Mar 1, 2013 Teaching and Learning
I wrote this poem in December, immediately following the Sandy Hook tragedy. It completely took me apart. I took refuge in writing a poem, because that’s all I could do, after those dreadful hours of grieving, to deal with the unthinkable. Please do read and let me know what you think.
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In Memoriam – Sandy Hook
©By Vijaya Sundaram
Written on December 16th, 2012
O hold on to your rainbows bright,
O Children of the shadowed Dream.
O hold on to your unicorns, for
Things are not quite what they seem.
On the edges lurks the dark
Wedged behind those pretty parks
Run, my child, before it leaps
That monster from the scary deeps.
Hold your breath and lift your wings
Catch the breeze under your swing
Jump up high into the air
Live your life, don’t turn a hair.
______________________________
Refrain:
Monsters come and monsters go,
It’s you for whom our sorrow flows.
But we’ll go strong into the night
And whisper hope to make things bright.
______________________________
This world is not for hate and hurt
This world is not for grief and rage
You should be playing in the dirt,
And love your happy, youthful stage.
We’ll whisper deep into the morn
We’ll sing a song of love for you
We’ll work for all who have been born
We’ll bring the dawn above to you.
Forgive us for the world we’ve made
Forgive us for the sins of trade
Forgive this hateful history
And show us love’s deep mystery.
___________________________
Refrain:
Monsters come and monsters go,
It’s you for whom our sorrow flows.
But we’ll go strong into the night
And whisper hope to make things bright.
_____________________________
Tags: #Childhood, #Original Poetry, grief, parenting, sandy hook, teachers
Mar 1, 2013 Parenting/ Home-schooling / Family Music and other Notes
Today, I attended a dear colleague/friend’s baby shower. This made me quite sentimental, and I remembered my own, given by colleagues and friends at school. When people reminded me to write a poem for her, after she read out my (non-poetic) card, I said I would do so. And I did. Right away! (Wish I could say that for everything else I say I’ll do!)
In any case, here it is:
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For Joanna, With Love
As Promised, A Mom-Babe Poem!
©By Vijaya Sundaram
Feb. 28th 2013
Deep within, life is shaping itself
Into a little, magic being,
Perfect, because she’s yours,
Beautiful, because you are bearing her,
Complete in herself, and
Completing you and your true love.
And you, the mother, will watch
And learn how to be a new you.
You’ll count her fingers and toes,
Touch her little nose,
Kiss her cheeks of rose,
As the hours come and go.
You’ll trace the down on her cheeks
While you read Goodnight Moon.
You’ll try every ruse and trick
To lull her to sleep.
Time enough for that!
Her bright eyes will seem to say.
You’ll jerk awake at the least cry,
Or gurgle, or sigh, or changed breath.
Alert, ready to face insomnia,
You’ll nurse and nod wearily,
Actions automatic and altruistic,
While you drown in somnolence.
At three a.m., you’ll unwrap
A popsicle, driven mad by thirst,
Eat a sandwich, with her in your baby-wrap.
Knowing *every breath you take
And every move you make
She’ll be watching you.*
Glaring maniacally at the clock
Rocking the baby in your arms,
You’ll mutter all the rhymes
From all the baby books you have
And your voice will lull you to sleep,
While she smiles at nothing at all.
And she’ll gurgle and wave her arms
Tracking, with attentive eyes,
Those sweet, strange bubbles of light
Which she alone will see.
And then you’ll see with your intent gaze.
The light of all her baby-days.
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(* with apologies to The Police / Sting, for stealing some of Sting’s words there!)
Tags: #Original Poetry, Baby shower, Mother-to-be, Sting