May Poems – Siblings: One Line, More or Less

Today is Poetry Friday, and Buffy Silverman is hosting with photos and a three-act drama mask poem about a hognose snake. 

In May I’ll be writing daily poems about my siblings, one line, more or less. I came from a family of seven siblings. Now there are only four of us left. In 2012, my oldest brother died, then in 2018, my oldest sister died, and last Sunday, I lost another sister. All have died without warning or illness. Judi just went in her sleep, and I am so sad. I’m going to spend this month updating this post each day with another poem remembering and honoring my siblings.

This one line, more or less process was inspired by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater. See the description of her month-long one line, more or less poems here. and all her crow poems are here. Diane Anderson joined Amy’s challenge and wrote a daily poem about robins in April. Here are Diane’s poems at newtreemom.

I

Small house, six siblings, steady shenanigans


II

Five girls between boy bookends
Full house of playmate dividends

couplet


III

Rick, Lynne, Chris, Judi, Lori
Then came me, followed by Keith
Mom laughed with great joy (and fear)

septercet


IV

Additions came, each nephew/niece contained
great hope and sustenance. Years of joyful gain.
Now I ponder losses; the inescapable pain
as I accede to this birth-to-death rhythm ordained.

quatrain


V

Home
Sisters and brothers abound
grow, move away,
still love
Family

elfchen


VI

after all night shifts, she slept on the beach
we swam in the ocean; just
once I needed saving

my young lifesaver, wanting a reward,

(I guess) woke her up and told
the tale. “Thank you,” she said.

kimo


VII

flying east
following love
“Do you want a return ticket?
Just in case?” my surrogate father
asked me.
big brother
love stays.

trinet


VIII

Happy you
laughing through
thoughts of time
together
glad to claim
not so tame
share the name
bellwether

snam suad


IX

Statin talk after dinner of steak
makes us think about the soundness
of our arteries. Loved ones
gone too quickly remind
us of life’s risk here
on earth. Playing
Balderdash
distracts
us.

nonet


X

Sweet
eldest
sister, more
obligations
than one should endure.
Swimming upstream alone
surviving abuse, widowed,
raising boys alone, losing dreams,
abusing alcohol. Lifelong rise
up to recover for one more dear day.

etheree


XI

We’re dropping like flies,
we have been known to say
around here. My heart has sunk
into a deep wetland of tears and
sadness. Clearing the distant
memories, bridges between
earth and heaven. Thoughts of
you explode into this book
of your hidden life, endless
treasures of love continuing.
Your silent star shines.

Poetry Sparks


XII
Sisters and brothers love’s boon
Life together as one invite
Argue or delight?
Both were normal
No thought of the mournful
end of the seven of us quite
Sisters and brothers

We didn’t always play in tune
but the bond stayed tight
and all seemed right
wondered I of death immune
Sisters and brothers

Rondeau Prime


XIII

You Were Always My Favorite

  • You painted my fingernails
  • You taught me to read using Go Dog Go
  • You and Ken came to my softball games
  • You worked as a telephone operator
  • We had matching dresses once
  • You brought K.C. into our lives
  • Your daughter Amy’s middle name is Denise
  • I got your room when you got married
  • My daughter Maria’s middle name is Christine
  • You would have been my kids’ guardian if we died

When You Weren’t

  • I cut my foot and you said, “You better not have picked a scab.”
  • You hit my head with the bristles when you brushed my hair.
  • You wouldn’t accept that my use of “Hilary’s word” deplorable
    could be a legitimate criticism of your candidate’s actions.

List poem


XIV

Rick was the father I didn’t know
Wedding day he walked me down the aisle.
Lynne married young and bestowed
Gifts like a rich Santa Claus–that style!

Chris is a sister so frank and refreshing
Now lives in Pennsylvania Dutch country.
Judi was a quiet, deep, book-loving blessing
She loved and valued others so humbly.

Lori is now my neighbor and friend
skillfully helped us remodel our dwelling.
Keith is the one on whom we depend
Loves to travel, in family ties excelling.

