Thursday, October 6, 2011

as small as a world and as large as alone

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach (to play one day)


and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,and


milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;


and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and


may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone


For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
it's always ourselves we find in the sea


E.E. Cummings


Isn't this a neat little poem?  I hadn't read it in a long time, but recently heard it, in the form of a song!  Natalie Merchant has an album called Leave Your Sleep that is ALL poems that she's turned into songs.  She made the record for her 7 year old daughter and it is wonderful.  The music is fantastic and catchy and sort of old-timey sometimes and jazzy other times. The kids and I both like it; it's like, real music. And poems!  


The song came on tonight while we were eating dinner and I told the kids it was a Cummings poem, and how he was the one who wrote the little lame balloonman poem (one they know).  Then I pulled a 'My Dad' and went and got the book with the poem, and let them read it while the song played.  Actually, My Dad would have recited the poem with Natalie, like a folk-star groupie, but close enough--yay!  


It's been a great afternoon/evening at home!  Although I had a lot of fun today at volleyball.  My 7th grade girls are soooo cute!  We lost a game yesterday and we were talking about it today and one said, "I think it might be teenage hormones or something, but I just couldn't stop crying about it last night!"  And she laughed and we all laughed and it was a dear moment.  Then they were talking about how we should have a team slumber party!  And that I should come!  And then the same girl goes, "I'm not just saying that, I'm SAYING THAT!"  Awwwwww, OMG, UR sooo sweet, M!  


Here are some things we've done upon arrival back to the suburban farm:
* gathered eggs (4), cleaned the coop, and gave the girls a treat:  leftover spaghetti.  Guess what ? They loved the noodles but left a little pile of meat sauce.  I think they might be vegetarians. Too bad, cause when I gave it to them, I evilly smirked to myself that they were stickin' it to the cows!  
* dug potatoes--like hunting for buried treasure.  ARGGGH!
* made a fire in the wood stove.  Hello, Cozy!
* poem at the dinner table  (see above)
* listened to the kids chase each other around, screeching loudly with laughter and telling myself not to shush them and repeating one of OM's mantras:  I am a calm and patient parent.  It worked!  Oh, and I drank a beer. 




...and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles...


1 comment:

  1. Terrific coach moment. Great breadth and tones in this post. You've found many things on the beach.

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