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Open Poetry #36
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Sunshine
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Listening to every heart

0 posted 2005-07-24 09:43 AM



On Family

I
was in the need
to begin the search backwards ~

ask your grandmother
came the sound advice.

When the next visit came, her response was,
you don’t want to go up that tree, darlin’,
no telling how many pirates and rapscallions
you’ll find
~ and I wondered

[was I born naïve, or did everyone
intend to keep me an innocent?]

It seemed my father’s family had all of these
grand uncles…and aunts…millions of them
to the mind of a young one…

and my mother’s line stopped…there….
with her, and my grandfather, who had died
when I was sick with measles.

The family tree had been lopped, and sided
heavily on daddy’s side, but only as far as his
dear mother, as well.

They shooed me off to childhood,
for my mind had been bound toward maturity,
and I grumbled to be old.

It wasn’t until she found them
and bits of the story started to come forth
as she explained she had brothers – they had all
been separated, you see, long before those dirty 30’s,
after living in Missouri and Oklahoma
when aunts and uncles had taken in, slowly,
separately,
three orphans, after their [horrors!] show-business
mother and father had been killed
in a tragic automobile accident.
She still remembered the way those words,
show folk, was thrown off related tongues
like the dirt that
later swirled in great whirling clouds.

The news of it all was so great, there were no more questions
and no pictures of yester days, just current ones,
of marvelous faces and wrinkled memories
and Polaroid shots of bloodlines

that hearkened back to much harder times.

I still wonder of the pirates and rapscallions
she spoke of – but history’s pages had been ground
down in rutted roads,
it seems, along the way to California…
and she admitted she never read Steinbeck…
because she already knew
the punched lines.

~*~

In memory of
‘Beth
02-06-12 – 02-25-04



[This message has been edited by Sunshine (07-24-2005 10:37 AM).]

© Copyright 2005 Karilea Rilling Jungel - All Rights Reserved
Ratleader
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since 2003-01-23
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Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass
1 posted 2005-07-24 10:32 AM


Thank goodness my older sister is into that ~~ I'd like to, but I don't have the grit to do all the leg-work it takes.... because it does lift me somehow to know where my true roots lie...even though they lie in a crime family, one whose business the word "blackmail" was (quite literally -- it actually was!) invented to describe.

~~(¸¸¸¸ºº>   ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº>  ~~(¸¸ ¸¸ºº>    ~~~(¸¸ER¸¸ºº>
______________Ratleader______________

Enchantress
Member Empyrean
since 2001-08-14
Posts 35113
Canada eh.
2 posted 2005-07-24 12:43 PM


Coming from a long line of show folk
I can understand to some extent anyway
why them would speak of them as such.
But, like my Nana always said when I questioned her..
'Some trees have beautiful leaves,
Other have bunches of nuts.
Remember, it's the nuts that make the tree worth shaking.'

Love ya lady~

Martie
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since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049
California
3 posted 2005-07-24 01:24 PM


Sissie

"because she already knew
the punched lines."

I have always loved strong endings...you made one with those words.  The pondering of your backwards movement is worth it, for look at the poetry it made!  


Juju
Member Elite
since 2003-12-29
Posts 3429
In your dreams
4 posted 2005-07-24 01:49 PM


(;

Juju - 1.) a magic charm or fetish 2.)Magic 3.)A taboo connected woth the use of magic

The dictionary never lies.... I am magical (;

SmartChick
Member Rara Avis
since 2001-09-23
Posts 7081
On A Journey To The Unknown
5 posted 2005-07-24 04:20 PM


Wow! You have quite a family. It is sad about the brothers, though.
Dark Angel
Member Patricius
since 1999-08-04
Posts 10095

6 posted 2005-07-24 07:04 PM


Wondermous Sunshinygal Wondermous!

it's a fer sure

Mxx

take bread away from me, if you wish, take air away. but do not take from me your laughter.

~neruda~

Dark Angel
Member Patricius
since 1999-08-04
Posts 10095

7 posted 2005-07-24 07:05 PM


er i don;t recall checking the library box ...   *grin*

take bread away from me, if you wish, take air away. but do not take from me your laughter.

~neruda~

yv
Senior Member
since 2003-05-30
Posts 574

8 posted 2005-07-24 07:29 PM


Wow...that's all that I can say...wow!

Yv-Goddess of Her Domain. Symbol of Truth Passion Pain. Let Her Smile Rain on the Hearts of the Innocent.

kaile
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singapore
9 posted 2005-07-24 10:11 PM


wow

sorry i don't have the energy for something more. will definitely be back for a more thorough response

JamesMichael
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since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA
10 posted 2005-07-25 03:06 AM


Enjoyed...James
C?
Member
since 2001-12-29
Posts 190

11 posted 2005-07-25 04:43 AM


"was I born naïve, or did everyone
intend to keep me an innocent?"

don't underestimate the benefits of such a trait!