Six siblings had always been there for me
Three remain–relish each other is my plea.

sonnet


XV

She was born
in Gaza–
tiny spit
of land in
Israel–
an at “home”
alien.
And I have
the birthright
to mourn the
loss of one
elder while
she loses
everything
everyone?


XVI

I remember just one family vacation
we took with my dad and mom and
six of us kids. (My older brother
was in the service, I think.)
We went to the Grand Canyon.
There were a few tiny
photographs of our trip:
Attending a pow wow.
Looking over the edge of the canyon.
Staying in a hotel with a pool.
Going out to a restaurant.
Then I remember I bought
two polished stones
at the gift shop.
When I was getting my hair brushed,
I dropped one and picked it up with my toes.


Where I start writing one less line each day…

XVII

My dad bought the little house
for my mom. Two bedrooms
in the suburbs. She wasn’t happy.
She had a son and two daughters
and one more on the way.
By the time I came along,
they had built another bedroom.
Eventually they pieced together
more bedrooms by transforming
the garage and laundry room
into two more. I remember a time
when all siblings were home
and rooms burst their seams.
As they married, we played musical
bedrooms, filling in the gaps.


XVIII

Pink sky morning brings chirping.
Warming liberates reptiles
emerging from winter cold.

Hope in this new day will stay.
Lifetime bow of family
ties up love like rose-tinged clouds.

Queue up the crescendo for
dulcet and devout playing
on this blooming day in May.

Life is a bouquet of kin
to rejuvenate the soul.

septercet sonnet


XIX

We watch the quail as they
are ready for the first hatching.
Gleaners gathering seeds and also us,
who watch them noticing their
fill of the allurement of
the living. No need for a
barn or coop to raise their young.
For the green light of
the fragments of consequence, we
winter on through loss and ends.
That is why what
comes next is all a gift
on this mystic mansion of creation.

golden shovel

From Jack Gilbert’s poem “Moreover” this striking line: “We are gleaners who fill the barn for the winter that comes on.”


XX

This journey is full and sweet
Thanks to those brothers and sisters
who shine in our life-creating, as
the abounding world glitters

stories of memory
stories of faith and joy
stories of unease
stories of safe convoys

We are finer for having had years–
years and days and moments
Together stronger, together better
Full with beloved proponents

Patrol Poem

XXI

In answer to your questions:

  1. Yes, thank you.
  2. Fine.
  3. Maybe.
  4. No, thank you.
  5. She’s doing great.
  6. His name is Randy.
  7. Thank you for saying yes.
  8. No.
  9. You know you left way too soon.
  10. We’re making it, but we miss you.

List poem  – (One time my brother wrote me a letter answering my questions with a numbered list of answers like this.)


XXII

Friend
Sister
neighborly
giving partner.
You have become my balm for homesickness.
Notice, as you restore memories, that
more awaits you
A healthy
future
hope

Double Tetractys


XXIII

So many
birthday feasts
through the years

All nieces
and nephews
celebrating

Life in this
family
Happy love

tricube


Siblings

I never doubted your care
Everyday living conveys
faithful love and repair
of failures and hurts
Six humans: no compare
You were there for me
with kind and witty flair
We were gifted a graced way
to hold and love and share

Magic 9


XXIV

Life is an obstinate investment
tended and nourished just so
in fidelity to hope’s assessment
Life is an obstinate investment
never subject to divestment
changes though ‘til time to go
Life is an obstinate investment
tended and nourished just so

triolet & Metaphor Dice


XXV 7

gift giver
birthday rememberer
Perfect book gift chooser for me
my whole life long. Continued with
my kids
then theirs

trinet

XXVI 

family and friends bring life and light
laughter, cooking, reminiscing night
fifty years, growing family bright
becomes future generations’ sight–
memories tucked away to fill the heart
with the thrill of love and hope done right

