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Open Poetry #14
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Summer '65 ... Elderberry Time ... Part Three ... Conclusion
| Open Poetry #14 |
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Summer '65 ... Elderberry Time ... Part Three ... Conclusion |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart 
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Summer ’65 ~ Elderberry Time ~ Part Three ~ Conclusion time had past for fermenting hopes of summer’s pick, those elderberries that would rest alongside all sunny memories as the best of all summer’s beams, and mother, in an attempt to scan her notes…. called to me, said “what did I jot down there?” busying herself in lifting crocks to the counter then calling dad, they were too heavy for her thin arms to pick up, and he, whistling his tuneless whistle, came to her rescue in his ever (so invisible) white hat…which was always worn at a jaunty angle, accentuating his cheek bones, most prominent nose, and large ears… and I read “after fermenting, bottle and cork.” Ever know how something doesn’t seem quite right? Ever be a kid that didn’t talk back to your folks? …it had been one of those busy days, the bottles had been prepared weeks before, so it was nothing to rinse them out, ladling fragrant juice into dark containers, knowing a little more time would have to pass before…the uncorking… would they let us kids have a sip? Would we get aha! to taste the fruit of our efforts? How grand that did sound, very grown-up, adult, the fruit of our efforts, knowing full well, dad, me and the poisoned oak gone through had been the effort… even in that quiet “adult” moment of feeling, the poison oak scars left behind still tickled that itch of reminder, and I most likely absently scratched at something long gone except, of course, for the whitish scars… a few weeks later, on a trip to the library, I pulled out that old cookbook and reviewed, once again, the elderberry wine recipe, noting with amusement, asterisks that meant the recipe had not been used and was a museum piece, laughing, thinking, my dad had antiquated memories, not knowing his Germanic background, not realizing that in the 30’s, one made anything do, then squeezed it out to have it be used again, noting that the recipe did not look like mom’s notes… but what was missing? ah well… when, a few nights before the start of school, our family being kitchen folk, the kind that played parlor games no matter the day of the week, when the kitchen was the center of the universe a loud pop-bang sounded, Dad, he got that what look on his face and Mom, she got that where furrow between her brows and pop-bang a second time when suddenly, the unmistakable smell of alcohol pervaded the air and pop-bang again! “oh my gosh!, the wine’s exploding” and that is when I remembered where Mom’s notes had gone wrong…we hadn’t cooked off the fermenting action, the elderberry wine having become stronger than the glass and cork could hold the evening and a summer gone right ended on purple notes of mother, father, kids and dog, all hurriedly trying to clean up a mess, giggling, laughing, breathing in great lungs full of elderberry warmth held now in shades and shadows of sunset memories that keep me as warm as ever could the libation itself, even if we had been fortunate enough to have had one sip. In memory, Dad….thank you…. [This message has been edited by Sunshine (edited 06-03-2001).] |
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| © Copyright 2001 Karilea Rilling Jungel - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Titia Geertman Member Ascendant
since 2001-05-07
Posts 5182Netherlands |
Well, Sunshine dear, this really appeals to me, for we make our own wine for many years now and I know the sound of exploding bottles and the smell of wine for days after. Really enjoyed reading this one. Titia A rose is a rose is a rose...I guess... |
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SEA 
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 2000-01-18
Posts 22676with you |
thank you for this beautiful, fun, memory shared with us.....I saw it so clearly.....thank you for touching my heart yet again  |
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Auguste
since 2000-02-16
Posts 3953By the sea |
Karilea, I would love to hear more of these lovely memories. You've done so well with this one that I find myself hooked. This is such a wonderful and tender story/memory and I thank you for it. Michael Proust- |
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Pseudonym New Member
since 2001-06-02
Posts 5Both Here And There, It's Not So Hard |
A memoir filled with imagery. Your movement within the prose poem form seems well worth expaning and exploring. Well Done "Dreams are life pending, made real by our faith, love and belief." |
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Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
Ditto Michael on that thought, as I sat with my face in my hands and came to the end, and went "shoot!" Well I just know there are more memories from that kitchen of yours you can share, and I will hope to read them, as I too am "hooked"! Wonderful story, and for you, a wonderful memory, so to your Dad I too say, "thanks for the memory!" |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Karilea--I love hearing this tender wine soaked memory..beautifully written! |
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Interloper
since 2000-11-06
Posts 8369Deep in the heart |
What fabulous memories. Thank you for sharing. Fool, said my Muse to me, look in thy heart and write. Philip Sidney (1554-1586) Loving in Truth |
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Dennis Member
since 2001-02-19
Posts 235Indiana |
Man, I wish I could get my thoughts down like this...enjoyed reading this. |
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