While I may not have actively used this blog until this very Slice of Life challenge, I have still been actively blogging and writing. My blogging has mainly been through a more professional capacity as I have taken ownership of the Teach Write, LLC. As for my writing I would say the majority of it is dedicated to writing lesson plans or content for Teach Write. So, again, professional.
I do find the time to pen the occasional poem and share it on platforms like Ethical ELA or Teach Write's monthly challenge padlet. Not to mention the time I spend in my notebook and my sentence a day journal. But, even with that, more of my writing is professional, not personal, and I am hoping between this challenge and the coming poetry month to change that.
I write all of that to say: here is a poem. I wrote this poem last month for the Teach Write monthly challenge, but I am sharing it now on my public blog.
It is also a slice since it tackles a moment last month when I was thinking of all of the hats I own -- though I couldn't tell you why. It's not a huge collection or even all that special, not like my Pawpaw's hat collection. He had a whole room full of just hats.
I hadn't thought of that collection in over a decade. It was one of those collections where he probably started with a small amount and then, over time, people just started buying him hats as souvenirs on their trips or as gifts for his birthday. I remember that most of them either had funny sayings or destinations printed on the front. I know at one point when we went to Disney World we brought him back a Goofy hat.
By the time of his passing there were rows upon rows of hats hanging from the walls of that room. I am not sure where most of them went -- to various family members I imagine. This was the poem I wrote as I recalled those hats:
I thought of Pawpaw's hat hoard today
Hang up each hat.
Else lost to time
or forgotten
in dusty boxes.
Hundreds of hooks
hang up each hat:
a display of diverse headgear.
With care you kept
each goofy cap.
Hang up each hat,
a treasured top.
My stock pales
next to yours, yet
I'll be sure to
hang up each hat.
I love the story behind the hoard of hats. And I'm glad you are finding some time for public personal writing...is that such a thing? :)
ReplyDeleteMe too and it is now!
DeleteNice to e-meet you on Zoom this morning!
ReplyDeleteErica, your poem is a lovely way to remember and honor your pawpaw. I’m drawn to the metaphoric duality in the lone “gang up each hat.” Really good to see you in the meetup this morning and to learn more about you through this post.
ReplyDeleteOh Erica, what an interesting habit of collecting hats. This is so sweet. He joined in the fun others had in bringing him the hats. I like that middle stanza the most: "Hang up each hat, / a treasured top" I can see him doing that.
ReplyDeleteIt was so nice to meet you this morning, Erica! And you didn't have to talk the whole time, at all! In fact, we didn't let you talk enough. Have a great time building up your writing just for you this month and next.