We took time during The Stafford Challenge kickoff this past Saturday to write. Kim Stafford, son of William Stafford, read us a list poem written by his famous poet father, and encouraged us to look around the room and list what we saw to inspire writing. I love a rambling sort of list poem. Once everyone finished, we all put a line or two in the chat, and just reading the randomness of things and ideas could have become a collective across-the-world poem by all in attendance. We were to begin with the words It was….
It was
a Vermont Flannel blanket
soft, in earth’s plaid colors
a foxtail fern
in from the cold
a Magic keyboard
with all the words
a retro velvet swivel chair
from some Mattaliano company
in Chicago
looking rather Frank Sinatra & The Rat Pack
with the beaded curtains
hanging on the doors
a string of lights spiraling up
the staircase handrail
pooling in a twirl at the bottom post
a CocaCola table and two chairs
with oh-so-many memories
of lovers sharing a Coke float
in some black and white tiled floor diner
where the jukebox played
The Platters
and Patsy Cline
and a green fringed fleece scarf
with three initials – the new ones –
Christmas gift from a beloved sister-in-law
welcoming me into the
outlaw chaos of dysfunction
where I linger, full in love ~
by the Home Sweet Home and
Tree Farm candles
Common Threads 