Early 20th-century French child's garden table and chairs in a Paris rooftop garden.
Sunday Scribblings:
When we were wee…I had braces above my knee;
Made mud pies for tea with Granddaddy;
Sang "chim-chim-cheree." 1Learned to climb a tree;
Excelled at spelling bees;
Drank gallons of iced tea.Swam at the “Y” from one until three;
Helped my great grandpa shell peas;
Twirled baton; rode a bicycle effortlessly.Two brothers were born; then there were three;
Jumped on a pogo-stick, laughing with glee;
Played piano, sang songs in true harmony.Published a weekly newspaper for all to see;
Gave bike rides to my baby sister, so care-free;
Dreamed of exotic lands across the sea.No longer wee…
Uphill walks in San Francisco injured my knee;
Baked pies and cakes to accompany the ritual of tea;
Learned what it is to be truly free.Rock-climbed steep cliffs, higher than any tree;
Adopted the habit of drinking hot English tea;
Realised what matters; the heart holds the key.Wrote words and missives for everyone to see;
Fought for human rights; for speech to remain free;
Gave birth to a daughter, a great joy for me!Sent her far off to college, seeking her degree;
Lived and traveled in lands across the sea;
Struggled with foreign languages, until a fait accompli!Married a wondrous spirit who whispered complicitly:
“Grow old along with me; the best is yet to be.” 2
Et maintenant, ca suffit! 3
1 Song from the musical Mary Poppins
2 Line from Robert Browning's poem Rabbi Ben Ezra, 1864
3 French meaning "And now, it is enough!"
What a glimpse this gives into who you are...into the joys of life that matter to you. beautiful.
Posted by: liz elayne | 18 April 2006 at 17:35
Truly outstanding.
Posted by: HoBess | 18 April 2006 at 16:53
Oh, I love your poem. The rhythm is so playful. I had fun reading along and wondering what would come next. And I too sang "chim-chim-cheree"!
Posted by: Jamie | 18 April 2006 at 03:57
What fun this poem was! So touching and, technically, so impressive. I love this...
Posted by: C. Delia | 18 April 2006 at 02:54
This was fantastic! Such a joy to read.
Posted by: Cee | 18 April 2006 at 00:42
Very nicely written. Loved the ying and yang of the young and the old, it fits all so nicely together.
Posted by: lisa | 17 April 2006 at 16:07
Wonderful! I loved your approach to the wee you through the poetry. And including the now was lovely!
JTL
xxx
Posted by: JourneyThroughLife | 17 April 2006 at 03:04
I love the image and the poem. There is a magical quality to both. :)
Posted by: Jessie | 17 April 2006 at 02:12
What a great read! So cool!
Posted by: Shannon (Sentimental) | 17 April 2006 at 01:41
P.S. I'll be in Paris in 2 weeks and I can't wait!!
Posted by: Maggie | 16 April 2006 at 22:32
Great poem, it encapsulated so much in so few lines (very impressive--I tend to be long winded)! I especially enjoyed the incorporation of Browing (I'm an English major and I loooove references to other works). Beautiful!
Posted by: Maggie | 16 April 2006 at 22:31
This was truly beautiful and unique. I loved it!
Posted by: bella | 16 April 2006 at 17:14
Nice poem. Makes me hope for this kind of love one day. It made me smile big and long
Posted by: GoGo | 16 April 2006 at 15:50
Delightful!
Posted by: Marilyn | 16 April 2006 at 14:39
so much so much so much! everything i'm reading today is full of memories and revelations to consider. i like little you. and big you. i admire you for what you achieved when you were small and grown. this made me smile - witty and sweet & written so well. thank you!
Posted by: Jennifer (she said) | 16 April 2006 at 13:43
Wonderful! You write so well, it is pure pleasure to read! Your memories are rich as well! I love the image you have here!! That cafe au lait bowl!!
Posted by: Tongue in Cheek | 16 April 2006 at 12:51
What a fun way to put your life together! You're so rest - the best is definitely yet to be!
Posted by: megg | 16 April 2006 at 08:47
This is so cool. I love what you wrote. It made me smile the whole way through.
Posted by: krista | 16 April 2006 at 04:44
Ohhhhh, I am savoring every line that you have written! I am so glad that you included the "now"--I relished reading how you have evolved!
Yes, yes--the best IS yet to be!
Thank you so much for sharing this!
Posted by: Cate | 16 April 2006 at 02:13
Wow, I'm amazed how many rhymes you came up with! Quite a technical feeat, and that it all flowed and didn't seem to stretch the rhyme, AND is bilingual! And ah, all the sweet images. Like how you blended it right into growing up. Very sweet.
Posted by: Laini | 16 April 2006 at 01:42
love this. so clever. feels like a dance on a song. a happy tune.
Posted by: jennifer | 15 April 2006 at 23:43