#MarvelousMaryLee #PoemsforMaryLee

This week, I'm joining Christie (Happy Birthday!)

and a whole bunch of Poetry Friday friends,

celebrating the career of my dear friend,

Teacher and Poet Extraordinaire,

Mary Lee Hahn.

Earlier this week, a good friend gave me Linda Sue Park's terrific new book,THE ONE THING YOU'D SAVE. It's a short novel in verse. Each poem is a sijo, a three-line Korean poem, with thirteen to seventeen syllables per line. THE ONE THING YOU'D SAVE starts out:

“Imagine that your home is on fire. You're allowed to save one thing.

Your family and pets are safe, so don’t worry about them. 

Your Most Important Thing. Any size. A grand piano? Fine.”

I used THE ONE THING YOU'D SAVE as inspiration for my #MarvelousMaryLee poem. 

"If My Home Was On Fire…"

If my home was on fire, I would take my Mary Lee collection.

A million quiet kindnesses, gathered over fifteen years.

Another million life preservers, tossed to a woman drowning. 

If my home was on fire, I would take my Mary Lee collection.

Those first emails, when I was trying to start a blog and boldly

 contacted the only blogger I knew, repeatedly, to ask stupid questions,

and Mary Lee responded, graciously, again and again. 

And I would take the introductions to a zillion opportunities--

friendship with Franki, CYBILS, Poetry Fridays--

doors opened, connections made, relationships formed.

If my home was on fire, I would take my Mary Lee collection.

The red velvet cupcakes carried in a shoebox from Burlington

consumed in minutes by my football-loving high school sons.

A decade later my oldest still asks when Mary Lee will visit again. 

And I would take the memories from walks at the Botanic Gardens,

I watched as she changed lenses, leaned in, marveled,

drew extraordinary from what had been previously only ordinary.

If my home was on fire, I would take my Mary Lee collection.

I would take the CD of hopeful songs

sent from Ohio in one of my most un-hope-filled times  

I would take pieces because I played the CD so many times, it broke.

And I would take reminders of April Poetry Month when Mary Lee

created community, dreamed up themes, posted prompts,

and we all sat around, roasting marshmallows at her poetry bonfire. 

If my home was on fire, I would take my Mary Lee collection.

I would take my frantic pandemic emails, sent last March

to the most famous teacher I know, when I was feeling totally lost.

Her calm responses- schedules, ideas, formats. Cow pictures? Who knew?

And I would take retirement ideas. Start thinking now, Carol.

Do the things you love. Plan new chapters. Dream big.

And so I have Rooney. Write poetry. Imagine art classes.

If my home was on fire, I would take my Mary Lee collection.

(c) Carol Wilcox, 2021

POEM #30- Raising Rooney-

 “I've Got RooneyAll Over Me”

“I’ve got Rooney

all over me,”

says Armando

plucking a yellow hair

from the bottom

of his backpack. 

“I’ve got Rooney

all over me too,”

I think. 

On my navy hoodie,

on the living room couch

where he sleeps

every chance he gets.

Across the backseat

 of my car. 

I’ve got Rooney

all over me 

in other ways too.

His exuberance

as he yanks off his vest

and dances around the room 

inviting me to play.

His intense focus

and eagerness to please

when I put him 

on a long stay

and walk across the room. 

His huge heart

in trying things

that are hard

or scary for him.

He hates metal bleachers

But he would do them if I asked. 

His endless patience

In dealing 

with the little ones 

as he accompanies

a sad four-year-old to class

Or listens to a six-year-old read. 

His huge love

how he bounds across the room

or walks the hall endlessly

with a kid who is 

frustrated or broken-hearted.

He just knows who needs him. 

Soon Rooney

will leave me.

But really he won’t.

I’ve got Rooney 

all over me. 

© Carol Wilcox, 2021

RAISING ROONEY- POEM #29- ROONEY FROM A TO Z

 Almost every year I've done April poetry,  I've managed to work in an abecedarian. Here is this year's.

Back to school, August 2020 (we didn't actually go to school until November).

"Rooney: An ABCdarian"

Amigo, ally, angel,

Backporch buddy, 

Clandestine couch cuddler,

Deep dirt digger, aka Doctor Destructo,

Excited about everything,

Faithful friend,

Galaxy’s go-to guy,

Happy to host visitors,

Intelligent and intuitive,

Jump on genius,

Killer of computers and cords,

Lover of ladies,

Mischievous mascot,

Never met a stranger,

Outstanding observer of odors,

Patient preschool protector,

Quiet comforter of kids,

Reluctant reading station,

Snoring stuffy assassin, 

Tiny bit timid,

Unabashed admirer of Uncle Craig,

Velcroed vest remover,

Worry wart and water wader (but only if necessary),

eXcellent example of all that is good,

You are loved

From A to Z. 

POEM #28- RAISING ROONEY- Two tri-cubes

When you spend a lot of time with someone, you get to know all of their little nuances. That's definitely true for me, with Rooney. I wonder how long it will take his person to know him well...

Today I'm attempting the tri-cube, a poem that has three stanzas, each with three lines, and each line with three syllables. I wrote two.

"On greeting a special friend"

you extend

to full stretch

yawn widely

people think

that means you’re

calm, relaxed

i know you’re

struggling for 

self-control

© Carol Wilcox

*******

"It depends on the situation..."

when i fuss

about work

you are stressed

when I fight

with my sons

you exit

when a kid

needs soothing

you draw close

(C) Carol Wilcox,2021

Poem #27- RAISING ROONEY- "Excursions"

Service dogs have to be ready to perform in lots of different settings. Pre-COVID, at least once a month, training classes were held somewhere off-site-- a park, a museum, downtown. During the past two summers, we've also gone somewhere every Wednesday. The dogs love, love, love strutting their stuff in public and we usually have lots of fun. 

Tonight's poem is a (bad) acrostic.

Rooney at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, Summer 2020

 "Excursions"

Every few weeks, without

Xception, we take to the streets

Check out new spaces

Utilize our skills

Review commands

Strut our stuff

Impress onlookers

Outshine everyone

Nail down new learnings and

Show off supremely!

(C) Carol Wilcox, 2021

POEM #26- Raising Rooney

 Pre-Covid, Rooney was a first-grade reading station. Once or twice a week, we'd go down to the first-grade class. During independent reading time, the kids would rotate to stations. Of course, everyone wanted to read to Rooney. He'd be patient for 15 minutes, but then he would get a little bored and start to fidget. And the first graders just kept reading...

I stacked two tankas together to tell this story.

"In Which I Become a First Grade Reading Station"

A reading station? 
Me? I just have to sit here?
Listen to kids read?

Doesn't seem too difficult.

Don't forget to bring my treats.

Wait! I've already

heard this story. Several times.

Can I take a nap?

No? How about tug of war?

Enough reading for today!

(c) Carol Wilcox, 2021

POEM #26- Raising Rooney- "Your New Owner Should Know..."

One of my students made this using a Google app.

 

"Your new owner  should know…"

you don't like when people fight

or when they get mad and fuss at their computers,

you also would prefer people did not engage in road rage

and you, like most dogs, 
actually don't like to have your ears scratched
partly because ear scratches
are often followed by cold, smelly drops,
however, you adore booty rubs
and will stand for hours
if someone will scratch, 

that itchy spot 

on your right hip.