Keeping Up

Writing a blog every day is a seriuos challenge it seems. Yesterday, I could not post, but all for a good cause since I'm once again out there doing an assignment. The project is interesting and I hope to produce good results. Have you noticed how our use of language can be peppered with "codes" that become stuck in our everyday life? Being out and about yesterday, reminded me very muchh of that. Suddenly I started recording these little phrases or words and it fascinated me! The English book club was fun as usual and it was a great experience to listen to women (some of whom I only meet occasionaly) who have such a lot of life experience and interesting views! During the hours I spent in the city I could forget about who will cook dinner and what it will be? or even better... forget about hanging up washing and sweeping the kitchen! I could not run away from thinking about it, so I finished writing a poem that I started a few weeks ago.

Housekeeping
My aunty
Keeps a clean house
No matter
How hard I try
My efforts
Next to hers
Is a far cry
Even when
I desperately
Scream and cry

My aunty
Keeps a clean slate
Every idea on her mind
She tells you
Sometimes
Hard
Most often
Kind
To no faults of her own or others
She turns
A blind eye

My aunty
Keeps us all close
There is no chance
For disrespect
Attitudes verbose
Her love and warmth
Transcends
A sometimes projected
Veneer cold
Claiming us
Big Mamma bold
Offering
A clean heart
Always
Love never ending
In my world
Auntie's like this
We have to
Behold

For Aunty Ghairo, February 2011.

It is Friday, and there is a light snow in the air. Spring is still a long time away! We are still indoors with books under blankets!

Circle of fun
Thirteen women
In a circle
Offering
Opinions freely
Laughing
At each other’s by-lines
Sometimes
Louder than discreetly
Sharing
The odd private moment
Somewhat
Tactfully

Thirteen women
On a Thursday night
Taking private time
It could have been
Nine… ten or fifteen…
All pulled by a passion
Books selected for us
Enthusiastic booklovers kind
Discovering
An author’s unique perception
Words
Maybe some of the few
Remaining
True-life treasures

Thirteen women
Around a big table
This time
No men
Venturing their perspective
It was not missed
Our babble
Spiriting
Kind
To liking the book
We don’t seem to heed
Much mind
On book club night
We leave
Our idiosyncrasies
Behind
Looking forward to the new offering
The next cicle of fun
Time

By Simone Naik Noemdoe, Uppsala English Book Store Book Club, 25 February 2011.