Ode to the Ancestors

October 20, 2013 — ancestors, ode, poetry

My Grandmothers

UA Poetry Center

altar to honor the dead

art in chalk

images and words

poem in chalk

I went to the U of A Poetry Center to leave an offering I made for my mom at the altar.  While I was there I found my paternal ancestor’s book of poems and read for a while.  Mistress Bradstreet had a style that showed her knowledge of history, astrology, and nature.  She offered meditations to her son to guide him in the future when she was no longer alive.  I truly had to wonder if she had ever thought her 9th great granddaughter might read her work and try to imagine her living presence.  Knowing facts about the lives of my ancestors is fun, but the creative writing of my grandmother is more personal.  I wrote an ode to all of the people who survived in order for me to exist today.

Ancestry Garden

Rows of ancestors spread out in the garden of research
Roots reveal; Some conceal, the same deal
What do they leave for us?
What do we keep as our own?
They still offer, they still have wisdom
Connected by birth/death/recognition.

They tell us the secrets of mortality.