Reflections on the Teche

I am always touched when someone from the Poetry Friday community takes the time to get to know me and send me a personalized poem. The Summer Poetry Swap is organized by Tabatha Yeatts. I received a package from Tricia Stohr Hunt with delightful surprises. She sent a postcard of Capitol Street in downtown Jackson, MS. from 1944. My father would have been 11 years old and living a block away.

The poem she wrote has a lovely repetition. She said in her note that the “people” in the poem are me.

Musings on Mississippi

I traveled through 
Mississippi once
in a rented car, speeding
from Mobile to NOLA
in the dark
there were only twenty-four hours 
of liberty

I was in the dark
about Mississippi
familiar only with 
minutiae learned in elementary school
Capital: Jackson
Nickname: The Magnolia State
Abbreviation: MS
Fun Fact: birthplace of Elvis

Minutiae learned in elementary school
tell an incomplete story
I know the stereotypes
the ugly bits of history
but it’s the people 
that interest me
their lives, their stories

People interest me
the ones with big hearts
who wear their love 
loud and proud 
love for the land
love for poetry and music
love for the beauty of the world
  for this place called home
  and every living thing

From Tricia Stohr-Hunt

Tricia personalized her gift even more with handmade items, a letter-block print of an excerpt from Naomi Shihab Nye’s “Valentine for Ernest Mann” and a lavender folded book including a window to her original print art. Her gift was overflowing with creativity and inspiration.

This week I wrote with Ethical ELA’s Open Write. On Wednesday, sadly the last day for this month, Mo Daley prompted us to write a dodoitsu poem, a Japanese limerick of 7, 7, 7, 5 syllable count. My poem was dedicated to this supportive online community. I am feeling the love.

A Community of Poets

Poems drift across this room
and hide within our voices.
Pressing forth among like minds–
Cheers to word choices.
Margaret Simon, draft