Hir a Thoddaid

XXVII

time is short, slow down
no need to speed up to fit
everything in now
more is not always better
be all-in while we have time

tanka

XXVIII
my May poems are soon done
I have grown closer to you
My dear sisters and brothers
June rest now, thank God

dodoitsu

XXIX

memories and joy
mingle with sadness each day
but gratitude wins

haiku

XXX

Rick, Lynne, Judi are now gone
Four remain to life-treasure on

XXXI 
Memories pull my heart is full

March 9 – A Tiny Slivers Timeline of Yesterday

March 9, 2023 TwoWritingTeachers.org

Last year I wrote a Slice of Life of my day using some tiny poetry forms. I remembered it this morning, and decided to try it again, so here is a tiny timeline of my day yesterday using septercets–a poetry form of three lines, each with seven syllables.

5:26 a.m.
Alarm rings, but hubby sleeps
Stumble around finding clothes
Make a cup of tea to go

6:00 a.m.
Pick up my sister and dogs
Drop them at the dog-sitters
Head out for her appointments

7:20 a.m.
Read in the parking structure
The Confession by Grisham
A satisfactory end

8:05 a.m.
At last, found Sherman’s Deli
Ordered corned beef hash, eggs, and
bagel with cream cheese to share.

9:00 a.m.
Trader Joe’s, Michael’s, Target
Shopping time before the next
doctor’s appointment for her

10:30 a.m.
No Internet, now no book
Enjoyed the breeze and the birds
and played FreeCell on my phone

11:15 a.m.
Costco — the hundred dollar
store is now, the more-than-a-
hundred store. Samples for lunch.

1:10 p.m.
Keith put the battery in
Lori’s pickup, which is why
she hadn’t driven herself

4:00 p.m.
At last, sanded and added
the first coat of varnish to
my renovated table

7:30 p.m.
Curled up on my half of
loveseat and slept, (rare for me)
Probably snoring occurred

9:00 p.m.
Wrote a post: White Women book
giveaway. (Oh, no!! Too late!!)
Free book club still open, though

9:20 p.m.
Couldn’t think of a new post,
so I doom-scrolled. What is wrong
with our country? Racism!

11:00 p.m.
Went to sleep, thinking too much,
I should have read, not listened
to all the bias out there.

I am participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge: A slice a day for all of March. Thank you, Two Writing Teachers!

Tiny Slivers Timeline

Slice of Life on TwoWritingTeachers.org 25 May 2021

Here are a few slivers of my life on Monday in a variety of zappai, septercets, and hay(na)ku.

Tiny Slivers Timeline
A.M.

6:10
up and doom scrolling
unusual for me these days
too early for this

6:30
enjoyed tea, which my
husband prepared, sat with him
while he ate breakfast

6:55
gave
my husband
a buzz haircut

7:10
watched
the news
too much pain

7:30
Rush to the shower
Oops! Class starts soon! Made it! It’s
7:45

8:25
Made oatmeal on stove
Added mashed banana and
Splashed with almond milk

8:40
Spy the ignored dough I thawed
this morning, I baked cookies
for Keith to deliver soon

9:27
Log in to a Zoom meeting
Shared concepts for a farewell
party for our principal

9:54
Finished the meeting
so I came to start this post
Wrote in #MayPoems

10:40
Duolingo–
used up
all my hearts

11:08
Sliced
ripe peaches
to save them

P.M.

12:03
Leftover
pasta and
peaches for lunch

1:30
Phonics
Think Tank
Report to coordinators

3:00
Nap
with hubby
and everything nice

4:03
Teach
Meet with
many MENA teachers

5:20
More
leftovers for
dinner, cook tomorrow

5:40
Painting
and drawing
for poetry inspiration

6:13
Happy call from Poland, but
Alex learns of Bahrain’s new
Ban, Covid numbers. Can’t come.

7:00
Zoom Bible study
Bent woman made whole and straight
Jesus delighted

8:55
Call
to console
a grieving friend

9:30
Time
to read
awhile before bed

9:32
“Have you seen Glitter Bomber?”
My husband asked. “Mark Roper’s
stopping porch pirates.” We binged.

10:17
Okay
That’s enough
Time for bed