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Open Poetry #19
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Sunshine
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Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

0 posted 2002-02-23 08:26 AM




Care Package

It started with the
grandmother, boxes brought
in addition to luggage
for Christmas in July,
of leftover these and those,
silk scarves carrying
fragments of fragrance,
all hers and hers alone ~
sniff it in
smell her
feel her ~
take the costume bejeweled brooch
to pin it on
in make-believe of growing up
to be the lady who wore
the scarf…

As the granddaughter grew,
so did the care,
a bit of bead, a bottle of scent,
a little “here of me” for “there of you”
“does this fit” “you are so tall”
“can you make this do?”
and the granddaughter did,
whether ill-fitting or not,
even if the colors clashed with
the oddity of mature on naïve,
the granddaughter wore it on…

The grandmother’s daughter carried
tradition forward,
sending care packages with
a bended twist, boxed “thinking of you”
sent, no fragrant thoughts,
only common wants,
cans of beans, bags of rice,
photos of yesterday,
feeding soulful needs during hard times,
or making a joke
if too big for our
britches at good
fortune…
someone is always wanting…

though the mother is gone,
care packages being
only a memory now,
still the guiding force is felt,
and the one-time recipient is obliged,
by love, to continue
giving…

the grandmother, via second
daughter, still sends
fragrances of other days
and beads to drape the neck
of the not-so-nearly naïve

who still gives beans…
with fragrant hands…
and heartstring hugs…



©Karilea Rilling Jungel
23 February 2002


© Copyright 2002 Karilea Rilling Jungel - All Rights Reserved
Rex Allen McCoy
Member Elite
since 2000-01-30
Posts 2863
Sippin a Timmy's in London
1 posted 2002-02-23 09:01 AM


Brings back a lot of fond memories of my grandparents
Enjoyed this alot


Seymour Tabin
Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720
Tamarac Fla
2 posted 2002-02-23 09:08 AM


Sunshine,
Well done, enjoyed.

Marsha
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Member Rara Avis
since 2000-07-10
Posts 7423
Maidstone Kent England
3 posted 2002-02-23 09:15 AM


Kari darling sister of my heart Oh my how this brings back pictures of my Nana, thank you darling girl. This is soooooooo incredibly well written, I do believe I could see the boxes arriving and the eager faces of the little girls who were delighted by the boxes of care and love.

As always the flow is divine and the structure is flawless, I doubt if you could write a bad poem if you tried.

  
Love and warm stuff
As always
Mushy

To give light to them that sit in darkness..... to guide our feet into the way of peace Luke 2:79


amigo
Senior Member
since 2001-10-12
Posts 520
the earth school
4 posted 2002-02-23 09:20 AM


'This care package'
'from there of you'
'to here of me'
surely brings
'fragments of fragrance'
...

thank you, Karilea...it's beautiful...

Mistletoe Angel
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Member Empyrean
since 2000-12-17
Posts 32816
Portland, Oregon
5 posted 2002-02-23 10:20 AM


"the grandmother, via second
daughter, still sends
fragrances of other days
and beads to drape the neck
of the not-so-nearly naïve

who still gives beans…
with fragrant hands…
and heartstring hugs…"




YAY!!! Oh my gosh, this is soooooo adorable and touching, sweet friend, it made me smile to just envision that little girl wearing her grandmother's treasures and passing the legacies of love to her family and families in the near future! (kiss on cheek) We all love you so much, sweet friend, this is a fabulous poem on the passing of tradition, I LOVE IT!!! You have such a beautiful heart, sweet Karilea, thank you for sharing!



May love and light always shine upon you!

Love,
Noah Eaton

SEA
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Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 2000-01-18
Posts 22676
with you
6 posted 2002-02-23 12:12 PM


it's next to impossible for me to get through poems like this without a tissue, and missing my Aunt like crazy....
Mysteria
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Member Laureate
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328
British Columbia, Canada
7 posted 2002-02-23 12:22 PM


Oh this reminds me of so many things, my Gramma, and the perfume I never wore, a favorite Aunt, and the dresses that hung in the closet, a letter I received once in a poetry book that carried a scent on it that I treasure, and the love associated with all of these things.  Did this bring a tear?  You know it did.  I have to go down into those dark caves and find more of these.

Live today like it was your last day on earth!
  ~* I don't know who said it but they were sure right *~


[This message has been edited by Mysteria (02-23-2002 12:48 PM).]

amusemi
Senior Member
since 2001-12-08
Posts 1262
A State of Disarray
8 posted 2002-02-23 12:44 PM


We have a similar tradition in our family and I hope to continue it with my own children.  I miss the rock candy from Phili my great grandmother used to send.  I have never tasted anything like it since and I bet the company that made it doesn't even exist any more.

Thanks for the memory and it's a wonderful piece.

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