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Open Poetry #46
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latearrival
Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499
Florida

0 posted 2010-12-24 10:32 PM


       The Card Holder
          Or three ladies of sixty


     The first, the one who
      Gently wrapped the cleaned tin can
     In lavender and gray

     A spinster type, or widowed  maybe.
     Hair and eyes the same soft colors’
      Of the  yarn  chosen
(a bit if vanity perhaps, thought she had no notion)

    On a table just before her
    The yarns are on display
    She fingers one and puts it down
    Then decides upon the gray.

    The monotony of motion
    As she wraps the yarn around,
    Gentles her thoughts
    And a smile spreads across her face.

    She sees within her mind
    A Christmas scene,
    A glowing fire place

    And there, upon the mantle
    Her finished holder stands
    With cheery cards displayed.

    The second, The buyer,
    a lively elfin type,
    Popped in to do a kindness
    and chanced to add it to her purchases.

    Who knows what drew her to it
    The maker? The colors?
    They say opposites attract

    And on what
    Mischievous mission
    did she thereupon,

    With a twinkle in her eye
    and the devils very grin
    Present it to the third?

    Who received it graciously?
    Oh yes, a sense of humor she
    A little bold and spirited,

    She fondly held the gift before her
    And showed it to her friends as,

    " An old tin can Wrapped round and
        round with yarn."

written years ago about three spirited ladies wih humor to match. All  gone now and truly missed. .
Jo perry


[This message has been edited by latearrival (12-24-2010 11:24 PM).]

© Copyright 2010 martyjo - All Rights Reserved
JerryPat
Senior Member
since 2010-10-30
Posts 1991
Louisiana/America
1 posted 2010-12-24 10:59 PM


As I was reading this slice of life I knew it was quite special. After finishing it and read your footnote I find that I was correct. Beautifully done, Jo perry, memories immortalized.

. . . and the raven said, )!(%!~@~#&$ . . .

latearrival
Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499
Florida
2 posted 2010-12-24 11:24 PM


Thank you. They were real old time ladies who went through the depression and earned a living in any way they could but came up smiling.

”Ten percent Annie" made her living as a picker for antiques and earned ten percent of their sales. Doctor A, I am sure one of the first woman doctors as she was close to eighty years old when I met her in 1970,  had a wonderful following. She drove to her house calls in a little Volkswagen that the local mechanics had souped up as she was a pretty fast driver. The third in her late seventies ran an answering service from her home and hired me to work the night shift because,too many nights she had been a little too tipsy to do it and her clientele was growing. She could not be trusted to stay awake. Nor to answer with clarity I wish I had taken notes on their stories they were fascinating women. “Of a certain age”.

ethome
Member Patricius
since 2000-05-14
Posts 11858
New Brunswick Canada
3 posted 2010-12-24 11:48 PM


very touching and imbued with tender memories that are so important to the beholder.
Some things in life just remain special with a certain flair for developing peaceful maturity in the mind.

Just loved reading this!
Also enjoyed your reply to Jerry, made it all clearly take shape.

Take care

Eric

ain't doin nothin at all just answerin the call
and kinda driftin away from it all

Alison
Deputy Moderator 5 ToursDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-27
Posts 9318
Lumpy oatmeal makes me crazy!
4 posted 2010-12-25 12:21 PM


I love this story and the images that you created with your words.  I want to know those ladies and to drink tea with them.  

Merry Christmas, dear late.

Love
Alison

latearrival
Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499
Florida
5 posted 2010-12-25 01:18 AM


ethome and Alison. I love people of strong Character and these ladies were tops in that  arena.  Thank you  for the read and comment.  latarrival


Margherita
Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236
Eternity
6 posted 2010-12-26 03:33 PM


You have rendered these characters so very well, dear Martiyo. You are close to them, because you are a very strong woman too. Loved your poignant story based on a card holder very much!

Love,
Margherita


latearrival
Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499
Florida
7 posted 2010-12-26 04:07 PM


Margherita,Thank you.I should have made it "three ladies past sixty" because they all were at the time I wrote it.I can see them clearly as you say, because  of who they were and how  much I learned from them just by inhaling it seems.jo  
Marchmadness
Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271
So. El Monte, California
8 posted 2010-12-26 08:24 PM


Enjoyed these ladies, Jo. My mom and dad grew up in the depession and always talked about what people had to do to survive. I think people of that era learned more about life than most do.
                          Ida

latearrival
Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499
Florida
9 posted 2010-12-27 01:45 AM


Ida, yes they really did. There are many  stories from that small farming town.And great people there. It was one of the earliest towns in Conn. Founded in 1639
Thanks for reading. jo

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