I keep looking at website calendars for famous people’s birthdays. April 26th is the birthday of a famous mathematician, lots of celebrities and John James Audubon, the bird watcher and artist. But with apologies to Audubon and the rest, I feel nothing towards them. And I can’t write a good poem if I feel nothing about the topic. Believe me, I’ve tried. So I looked on my own calendar. Four of my friends celebrate their birthdays this week.
Ruth Lercher Bornstein is a fantastic artist, writer, poet. She’s been my friend for eons. I took her class on writing and illustrating picture books through UCLA Extension in 1987 or so, we both adore our local folk music club, and we’ve been in a critique group together (“The Poetry Circle”) for years.
Ruth is an original. One of the things she does for her friends is to make cards and presents out of found objects. The door in my home office is covered with Ruth’s cards. She gave me a lovely sculpture once made with abalone shells which, she whispered, was stuck together with chewing gum.
So even though her birthday isn’t until April 28th, I’ve written my friend Ruth a poem. This one was easy-I feel full of Ruthie’s richness when I think of her.
WHY I AM GIVING YOU A POEM FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY
by April Halprin Wayland
You save things.
Thin cardboard boxes that once held
Plantation Mint tea,
aspirin, cold remedies,
matzos!
You open them,
flatten them,
turn them over to their blank sides.
You play,
cutting them into books,
creatures, flowers.
You poke holes at the top,
thread string through them,
give them to me.
To me! My heart…blossoms.
I hang them on my door.
You keep giving me more.
I save things, too.
Words.
Byssus, lilac, doup,
triskaidekaphobia.
I open them,
smooth them,
turn them over.
I play,
making them passage ways,
animals, roots.
I mix them up,
string them together,
give them to you.
I hope
your heart
blossoms, too.
© 2010 April Halprin Wayland. All rights reserved
Below are some of the cards Ruth has made me over the years…(click images to enlarge.)
Are you writing a poem a day, too? Even if you’re not, please leave a comment on www.TeachingAuthors.com (You can leave your comment after any of our posts…it doesn’t matter if I’m posting or one of the five other authors is. Just scroll down to the first place you can comment. I’d love to hear your thoughts~)