I was the daughter of a clergyman
a suffragette
a teacher
a Girl Guides’ leader
interested
in nursing
books and horseback riding
a religious idealist

I loved an artist
left with him
lived through 4 wars
worked hard
for the meatballs of life
gave birth to 3 wonderful
fantastic children
so this really
hasn’t been
too bad.

Ham

poem in the style of the Spoon River Anthology by Signe Hammarsten-Jansson, mother of Tove Jansson

"The name of the author is the first to go

followed obediently by the title, the plot,

the heartbreaking conclusion, the entire novel

which suddenly becomes one you have never read,

never even heard of,

as if, one by one, the memories you used to harbor

decided to retire to the southern hemisphere of the brain,

to a little fishing village where there are no phones."

from the poem Forgetfulness by Billy Collins

"An jenem Tag im blauen Mond September
Still unter einem jungen Pflaumenbaum
Da hielt ich sie, die stille bleiche Liebe
In meinem Arm wie einen holden Traum.
Und über uns im schönen Sommerhimmel
War eine Wolke, die ich lange sah
Sie war sehr weiß und ungeheuer oben
Und als ich aufsah, war sie nimmer da."

von Errinerungen an Marie A. von Bertolt Brecht