Magpie Tale #40, "Mother's Pearls Remembered" & 53/365

(March 30, 2011... I have entered this poem in One Stop Poetry's "One Shot Wednesday".  This is my post of November of 2010 and one of the first poems I ever wrote.  I apologize if any of you have already read this, but I felt like putting it out there again.)


This is my first poetic entry to Magpie Tales. (#40, November 10) The following poem's form is Acrostic - which is where the first letter of each line spells a word, usually using the same words as in the title.  Please click on the above Magpie Tales link to see the beautiful photo of pearls that inspired the poem below as well as the other amazing poetry.

The costume jewelry in the above photo is actually quite old.  It was given to my mother from her mother.  My mother is still alive and gave it to me upon my last visit.  I look forward to wearing it.  I also entered it in the Sunday Creative Challenge for the word "material".  There is black & white version below the poem.  Which do you like better?  I have also entered this poem in Thursday Poets Rally Week 37.

Mother’s Pearls Remembered

by Margaret Bednar

Memories come flooding back

On the anniversary of my Mother’s death

Today as I place these gems around my neck

Hoping to feel her presence

Entertaining the idea of 

Replicating her elegance in me

Stillness envelopes my soul

Perhaps it will be enough that they remind me of her

Enhanced by her inner beauty am I

As her physical beauty faded with time

Resplendent these icons stood guard

Lustrously gracing my mother’s neck

Standing watch as she breathed her last

Reflecting her eyes, their bluish tinge

Every shimmer adding beauty to

My appearance this day

Enormous love floods my being

Memory recalling her wisdom and

Bright engaging laughter

Every life lesson learned I from her

Recalled in this ornament which surrounds my neck

Eagerly I approach this day, celebrating

Desiring the true beauty these pearls represent 


Below is a B&W photo I submitted to the weekly photo challenge for  Black & White Wednesdays:

An excerpt from Will's "An American Spirit" & 52/365

An excerpt from

"An American Spirit", 

(middle of Chapter 10 - Of steel, greed, discord, and the rebirth of rebellion

by William R. Bednar

So Jack unto a hill did climb 

With instruments aplenty.

And a song he played to wind and sky

For Revolution's ears to catch, and so would hurry

The old spirit to America again.

Several instruments did Jack try

To reach his far off friend.

The piano, which couldn't cross the sky.

The trumpet, not unique enough.

The Violin too soft.

The guitar though, with its timbre rough,

Its electric pulse that oft

Cried of torture and rebellion

Found Revolution's ear.

The spirit, swift as a stallion,

Came home, and played rock and roll for all to hear.

And filled each adolescent boy,

Each girl who felt she must take a stand,

With strength and noise

To challenge Slavery, the businessman. 

The above is an excerpt from a class assignment he wrote last year (high school, junior year).  It is about Jack of the Tales.  He explained in his end of chapter 1 dialogue:  

"I was reading a comic book series called "Fables", a story about fairytale characters living in modern day New York, when I was stricken by the notion of one character in particular; Jack of the Tales.  I had never before realized how often a character named Jack appears in legends, and horror stories, and movies, what have you.  Take for instance just several manifestations of this "Jack of the Tales"; Jack of the Beanstalk, or Jack the Giant Killer, Jack Frost, Jack Skellington, and Jack Sparrow.  Jack was even an old time nickname for the Devil (which you may find ironic in later chapters).  Upon my musings I realized that America has very few fairytales of its own, and so I set out to write one, and in doing so, created my own version of our Jack; Jack of the Cards.  Cards, dice, luck, and gambling often play a pivotal role in the story, and it is my little game with you, dear reader, a sort of "Where's Waldo", to figure out where these are..."

I would love to be able to share what I consider a really fun "epic poem".  I think that is what it is.  If I get enough interest and Will's approval, I will put the whole thing on my blog in a few posts.  Chelsea, my daughter even doodled some drawings and I could post those as well.

I seem to be on a "kick" lately of highlighting my children's work.  I guess that is what comes from sorting and cleaning out drawers and shelves.