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Open Poetry #41
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aziza
Member Elite
since 2006-07-09
Posts 2995
Lumpy Oatmeal makes me Crazy!

0 posted 2007-11-15 04:03 AM


Mrs. Tappenilla


Mrs. Tappenilla wore balloon panties
and hung them on her clothesline every Saturday.
When the wind was right, they would lift as if to fly away.
We would giggle and say that they looked like a parachute or
a kite with all a long clothesline tail to catch in the trees

Mrs. Tappenilla smelled like licorice
and she had a loud laugh (my Mother said she was vulgar).
She scared me on Halloween when she was a giant devil,
and jumped  out from behind the door before giving us candy.
I thought she  was unfair and didn’t like her.

But that was before I knew her.

Mrs. Tappenilla didn’t have children to love;
but she loved us, my brother and me, and she told stories of Finland
and shared cookies from her “Old Country” while she drank tea.
We loved her and hugged her (even my Mother grew to see the big heart
that lived in an over-sized woman with stray hairs on her chin)

Mrs. Tappenilla wore balloon panties
under faded flower house dresses covered by  a pale red apron.
She loved my cat and fed him scraps of meat when he came to visit.
I think she was lonely and missed her home and family,
so she loved us instead, my brother and me.

Mrs. Tappenilla wore balloon panties
(did I mention that?)


Alison



© Copyright 2007 Alison - All Rights Reserved
nakdthoughts
Member Laureate
since 2000-10-29
Posts 19200
Between the Lines
1 posted 2007-11-15 05:50 AM


nice to  have  a morning ~smile~ from your words


M

Gumpy
Member
since 2007-11-06
Posts 143
Canada
2 posted 2007-11-15 09:09 AM


Great poem.
I think a lot of us had a "Mrs. Tappenilla", but few of us get to find out she was not the scary neighbor.

Great read (did i mention that?)  lol

Gumpy

chickoo007
Member
since 2007-11-06
Posts 70
India
3 posted 2007-11-15 09:14 AM


lolz that was indeed a great one . good work. lol
Kahlil
Senior Member
since 2003-04-12
Posts 1881

4 posted 2007-11-15 09:17 AM


what a treat!
You brought happiness to her life,
I'm sure of that.  I see the undies
on the line as symbolic in this poem...

SEA
Deputy Moderator 10 ToursDeputy Moderator 5 Tours
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 2000-01-18
Posts 22676
with you
5 posted 2007-11-15 11:25 AM


this is so touching...

I remember certain people in my life like this, that left a footprint and a smile.


Marchmadness
Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271
So. El Monte, California
6 posted 2007-11-15 12:38 PM


Somewhere Mrs. Tappenilla is smiling.
                           Ida

Earth Angel
Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215
Realms of Light
7 posted 2007-11-15 01:39 PM


Alison, I had my own Mrs. Tappenilla! Her name was Mrs. Wilson! Absolutely every single word applied to her and to our relationship, as well. Oh, except that she shared her memories of England, not Finland.

Thank you so much, for bringing up those memories for me!

Marvelous writing ~ marvelous Mrs. Tappenilla ~ marvelous Mrs. Wilson ~ and marvelous YOU!!!


Linda


aziza
Member Elite
since 2006-07-09
Posts 2995
Lumpy Oatmeal makes me Crazy!
8 posted 2007-11-15 02:19 PM


Thank you all for taking the time to meet 'my' Mrs. Tappenilla - and for sharing the special people in your lives.

xoxoxo
and love,
A

Margherita
Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236
Eternity
9 posted 2007-11-15 04:46 PM


I love your spirit of observation which inspires such great works, to which we can all relate in some ways. You brought up an image of a woman in my childhood that had frightened me to death with her impressive appearance and manly ways, but on occasion she would completely change and show her heart and make me smile.

Love,
Margherita

Artic Wind
Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 8080
Realm of Supernatural
10 posted 2007-11-15 07:10 PM


Really much enjoyed

ARCTIC WIND

shirtless
Member
since 2006-04-29
Posts 359

11 posted 2007-11-16 01:07 PM


charming
Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
12 posted 2007-11-16 01:55 PM


Alison, this is charming! How you lit up
this woman with the balloon panties...

and how she must have loved you!




JamesMichael
Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA
13 posted 2007-11-16 02:27 PM


A pleasure to read...James
miscellanea
Member Elite
since 2004-06-24
Posts 4060
OH
14 posted 2007-11-16 06:35 PM


From your description, I can vividly see her as an elderly woman who may be showing her age by loss of weight.  She seems like a person who tried to share the colors of life, sometimes better than others (such as scaring you at Halloween!)  Wonderful description!  How she must have enjoyed getting to know you and your family.  It seems that you both left a lasting impression on each other...

Did I mention I enjoyed this?

misce'

misce'

Interloper
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-11-06
Posts 8369
Deep in the heart
15 posted 2007-11-16 06:53 PM


1derful

Poet, said my Muse to me, look in thy heart and write.

LindsayP
Member Elite
since 2007-07-28
Posts 3410
Australia, Victoria
16 posted 2007-11-16 08:41 PM



People are lucky who have a friend like that

and you told the story so well. Thanks for sharing your loving thoughts, well done.

Lindsay

aziza
Member Elite
since 2006-07-09
Posts 2995
Lumpy Oatmeal makes me Crazy!
17 posted 2007-12-01 12:29 PM


Thank you all.  I loved Mrs. Tappenilla and still smile as I think about her.  


Mrs. Tappenilla, please meet my friends at PiP.  PiP people, please meet Mrs. Tappenilla.

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