April is the month of Linda’s birthday,
who sat beside me at Library School
when I was – what – 20?
and she a few years younger.
We didn't really start talking
until second term (that freezing
Melbourne winter). Since then
we’ve hardly stopped
through first jobs,
early romances,
marriages, children,
high-powered library careers, until
the art, the art, the art
at last took over –
the painting, the poetry,
the printed works.
She always looked out for me,
found me work beside her
(she liked working
with me; I liked that too)
and cajoled me into attending
poetry readings that blew my mind
and the first meeting
of the Poets Union.
Who else would I invite
to be by my side
when I entered prison
as a poetry tutor?
Who else but she
would commission me
to help stage a national
literacy conference?
Our sons grew up together
in their earliest years – walks with prams
in the Botanic Gardens,
in the Botanic Gardens,
playtimes in both our back yards.
Fast forward.
Our sons are men
who still count us as family
to each other and them.
And we, now,
elderly widows with cats
living in different States,
chat on facebook (don't feel old)
still admire each other’s poems
agree on politics
meet in mysticism
laugh, tell secrets, laugh….
This poem has gone rambling on
like our lives, our friendship. I suppose
there must at length come some arbitrary stop.
It doesn't really have an end.
Midweek Motif at Poets United this week asks for poems on April. I didn't think I had any, but then....
Six and a half years later, Poets United has become Poets and Storytellers United, and the current prompt at its Friday Writings #101 is, 'I Couldn't Have Done It Without You.' Rommy also asks us to share some of our latest victories. Mine is the publication of a trilogy of books related to those prison workshops mentioned in this poem. I recently told my friend Linda I couldn't have achieved so much in those workshops without her. She said she doubted she played a large part. Believe me, she did! (At the time, one of the prisoners said, 'Those two ladies are the backbone of the workshops.' He said two, not one.)
I loved your poem, Rosemary. It could apply to my relationship with a couple of my friends. I have this anonymous quote on my desk:
ReplyDelete"A friend is a rare book of which but one copy is made".
Oh, what a wonderful quote. Yes indeed!
DeleteTeaching poems in prison sounds like an exciting venture. I'm sure you have many more stories to tell about that!
ReplyDeleteSorry – sad rather than exciting, and not a source of anecdotes.
DeleteWhat a lovely nostalgic poem and how fortunate you are to have a long term enduring friendship.Enjoyed reading this.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful and appropriate gift, thanks Rosemary
ReplyDeleteYou are so welcome! xx
Deletea beautiful life journey...
ReplyDeleteA precious togetherness through fine details! I like how you end with attention to the form: Neither poem nor friendship has to end.
ReplyDeleteI so loved reading about your history with your friend, Linda. My goodness, so many wonderful milestones between you. You are truly blessed, Rosemary.
ReplyDeletePoppy
Good friends are hard to find, hard to explain, have no meaning, other than those found deep in the heart. You both are lucky. So often friends, come and go, set on fire, cool and disappear through the years. Perhaps it is as it should be, that is why they are called special, you can't get rid of them.
ReplyDeleteA legacy here. April returns, with all of its treasures, reminding us that there is yet more.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a beautiful piece on a precious friendship to treasure for life.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great poem, Rosemary! I like how you have used April as the springboard (sorry for the pun ;-) for this paean to your friendship with Linda. She must be chuffed for this great tribute.
ReplyDeleteShe was! (Smile.) Thanks for the compliments, and no pun received – April is autumn here, lol.
DeleteWat a beautiful tribute to your friendship with Linda, spanning several decades, Rosemary. Truly, the two of you, are blessed, for this. Thank you, for sharing this enriching part of your life.
ReplyDeleteLoved it
ReplyDeleteI'm glad. Thank you.
DeleteIn a world of disposables, an enduringly long friendship is a marvel … someone to share your thoughts with, who knows your history and often what you're feeling at a glance.
ReplyDeleteIndeed yes!
DeleteCheers to rambling friendships that have no end... a long time friend is life's great blessing... so glad for you that you have this relationship and cherish it so well.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Yes, although I wrote the poem six years ago, it is still absolutely applicable.
DeleteI love this poem
ReplyDelete"This poem has gone rambling on like our lives, our friendship" How wonderful that is and what a live you had (together) A poetry tutor in a prison wow I hope it helped them and organising a national literacy conference wow
She was pretty high-powered in her profession back then, and I in the local poetry world.
Delete"It doesn't really have an end." Time, distance and even death doesn't end that kind of friendship.
ReplyDeleteThat's right!
DeleteMy goodness! Your Linda was also my Linda and do not know how I could have survived without her ~~~ many times in my adult life. A beautiful poem, Ms. Rosemary.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely that you too were blessed with a Linda in your life!
DeleteI adore this tribute to friendship. How wonderful for both of you to have had each other as companions for some really big adventures!
ReplyDeleteIndeed yes!
DeleteWhat a lovely portrait of the kind of friendship everyone should be blessed to have.
ReplyDeleteIt sure is a great blessing in my life.
Delete