetry of Robert Frost, edited by Edward Connery Lathem.   Copyright 1923, 1969 by Henry Holt and Company, Inc., renewed 1951, by Robert Frost.   Reprinted with the permission of Henry Holt and Company, LLC.     Source:  Collected Poems, Prose, & Plays (Library of America, 1995)

Waiting for days

everyone waits,

patiently

or impatiently

everything is waiting

farmers, gardeners, workers

crops, lawns, gardens,

Finally.

First, I shiver, just a bit  —

it is just a bit cooler.

The sun has nodded off,

the clouds no longer white puff balls.

Something is different.

On the edge of something.

Walking from the garden to the house

there had been nothing to harvest

even weeds are wilting.

hot afternoons, — how many in a row?

The first drops are too strange to recognize.

My mind is on a pasta salad,

without peppers. tomatoes, green onions.

OH!

I finally feel the distinct wet spot

on my bare arm.

Unsure, unfamiliar,

I have to double check

Is that brown ground truly speckled?

YES!    Thank you, Lord!

by Nancy Ann Smith, Poetry Marathon, June 25, 2022

Days of poverty

Of vulnerability

WANT to pay our way.

Prompts Hour Twelve   Text Prompt   For this year’s first formal prompt the challenge is to write a nonet. This poetic form requires that you write a 9-line poem. In the first line there are 9 syllables, in the second 8 syllables and so on down to final one syllable (ninth) line. You can learn more and read an example here, but it’s origin is unknown.

Working to help poor families rise

Easing their debts with PIPP and HEAP

“Getting Ahead “ gives true facts

Head Start for preschoolers

All to raise their hope

Maybe climb out

Of the snare

No more

Broke

By Nancy Ann Smith