2016 Found Object Poem Project: Day 21 and Final Week Prompts

It's February 21. That means we have completed three weeks of our daily write-in. Kudos to all, whether you've been participating every day, dropping in, or following along by reading the responses.As you know, this year’s theme is FOUND OBJECTS. We have a new writing prompt for every day in February. The object of this project is to turn off our inner critics, play with a daily writing practice, and share the results in a community setting.For those of you who are new to the project, please read my introductory post. You’ll find more information and all of the Week 3 FOUND OBJECTS at this post. At the end of the month, I’ll have prizes for the most frequent contributors. However, there’s no obligation to write every day. Drop in as often as you like.I was away this weekend visiting family. If you've posted poems in the comments over the weekend, it may take me a day or two to move them into the blog posts. Thanks for being patient.As always, remember when you leave a written response in the comments, include the number of the day, so I put it in the right place.FOUND: Singer Sewing MachineThanks to Matt Forrest Esenwine for sending in today's object, which fits in our functional object category.My husband's family is from Paterson, New Jersey. Paterson was the silk capital of the U.S. for many years. The city -- home to poets Allen Ginsberg, William Carlos Williams, and Maria Mazziotti Gillan -- was known for its textiles. We have an antique singer sewing machine passed down through the family in our home. I'll have to snap a picture to share.Diane Mayr has a wonderful image/poem contribution to share today. Diane did some research on Mr. Singer before creating this poem. The path from idea through research to poem is a fascinating one. I hope you'll take a look at Diane's post at Random Noodling, where you can also view a larger version of this image.***Linda Baie's poem reminds me of one of my favorite scenes from the movie version of "Fiddler on the Roof." Everyone in the village is talking about a young couple's new addition. I expected it to be a baby, but it's a sewing machine!ComplicatedIt’s easy!All one must do isthread the bobbin, insert it under the left plate,pull the thread up to connect with the upper needle,thread that needle.All set?Now, place the fabric under the needle,hold it straight,then turn the wheel on the right,and at the same time,start peddling the treadleback and forth,back and forth,push the fabric slowly through.Be sure it stays lined up!And don’t forget to peddle,keep peddling.It’s much quicker than sitting late at nightsewing the families’ clothes-one hour for a shirt,instead of 14 hours by hand.This machine is a time saver,and now you can make so many more pieces of clothingfor the family.You won’t be able to vote for another seventy years,but you can sewon this complicated machine,taking care of the family.Linda Baie ©All Rights Reserved***I see that my husband's family is not the only one with a history of working with textiles. Jone MacCulloch suggests a similar connection in this poem.Grandmother’s MachineHer sewing machinea timeof spiritual contemplationHer sewing machineafterthe household choresHer sewing machinecreatingsmocks, dresses, and apronsHer sewing machinerhythmiclike a rocking horseHer sewing machinequietwith untold stories© 2016 Jone Rush MacCulloch all rights reserved***Here's an acrostic poem from Jessica Bigi. I like the short lines, which mimic the rhythm of the sewing machine.Old Fashion SewingO val bobbinL icorice black machineD ainty stitchingF ancy seamstressA djustable stitchingS ewing threadsH emming clothI nvisible seamsO ld fashionN eedle threadS imple sewingE arth friendlyW inding wheelI nventive sewingN ever easyG randmother’s stories***Thanks again to Matt Forrest Esenwine for contributing our found object of the day. Here is his response poem.The Old Clothes TrunkEach piece still brings me back,when school bells used to ring.Each patch still seems to ache;each stitch still seems to sing.– © 2016, Matt Forrest Esenwine, all rights reserved***Like Matt, and many of us who wrote today, Donna Smith connects fabric with the past.DressesMy grandmother and aunt were seamstressesManaging a dress factoryWhere I would go some days and seeFabric piled high and in piecesReady to stitch togetherWomen sat at sewing stationsA bin on each sideWith “piecework” they wouldSew together andPlace in the next basketFor the next woman to addAnother pieceAnd it skipped and zipped down the lineWoman to womanUntilLike magicA dress appearedTo be shuffled off to the dress shopAnd bought by someoneWho never thought aboutAll the pieces of this puzzle dressAnd how it magically came together –Maybe that is whyMy favorite scene in CinderellaHas always been the assembly of her dressAnimal by animalBird by birdCuttingSewingDrapingUntilLike magicA dress appears.