Hopeful one morn
would bring them much closer
She, barely eight
and he forty-three
Dawn after dawn
they braved nightly slumber
Tasting ‘n writing,
chewing words, hungry.
The dim of the lamp
paled with new morning light
Sent them upstairs
to bowls of warm porridge
Then holding hands
to streets wet with sunlight
She to midge class went,
he to seek courage.
Until one dawn
at the turn of the lights
They reached the end
—one book defeated!
She grinned ear to ear,
and soared like a kite
Heil to her Pa,
who Ma called pigheaded.
Page 82 —In The Shadow of Rainbows
insight: The interview with D.L. Finn
(Please visit D.L. Finn’s Website to view the rest of the interview and browse.
She is the author of several books and I highly recommend the visit).
In writing, I attempt to add value to the finished work that comes straight from the
place from where poems arise. Most come when I sit alone with my thoughts; I prefer
quiet, like the kind one finds out in nature. Others come after reading something that
lingers or makes me give a double take. In the case of this poem, it came about after
reading a lovely book titled The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. The book is set in
Germany and is based on the time of that terrible war.
The Heil to her Pa expression is supposed to mark that awful time in history for the
reader—that is all. In this poem, I hoped to showcase this young ‘adopted’ girl’s
exuberance for learning to read and reaching the end of her very first book.
Her Pa had everything to do with her first win! In Zusak’s novel, the girl’s adopted Ma
had a penchant for using mean and dirty words and called her husband pigheaded. But
the girl knew better. Her Pa was nothing of the sort.
I’m so happy this poem came about, and now I have one poem of my own that reminds
me of the novel. If you ever get a chance, please read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
I was swooned by it.
poetry collection? Publisher, Experiments in Fiction.
Cover Photographer, Kathryn LeRoy.
In The Shadow of Rainbows, #1 in Nature Poetry, #1 in Poetry about Places.
Please let me know if you’d like to read it and I’ll send it to you for your Kindle.
… from the bottom of my heart,
Friends, click on this link to see the array of books on Amazon by this prolific writer
I happen to call a friend. Browse with my blessings.
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In The Shadow of Rainbows‘ first anniversary
🌈 thanks so much.
Welcome,Selma!🗣️
Welcome, Selma! 🤠
Congratulations, Selma…:In The Shadow of Rainbows, anniversary and number One!
Doubly thanks, Suzette. 🙇🏽♀️ 🙇🏽♀️
You are very welcome, Selma! Cheers.
congrats!
🤗 thanks so much.
Many congratulations to you dear Selma 🤗🙏
Aww 😊 bless you Maggie. 🙇🏽♀️
🙏🤗🙏