Thursday, December 13, 2012

The teacher


you dust flour and sugar on table kitchen,   
with energetic wave from pea-knotted hands    
short grey hair curls your delicate face,
youthful even in widow’s clothes


today is the last day in your modest city home   
you are saddened by thoughts of new owners
moving in by New Year --
but you’re practical you said, moving to a smaller town   
to pursue simple joys & life long goal -
teaching young teens and adults,
mostly students who can’t afford college
or  next month’s rent — but your free courses:
basics of cooking and baking in your kitchen 

filled with jars, spice bottles & baking trays.   


you turn to look at dozen cherry-smooth cheeks –
chocolate-streaked aprons and oven mitts ready—
like a conductor in orchestra stand, you lift  the spatula
and begin sharing more than just printed recipes    



Posted for D'verse Poets Pub  - Voice of the second person ~ My aunt is an inspiration for this post.   Please feel free to offer critique for my development.  Thanks ~

37 comments:

  1. Grace, this is so poignant. Interesting how a few of us turned to aged loved ones for inspiration. I have no suggestions for improvement. Especially liked the details and the last line! (And the photo...I'm starved).

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  2. I want to know this character. Her heart is right where it ought to be. You've captured her essence ideally.

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  3. so cool...so your aunt is doing this...nice...what a calling she has on her life to do that...and i know she will be richly rewarded for doing it as well...thanks for sharing her tale...she is inspiring...

    one crit....i think you dropped a 'the' in the first line second stanza...

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    1. Thanks Brian ~ I was trying to pare down my words ~

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  4. Sounds like a great person indeed and one fine write. Pulling the second person off with ease!

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  5. Wonderful... what a great thing to teach cooking, it helps so much when you're strapped for cash... she sound delightful I think I can smell those cookies from hear...why do I always feel hungry after visiting here. :)

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    1. She wanted to teach practical skills, so they can earn money or get a job. Thanks Di ~

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  6. Aww.... she sounds lovely. That cake sure looks delicious too Grace. You always make me HUNGRY! lol

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    1. Ha..ha...I am baking these for Christmas, its my favorite ~ Thanks Bren ~

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  7. Although sad for leaving her life behind..she seems ready to take on the future. I think her students are in for a fun time. Very sweet, Grace.

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  8. There is so much love pouring forth from this piece, Grace... which not only warms me inside, but makes me want to do some baking.

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    1. Which I will also do in the coming weekend ~ Thanks Laurie ~

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  9. Grace, this saddens me; but it seems your aunt knows what she has to do and is a role model even in not the best of circumstances. She sounds like a wonderful person / role model.

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  10. Only critique would be some of the lines are a little predictable, or usual, in writing about an older woman cooking/baking. That said, I love the warmth and the sentiment of the piece.

    Merry Christmas, Grace :)!

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  11. How very kool. Your seond person is a very special person, and this was so lovingly presented. I liked this soft, trimmed version of your style. I love the predictibility of your brilliance :) !!!

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  12. beautiful and home spun. i love the warmth here, Grace. she radiates in this poem.

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  13. very cool...your aunt sounds like a wonderful woman... so cool that she's giving these trainings for free...we need more people like her

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  14. ..your aunt for sure is an inspiration Grace... she's someone to be proud of and someone to look up to for doing things without expecting or asking back in return... a wonderful tribute... God bless her beautiful heart... and God bless you for letting us know her... smiles...

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  15. Beautiful poem with its imagery and the loveliness of Aunty essence permeating the whole thing...sharing other things apart from cooking with her students..a true giver!

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  16. How lucky you are to have an Aunt like this in your life!

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  17. A fine tribute to a wonderful Aunt. She had made many sacrifices. Not easy to get one so helpful to the youngsters. Nicely Grace!

    Hank

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  18. inspiring with a great sense of authenticity, kudos for your aunt, and for you for posting ;-)

    really liked your ending stanza, linking the cooking with music, yeah, my kinda food!

    thanks grace (heaven) ;-)

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  19. Terrific. The conductor metaphor worked especially well for me. k.

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  20. love how you connected life-style with food

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  21. Very adept, what you have done here. Like the way you took on the prompt.

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  22. A beautiful warm write and I love the idea of
    "like a conductor in orchestra stand, you lift the spatula
    and begin sharing more than just printed recipes"

    Anna :o]

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  23. Very beautiful writing Grace, lovely lady.

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  24. I'm so used to the first and third persons that your poem took me by surprise. What a beauty! And how original, too. Many thanks.

    Greetings from London.

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  25. This is beautiful Grace, you sketched the character so well !!!

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  26. Grace, this is so hearfelt and beautiful. a lot of warmth here... i enjoyed this a lot! thank you!

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  27. wow. This is so good. You accomplished so much here in this point of view, painting a wonderful scene in the process. Great read Grace. Thanks

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  28. Wonderful inspiration!

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