Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Apology to a Suffragette




Celebrating a milestone

Clutching on to my grandmother’s

Depression glass coffee cup,

Much like her,

Delicate and frail

Filled with something effervescent

Tickling my nose and thoughts

Caressing a memory

Stern gaze of disapproval

At a party long past

Holding a tumbler of vodka

For barely a moment

Drawing her ire

Glaring back, dagger looks

Between generations

Crying out for independence,

A rebellious voice

Defiantly pouring some of that

Holy Polish potion

Into her cherished

Sparkling clear

Teetotal-ing coffee cup

Gritting her teeth

Instilling fear in the room

She drank it down in one swig

Smiling for just a second,

Remembering with a wink.


Prompt #137 We Write Poems

8 comments:

  1. Nice twist. "Instilling" works like a charm in that spot.

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  2. Really like this vivid image of generational attachments, how they linger, and affect the things we do and how we see the rest of the world around us. Your last lines remind me of winks shared with my own granddaughters, quick smiles, and silent nods of knowing. Thank you, Denise,

    Elizabeth

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    Replies
    1. Elizabeth,
      Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this. I am always thrilled by the surprise of family influences.

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  3. Deep, rich characters, no matter the literary genre, are such a favorite of mine. Really enjoyed this poem filled with strong words creating an even stronger image of the person. Thank you for the visit and comment on my site.

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  4. Yousei,
    Thank you for taking the time to read this and to comment! She was a strong person.

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  5. A wonderful title to the piece. Mesmerising pieces of drunk memory. Worked really well.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Irene!
      I changed the title at the last minute before posting it. Sometimes that morning coffee works. ;)

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