Making the (In)Visible
because it’s your favourite jumper
because moths or silver-fish
have taken to embroidering.
the hole is exposed
my needle marks the circle
slips its silver eye through black wool,
round, then back and forth in parallel
bars it weaves its way, over and under
reclaiming open space into solidity.
since my mother died after I had
stripped her home bringing her
to mine. I rub my thumb over its
mandala, remembering the dictum
waste not want not, the lesson to conserve
memories intermesh in this attempt
to fill the lost spaces in between.
A gentle warmth in these details, and such a telling last line.
ReplyDeleteI have two wooden mushrooms. One my Mum passed on to me when she inherited her mother's; now I have that one too, inherited in my turn. I must admit it is a long time since I darned anything, but I did a lot of it in the past.
Yes, the last line is wonderful. And the tone of the whole poem is reflective and meditative, like the ideal state of mind for darning, I imagine ( I always feel very stressed because I'm really bad at it, but my husband embroiders and crochets and I know he is calm and happy while he does it). I really enjoyed this poem.
ReplyDeleteLovely piece, Gail.
ReplyDeleteThank you Rosemary, Lisa and Barbara for your affirming comments.
ReplyDelete