I am familiar with your works, and they have all had a distinct quality to them. This is no different.

nakdthoughts
Member Laureate
since 2000-10-29
Posts 19200
Between the Lines
12 posted 2005-07-25 05:54 AM


I am lucky to know all about my family...
and the specialness can be found if wanting


you have such interesting thoughts that you share, Karilea

Thank you
hugs
M

kayjay
Member Elite
since 2002-06-24
Posts 2015
Oregon
13 posted 2005-07-25 02:01 PM


They shooed me off to childhood,
for my mind had been bound toward maturity,
and I grumbled to be old.

How is it that we can't wait to be older, but  once we're  there, we want to reach back.  KJ

Through rubble and trouble and dark of night
The yawn of a dawn will hasten the light

suthern
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Member Seraphic
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723
Louisiana
14 posted 2005-07-25 04:22 PM


My brother has soured me a bit on genealogy studies... mainly because he doesn't give a hoot about the living. *S* But... never one to throw out the baby with the bathwater... I devour his research. *G*

I love this, Sunshiney One... especially the ending... which is absolutely perfect. *S*

JesusChristPose
Senior Member
since 2005-06-21
Posts 777
Pittsburgh, Pa
15 posted 2005-07-25 09:21 PM


I enjoyed this, what form is it called - prose? Enjoyed the story line, indeed.
Larry C
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since 2001-09-10
Posts 10286
United States
16 posted 2005-07-25 09:50 PM


Karilea,
=================================
I still wonder of the pirates and rapscallions
she spoke of – but history’s pages had been ground
down in rutted roads,
=====================
It seems the ruts weren't as deep in my family. A topic close to my heart family and ancestory. What a delightful, poignantly worded write. Thank you.

If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to heaven and bring you home again.

SimplyGold
Senior Member
since 2002-07-10
Posts 1453

17 posted 2005-07-25 11:11 PM


This is a great piece of storytelling.
There are just too many lines that I love.
Great job, oh great one!

SG

On core, please.

sandgrain
Member Elite
since 1999-09-21
Posts 3662
Sycamore, IL, USA
18 posted 2005-07-25 11:51 PM


So glad I came by and read this one.  My nephew spent years researching my mom's family and mapping it all out.  It's very interesting, but I was never motivated to do all the work he's done.

Your piece is a treasure.  Thanks for sharing it.

  Rae

kaile
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singapore
19 posted 2005-07-27 10:10 AM


back as promised.

sometimes when i comment on poems, i like to quote the lines that grabbed my attention and tugged at my heartstrings because i would like the poet to know how much i enjoyed her/his work in greater detail.

i realise i would be practically pasting half the poem if i attempted to do so for this one

dig the part about grumbling to be old, the splendid imagery about words swirling in skies, the detailed lines about Polariods

unique subject matter. just has this adrenaline-pumping, wow factor to it

this goes to the library. well done!

Warbler
New Member
since 2005-07-09
Posts 8

20 posted 2005-07-27 10:19 AM


One may prune the tree, but the roots run deep... Well written
Greeneyes
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Member Rara Avis
since 2000-09-09
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In Your Poetic Mind
21 posted 2005-07-27 10:30 AM




you have a way of telling stories like no other....

In your light I learn how to love
In your beauty how to make poems
You dance inside my chest where
no one sees you and that sight becomes this art

LeeJ
Member Patricius
since 2003-06-19
Posts 13296

22 posted 2005-07-27 01:10 PM


and she admitted she never read Steinbeck…
because she already knew
the punched lines.


this write of yours as are all of them, always so absorbing...and the way you do it, taking me into the lives of so many who lived long ago...the hardships, I could feel the duststorms and smell the poverty...and we think we have it hard?  
Lady, this is indeed a keeper, thank you always for sharing with us, your wealth of light...

and she admitted she never read Steinbeck…
because she already knew
the punched lines.


definately a strong willed line!

The One & Only
Member
since 2005-01-26
Posts 58
Kansas USA
23 posted 2005-07-27 04:40 PM


I only wish I was there with you to understand were we come from, You know you too have storys to tell! So why not start now! For we are not getting any yonger! And we are not going anywere!
Gentle Spirit
Member Patricius
since 2000-10-09
Posts 13989

24 posted 2005-08-02 08:07 PM




Miss you Momma K.

I refuse to make plans past this moment in time....

ice
Member Elite
since 2003-05-17
Posts 3404
Pennsylvania
25 posted 2005-08-03 05:26 AM


Lake Wobegone exists, in Minnesota or Kansas-
Everywhere there are families, there are stories to tell about them...

I enjoy the stories, especially those put to poetry, extra-especially, when they are as fine as this one...

-------------ice/ford
   ><>

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