Last week I posted a poem I wrote for my mother-in-law, a work commissioned by her for a local writing festival fundraiser. I commissioned a poem for myself and selected Bonny McDonald to write it for me.
Bonny and I have lost touch over the years, so I enjoyed our email exchanges that put us back into that comfortable place of friendship. You know the kind. When you feel like you were never really separated.
Bonny didn’t just take the questionnaire that was given by the Festival of Words organization. No, she emailed me more questions like
What makes you think of your ancestors, and what messages do you get or teachings do you carry in your heart from those who came before you in your family?
My answers to that question and to “Who is your favorite poet lately?” (Jericho Brown) led to this wonderful duplex poem just for me. I cried when she read it at the Zoom event.
Namesake
A duplex for Margaret Simon,
inspired by the portrait of her grandmother, Margaret Shields LilesThe mother of your mother is with you
Margaret, still, a figure in a paintingMargaret’s figure sits still in the painting
Her violin poised to spring up for a tuneA tune fit for a violin springs up
For the child of your child in your lapOh child of my child, a song for you
I wrote a few verses to leave with youNow to leave them is what’s left to do
A note resonates with the lift of the bowA note resonates a little while
Harmonics hold to a foundationYour grandchildren hold you to the place where
Bonny McDonald, all rights reserved
The mother of your mother is with you
Reflections on the Teche 
Oh, my goodness…this is such an incredible poem. Wow…the mother of your mother is with you and a tune for the child of your child in your lap. What an emotional experience hearing this poem for the first time…it’s emotional for me too thinking of loved ones that I’m missing and my children growing into beautiful adults. This poem is amazing.
This is a beautiful poem, Margaret and I can understand how it brought tears to your eyes. Thanks for sharing it, and now I know about Jericho Brown and the duplex poem.
How very lovely! I love the idea of commissioning poems. Maybe sometime you can write about how all that worked? (Or link me to where you’ve said it already.) Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
What a beautiful, powerful poem, Margaret! I’d not heard of a duplex, but this is so full of emotion and thoughtfulness. I’ll have to learn more!
[…] you ever heard of a duplex poem? It’s a form created by poet Jericho Brown, and Margaret Simon features one written for her, inspired by a picture of her […]
So beautiful. A tribute to you, your mother, and oyur grandmother. The portrait is gorgeous.
Marvelous! I love the poem and the painting, and I just spent a passel of time reading about duplexes. Thanks for all! 🤍
Wow, this is beautiful, Margaret, & feels so right, twining its way through life, from grandmother to mother to you now, grandmother. That is special also to reunite with your friend through poetry.
Margaret – the poem is beautiful in countless ways, and your grandmother is, too. I see your likeness to her. The connections to song and ,music stirs me deeply as well – it connects me to my own grandmother, although she’s the mother of my father. Nevertheless … her blood sings in my veins; my writing legacy comes from her and I do think we live on as expressions of their greatest songs of love. I will hold onto this and treasure it, Margaret – thank you.
Gorgeous poem and painting, Margaret. Thank you for sharing both and for planting the duplex seed – hadn’t heard of it, but I want to learn more. 🙂
Margaret, I remember you sharing this photo of your grandmother. She looks both graceful and stately. How wonderful to have her painting hanging near you and how beautiful a poem your friend wrote. I am intrigued by the complexity of the duplex poem and the emotion that is brought forth.
Love the family connections – grandmother to grandmother! What a lovely gift your friend wrote for you.
Beautiful exchange you both shared with each other, and gorgeous painting of your grandmother. I really liked the verses with, “The mother of your mother is with you ” and echoing in ” Oh child of my child, a song for you,” Thanks!