Weekly Mews: The Poetry Corner Edition (Plus Recent Updates)

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer and The Sunday Salon (TSS) hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz  where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking It's Monday! What Are you Reading? hosted by Kathryn of Book Date where readers talk about what they have been, are and will be reading.

I am going to use this space every third weekend to highlight some of the poetry I have been reading. I enjoy reading poetry, but admit I am more of a casual reader than someone who goes in for the deeper dive to find the hidden meanings between the words. I admire those who do. Reading (and writing) poetry is a very personal experience that means something different to each person. And there's such a wide variety for all different tastes. I hope you will enjoy my offerings and perhaps find something that speaks to you.

I came across two poems on Mom Egg Review, a literary journal about motherhood focusing on literature and art that spoke to me immediately. I could relate to them so much. It just so happens that the poems are both by fellow blogger Serena Agusto-Cox of Savvy Verse & Wit.  If you get the chance, please check them out at Mom Egg Review. 

While I am still required to go into the office some days, I work from home most days now. In writing about her own experience, Serena perfectly describes my day too in "Remote Work", from the sounds outside my window to the sounds inside, especially with a school-aged child in virtual school at the same time. I love the tone and imagery in the poem.

Draft client, text, peppered with child-like

giggles, rather than COVID-19's spread.

[excerpt from "Remote Work" by Serena Agusto-Cox, in Mom Egg Review]

But it was "In the Distance" that really moved me with its melancholy feel, describing the life of an only child during this pandemic. She could have been describing my child. I got tears in my eyes when I got to the verse about a child shouting, crying and the "ghosts of sleepovers".  How much different life is for them right now!

my (l)only child marched

into an age of social distance

[excerpt from "In the Distance" by Serena Agusto-Cox, in Mom Egg Review]

I will leave you with another poem which is about a tradition passed on from generation to generation in my family and likely many of yours. I can only hope my daughter will look back on our time together as fondly as I treasure it now. 

The Reading Mother
by Strickland Gillilan

I had a mother who read to me
Sagas of pirates who scoured the sea,
Cutlasses clenched in their yellow teeth,
"Blackbirds" stowed in the hold beneath

I had a Mother who read me lays
Of ancient and gallant and golden days;
Stories of Marmion and Ivanhoe,
Which every boy has a right to know.

I had a Mother who read me tales
Of Gelert the hound of the hills of Wales,
True to his trust till his tragic death,
Faithfulness blent with his final breath.

I had a Mother who read me the things
That wholesome life to the boy heart brings-
Stories that stir with an upward touch,
Oh, that each mother of boys were such!

You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be-
I had a Mother who read to me.

Later this month I will be sharing my thoughts about Elizabeth Kropf's poetry collection What Mothers Withhold. I hope you'll keep an eye out for my review! 

What I Am Reading: I finished Ruth Ware's One by One yesterday and am looking forward to the COYER January Book Club discussion at the end of the month. It's been awhile since I was last part of a group read, and I am looking forward to it! They recently announced the picks for the February (Adult: Beach Read by Emily Henry and YA: To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han). I have a copy of Beach Read and look forward to joining in for at least that discussion if I can.

Today I plan to start reading my January TBR winner, Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T.A. Willberg. I am looking forward to my visit to 1958 London, exploring the secret tunnels and solving a murder!

What I Am Watching: I am taking a break from The 100 to watch Bridgerton. I binge watched the first five episodes one day. I am loving it so far. It's a bit whimsical and just plain fun. 

This weekend we are planning to watch the movie Wonder finally, now that my daughter's class has officially finished reading the book (I couldn't help but finish it last month). Mouse and I are looking forward to it! 

And of course my family and I watched the first two episodes of WandaVision, a new Marvel Universe (MCU) show featuring Vision and the Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff). These first two episodes reminded me of the Dick Van Dyke Show and Bewitched. filmed in black and white and set during that time period. It's still not clear what exactly is going on, but I will enjoy seeing it all unfold. 

Off the Blog: There was nothing really out of the ordinary about this week on the home front. The weather is starting to turn warmer (low to mid 70F's during the day--and today it should reach 85F), and so I opened the windows while I was working to let in the breeze. It was also my week to spend part of it in the office. Even after all these months, it is still a bit surreal to be in a big office with so few people while most work from home. Yesterday there were just two of us in my area. 

The Girl Scout cookie season is under way. It looks a lot different this year for our Council. No booth or door to door sales. Just about everything is being done online. We will make contactless deliveries locally when possible.

My county is still breaking records every day in deaths related to COVID-19 or the number of infections. There is a shortage of vaccinations and appointments fill up within an hour or two of being opened. How are things where you live? 

I got an e-mail from the school district saying that we would have to decide soon whether to enroll our child in their in-person, virtual, or home-school programs for the 2021/2022 school year. We are being given a two week window in early February to decide. It feels too soon, with everything still so up in the air--and as bad as the situation is right now. Next August seems too far away and we all hope things will be better by then. But I get that the district wants to be somewhat prepared. Schools here are still all virtual except for some special education classes and the small few private schools that received waivers last fall. 

Inauguration Day is coming up fast, although not fast enough for many of us. Hopefully it will be a peaceful event. I will be working through it but hopefully will be able to catch clips of it after. Are you planning to watch? 

Watching me work

This Past Week In Reading Mews:

• Bookish Mewsings: Nightlights / The Okay Witch / Book Love
• Waiting to Read Wednesday: The Nature of Fragile Things / City of a Thousand Gates / A Rogue By Any Other Name
• Where Is Your Bookmark? (A Peek Into My Current Read & What I Was Reading 5 Years Ago/ Nonfiction-Fiction Pairings / BBHOP)

Tell me what you have been up to! What are you reading, listening to and watching? How was your week? Do you have anything planned for this week?

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Happy Reading!

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