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So genuinely honest, Stephen. Thanks for sharing this. -Peter Ciccariello On 4/1/06, Stephen Vincent <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > As I have no doubt previously mentioned, I occasionally take care of my > 90-year old mom. Even though her 'marbles' have begun to roll, she > continues > to lament that she never was able to achieve a dream to become a writer (4 > sons, an activist political life, etc.) Since I spent a small chunk of my > life in either directing or teaching in poetry-in-the-schools programs, I > have taken to making up writing exercises for her. Since she can no longer > write well, I take down what she dictates in response to whatever may be > our > 'starting idea'. Last night I read her short passages form Gertrude > Stein's > "Tender Buttons" and then asked for her response: > > "A single charm a single charm is doubtful." > What do you think that means, Mom? > > "A single charm does not last long." > > We then get talking about rhymes. > What rhymes with April, Mom? > She cannot think of anything. > Can you start a sentence with "April?" > "April will break my heart." > > Why don't we do all the months like that. Begin with January. > I start to write down one sentence after another: > > January will open the horrible threat. > February will break off a few of the wicked. > March the winds will blow and frighten everybody. > April will break my heart. > May will come whisking through. > June is hard to decipher. > July will never stop to say hello. > August is jolly and happy for people like me. > September is hard to take. > October is full of joy for very few. > November marks the worst that could ever come. > December for many it's love and joy > But not for me. > > I must say the language brings me frightenly close to her particular > experience of the "end points" of her life. Unlike my dad, who was upbeat > and open to pleasure down to the very end. My mother, on the other hand, > who > wants to please her son, thinks she has not well enough, that I am not > pleased. > > "I think I am driving you crazy because I cannot take you to a point where > you can tell the reality of what I want to say." > > In "reality" I think she - in her versions of the months - has taken me as > close as I want to get. It is so dark. Thank goodness she still has some > language to get to it. > > Stephen Vincent > -- http://invisiblenotes.blogspot.com/