©2016, Donna JT Smith, all rights reserved***I was away during Carol Varsalona's recent chat, but I hope some of you were able to participate. You can read more at her blog. Carol says, "Day 21 finally finished after the #ISTELitChat on the power of poetry that I guest moderated with Laura Purdie Salas. The link to my poem post ishttp://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/2016/02/i-remember-it-well.html."There is a time gone by.I remember it well.Nonnie’s pride and joymy charmed hiding placeits silent wheel in idle repose-Nonnie’s watchful eyemy pitter patter gleeits treasures stored-Nonnie’s small round bobbinsmy tiny hands examiningits threads of many colors-Nonnie’s love for childmy love for Nonnie’s handsits shiny cabinetry-Nonnie talking gentlymy gleeful spiritits busy wheel in idle repose-There is a time gone by.I remember it well.Her hands cradled minemy hands longing to touch all she ownedits up-down- sing song motionThere is a time gone by.I remember it well.The dream to peddlewhat could not befor a little one’s hands.Years latermother owned her ownI learnedit was loved.Generations passed.Great-grandchildowned her own machineits needle busily moving again.Nonnie passed.Mother passed.Sewing machine lives on.©Carol Varsalona, 2016***Charles Waters uses the sewing machine as a metaphor for family in this poem.Home RemedyBy Charles WatersGrandma stitches upeach rip in my soulwith gentle hugs,homemade bananabread, and a kiss onthe cheek.***Catherine Flynn is blogging alongside us today. You can read her beautiful poem/memory at this post.***After a weekend visit with family, I've fallen behind on my own responses. I hope to catch up soon. People continue to send in work, so I hope you will go back and read poems that have been added to the earlier posts.Those of you who have been writing along with me in February over the years know that this began as a pay it forward project in 2013. Tomorrow is my birthday, and my gift to you all is the last set of FOUND OBJECTS. It's leap year, so we have eight objects to go.There are two guest hosts on three days this week. Thank you to Jan Godown Annino at Bookseed Studio (Tuesday — Day 23 and Sunday, 2/28) and Mike Ratcliffe -- who contributed the deer skull prompt -- at Michael Ratcliffe's Poetry (Poetry Friday, Day 26) for helping out.Ready, writers? Leave your writing in the blog comments (feel free to post a poem or response in the comments of any project-related post). Be sure to note which day/prompt your poem or prose short goes with so I can post it on the correct day. Send in your writing ANY TIME — early, late. As long as I receive it by February 29, it will be posted along with the object of the day.Perfect attendance is not a requirement of this project. Write and share your work as often as you like, even if it’s only once. The goal is to practice and share, not to polish, and certainly not to aim for perfection.Interested in what we’ve written so far? Here are links to this week’s poems:Sunday, February 14FOUND OBJECT: Hot PotatoPoems by: Violet Nesdoly, Jessica Bigi, Laura Shovan, Carol Varsalona, Heidi Mordhorst, Diane Mayr, Linda Baie, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Mary Lee Hahn, Donna Smith, Charles Waters, Molly Hogan.Note: You will find links to all of  the Week 1 and Week 2 poems at this post.Monday, February 15 at My Juicy Little UniverseFOUND OBJECT: Coffee MugPoems by: Jessica Bigi, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Catherine Flynn, Laura Shovan, Mary Lee Hahn, Heidi Mordhorst, Diane Mayr, Buffy Silverman, Carol Varsalona, Linda Baie, Donna Smith, Julieanne Harmatz, Jone Rush  MacCulloch, Charles Waters.Tuesday, February 16FOUND OBJECT: SculpturePoems by: Victoria Costa, Jessica Bigi, Laura Shovan, Carol Varsalona, Mary Lee Hahn, Donna Smith, Catherine Flynn, Diane Mayr, Linda Baie, Robyn Hood Black, Buffy Silverman, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Charles Waters.Wednesday, February 17 at Mainely WriteFOUND OBJECT: Hot  Pink SandalPoems by: Diane Mayr, Jessica Bigi, Carol Varsalona, Linda Baie, Catherine Flynn, Mary Lee Hahn, Buffy Silverman, Donna Smith, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Laura Shovan, Heidi Mordhorst, Margaret Simon, Charles Waters.Thursday, February 18FOUND OBJECT: “Typewriter Eraser, Scale X” SculpturePoems by: Jessica Bigi, Diane Mayr, Donna Smith, Carol Varsalona, Mary Lee Hahn, Linda Baie, Catherine Flynn, Margaret Simon, Laura Shovan, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Charles Water, Jone Rush MacCulloch, Buffy Silverman.Friday, February 19FOUND OBJECT: Deer SkullPoems by: Mary Lee Hahn, Jessica Bigi, Donna Smith, Linda Baie, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Patricia VanAmburg, Charles Waters, Carol Varsalona, Heather Meloche, Laura Shovan.Saturday, February 20 at DeowriterFOUND OBJECT: Horse FigurinePoems by: Donna Smith, Jessica Bigi, Jone MacCulloch, Margaret Simon, Linda Baie, Carol Varsalona, Charles Waters, Jone Rush MacCulloch.