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You are here: Home / Poems for Teachers / Poetry Friday: Housekeeping (Jeannine Atkins)

Poetry Friday: Housekeeping (Jeannine Atkins)

September 2, 2010 By Laura

I’m only a third of the way through Borrowed Names (Henry Holt, 2010), Jeannine Atkins‘ beautiful poetry/biography collection focusing on three women–Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C.J. Walker, and Marie Curie–and their relationships with their daughters.

These poems are so conversational they almost feel like prose poems. But I hate to say that, because I don’t like prose poems, and I really like these. I’ve only read the first section, on Wilder, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the book!

Here’s one of the poems I love, about Wilder’s daughter, Rose. (Note: Laura was known as Bess.)

Housekeeping

The girl named for the rare rose on the prairie
who once click-clacked in her mother’s shoes
who tried on her aprons and dresses
stamps her feet on the mat
before she enters the kitchen.
Mama Bess sweeps with the diligence
of a criminal hiding tracks.
She presses red-checkered cloths to cover the table
so no one can see its beautiful wood.
She smooths an old quilt over the sofa so the fabric
won’t fade, all the while humming songs
her father played on the fiddle, some of traveling
and some of home. She asks, What did you do today?

Rose’s forehead turns hot. It’s a trap, not a question.
Mama’s goals are etched
on the skin between her eyes.
Mama’s gingham blouse smells of ironing.
She crimps the edges of her pie evenly
dusts the china shepherdess
so its golden hair glows.
She can grow tomatoes without spots
and raise prizewinning chickens
but she can’t add Rose to her collection of
strong father, patient mother, saintly aunts.
Rose can’t pretend that silver linings can hold
back disasters. She won’t be part
of her mother’s perfect story.

–Jeannine Atkins, all rights reserved

 

The beautiful, tension-filled poems are lovely and sometimes painful. The story of a troubled relationship finding resolution in shared stories is exquisite.

Here are just a few more bits that really captured me:

Stuck-up Mary Ellen Tucker,
with gold glints in her hair,
chants, Farm girl.
Rose hides at lunch,
so town girls can’t see she doesn’t have
butter on her bread.

…………………………………………

At the end of a sentence, she squeezes her lips
like a knot with no spare room.

…………………………………………

She’s written hundreds of articles, a few books,
but no words that echo her heartbeat or pulse.

………………………………………..

Too much work always kept her from watching
petals fall of an apple tree,
or even admiring the shapes of carrots
cut for soup, the clean smell of celery.
Now for almost half a minute Mama
attends to gazing.
This is a woman Rose hardly knows,
the scent of jam on her pale hands.

………………………………………

Whatever happens now
here’s the grace:
A writer can change even a burning house,
depending on where she begins or ends her story.

……………………………………..

So true. Jeannine’s writing really touched me, and where she begins and ends Rose and Bess’ story feels just right.

The honest and heartfelt Susan Taylor Brown is hosting Poetry Friday this week, so stop by to check out all the wonderful words.

Tagged With: jeannine atkins, poems, poetry books, Poetry Friday

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JANUARY NEWS

I loved the holidays! And I'm so glad they're over. A quiet, snowy January is just what I need. This month, I'm working on two board book manuscripts, and I'm making materials to go with my 3 spring 2023 books.

I'm also busy prepping for upcoming author visits and setting my goals and priorities for 2023. Wishing you a lovely start to your own new year!

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