Poetry Friday, Week 47: Remembering a Friend and an Invitation

 I hope all those who celebrate had a wonderful Thanksgiving, Over the years, it's become a day to reflect on those I have in my life and give thanks.

Tanita at {fiction, instead of lies} is on hosting duties this week.  I read the November challenge: Here’s the scoop: We’re taking a line or theme plucked from Jane Hirschfield’s TWO VERSIONS, a poem that appears in her collection The Asking: New and Selected Poems (scroll to the second page to see the poem). Here is where you can find the #PoetryPals poems:   Tanita, Laura,  Mary Lee,  Liz, Sara, Tricia, and Kelly

I thought cool beans, I'm in. SOMEHOW, I missed the scrolling to the second page to see the poem. Somehow, I looked up "Two Versions" by Jane Hirschfield and was led to "Poem With Two Endings".  The universe is mysterious.  The universe knew I needed this poem so it's the one I took a line from to participate the challenge (now for me a Jane Hirschfield challenge, not a "Two Versions" challenge
Poem With Two Endings by Jane Hirschfield

Say ‘death’ and the whole room freezes –
even the couches stop moving,
even the lamps.
Like a squirrel suddenly aware it is being looked at.

(click on the title for the whole poem)

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Karen is third from left with walking sticks.

You see, last week, I went to the celebration of life for my co-worker of twenty plus years. She was my media assistant. She was a quiet force that saw to everyone's needs. It was fitting that her last name was Starr. It's been a sad month (on so  many levels). Her service was filled with those who loved her. I've written three poems about my grief, all of them golden shovels and one from the Hirschfield poem.

It was a gift to be with my friend, Karen in her final days.  We reminisced and I caught her up my life. I will miss her so much. I am so thankful that last July, we were able to get to the Norwegian Troll in SW Portland.  There are several of them in the PNW. She'd only seen the one in Ballard, WA.  ​

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Here's the most recent golden shovel from Hirschfeld's "Poem with Two Endings"

Say “death” and the whole room freezes–
—from “Poem with Two Endings" by Jane Hirschfield
That day you called to say
you were diagnosed with a brain tumor, death
was not part of your vocabulary. And
if I am being honest,  you made the
word your challenge. You strategized living whole:
travel, reading, and staying strong for us. Now the room
is filled with those who loved you. The air freezes–

–a candle is lit, remembering you this first Thanksgiving

​©jone rush macculloch, draft 2024

An Invitation

​It's 34 days until the new year! Time to start thinking of sending New Year Post Cards! I've have also been thinking that this is an excellent way to incorporate the small poems that some have been writing thanks to Mary Lee Hahn and the hashtag #haikuforhealing2024 and mine #haikuforresilience2024 (I suspect we'll need to change to 2025)

Send five, send ten or send to all?
In Japan, it’s called Nengajo, a Japanese custom of ushering in the new year.​  
How It Works:

• Choose to send five or ten postcards.
• Create a postcard:  you can buy a postcard and write a poem on the other side or you can create one postcard to send to everyone (I use Walgreens or Zazzle)
• Once you get the names, send by January 29, 2025 (start of the Chinese New Years and someone's bday. wonder who?)
• If you choose, you can work in the Chinese animal for 2025: The year of the Wood Snake. It is not required. 

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