I was searching for poems to share with my writing class today, and I found this one on Poetry 180 (a website created by Billy Collins with the idea that students should read--and enjoy, not analyze to death--a poem a day in their English classes). This poem made me catch my breath and revel in its imagery ... even though I am not a mother myself, the writer made me even for a brief moment, feel what it must be like to have to let go ...
To a Daughter Leaving Home
by Linda Pastan
When I taught you
at eight to ride
a bicycle, loping along
beside you
as you wobbled away
on two round wheels,
my own mouth rounding
in surprise when you pulled
ahead down the curved
path of the park,
I kept waiting
for the thud
of your crash as I
sprinted to catch up,
while you grew
smaller, more breakable
with distance,
pumping, pumping
for your life, screaming
with laughter,
the hair flapping
behind you like a
handkerchief waving
goodbye.
from The Imperfect Paradise, 1988
W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., New York, NY
Getting physical
-
Training sessions have been going really well these past few weeks. I
swim, lift, and run on my own (or with the masters swim team) during the
week, and o...
12 years ago
2 comments:
Love it!
Mom
This poem captures the essence of good bye without being obvious. I guess you could say it also captures a beginning for both mother and daughter. New horizons. It is hard to be the one left behind though. It is hard to live on memories. Maybe it is good to embrace the new.
Katie, you are always full of surprises. I like this poem very much. It has Katie energy written all over it. Poets.org sends me a poem a day. Some of the poems they send me are lethal. They are heavy and dark. A lot of poets are protesting too much. This poem strikes the right balance. Thanks and please keep sharing your wonderful thoughts and energy.
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