Needle Craft by Carol Louise Moon, Placerville, CA
—Poems and Photos by Carol Louise Moon
1. MOON AND STARS QUILT
“The moon hangs in the vacant,
wide constellations.” —Tu Fu (712-770)
With satin silver star motifs appliqued on a field
of blue fabric... I quilt and think, yes, astronomy.
One golden Moon occupies a special place at
the edge of this quilt—my name, not astronomy.
Why the preoccupation of mounting star motifs
on a bed cover? Will it be seen by astronomers?
Viewing this quilt of many moons will have some
people counting Uranus’ moons, like astronomers.
My sister loves this quilt. When I’m finished quilting
she’ll praise it with her favorite phrase, Astronomical!
(first pub. in Common Threads, 2017)
2. ELEGANT
Ecru of bedspread eyelet—laced
indigo trim sewn on large bird pillow—
emerald, gold and tan, oval-encased
idyllic scenes. Appliqued scallops I’ll sew
on light green bed skirts that billow.
(Note: This poem is an E-I-E-I-O, a poetry form created
by Carol Louise, fashioned after the English Quintet.)
___________________
3. NEEDLE WORK
(an E-I-E-I-O)
Embroidery, or any needle craft on linen
in which one applies thread-color, was an
essential domestic art among women
in the generations of my Welsh kin.
Oh, what a lovely doily, apron or napkin!
4. SISTER VERSUS SISTER
A lot of work went into
creating this cross-stitch bag.
On black background she
stitched three-tone green leaves,
large camellias in shades of pink,
red rosebuds with olive-green
rosehips, stems cut short.
Me, I’ll go outdoors and
tend the camellia bush,
pull a few weeds, clip a single
red rosebud for a tiny vase
placed in my kitchen window
and leave the needle work
to my sister Gwladys.
5. ORGANDY
One seamstress gathers purple,
orange and pink on mauve wool.
Others gather baby blue on organdy
or royal blue and fuchsia
on black velvet—impeccable.
Of neon on gabardine, it is said,
Our eyes! Our eyes! Our sensibilities!
(first pub. in Brevities, Vol. 93)
_____________________
Today’s LittleNip:
Pity moment, blah! Let’s turn it around! We do not even need to go into the story of it. We acknowledge this moment and release it. We love and accept and forgive ourselves. And we acknowledge that this is a tiny stitch, a brief pinprick in the needlepoints we are creating of our lives. And we also acknowledge that this lifetime of ours is but a tiny little stitch in the ever-expanding, infinite needlepoint of the Universe. Self-pity is not a reason good enough for us to be out of alignment with peace.
―Alaric Hutchinson, Living Peace: Essential Teachings for Enriching Life
_____________________
Our thanks to Carol Louise Moon for today’s five needle craft poems; she has made a “suite” of them by putting all five poems in one document called "Moon and Stars Quilt." Sweet! Carol Louise writes, “I have been sewing since age 10. I inherited the skills and interest from both sides of my family. My father's grandfather was a Swedish tailor from Stockholm, and my mom's grandmother and many aunts from Wales did all the needle craft, too.” I, too, and many Gorgons of my generative, learned needlework from our relatives at an early age. Alas, many of these art forms, including tatting (handmade lace), are disappearing…
Trina Drotar writes that Amber Moon Press is seeking submission of poetry and visual art for a National Poetry Month (April) series of chapbooks to be produced and distributed through the Sac. region and beyond. Some poems and artwork may also be displayed in library venues in conjunction with Nat’l Poetry Month and with Crossroads Reading Series events. Email no more than 3 poems or 3 jpeg images of artwork to AmberMnPress@gmail.com/. Deadline is 11:59pm, March 1.
Head up to Placerville tonight to hear Ladies of the Knight (Carol Lynn Stevenson Grellas, Jeanette Sem, Angela James) read at the Good Earth Movement, 250 Main St. in Placerville. Scroll down to the blue column (under the green column at the right) for info about this and other upcoming poetry events in our area—and note that more may be added at the last minute.
—Medusa
―Alaric Hutchinson, Living Peace: Essential Teachings for Enriching Life
_____________________
Our thanks to Carol Louise Moon for today’s five needle craft poems; she has made a “suite” of them by putting all five poems in one document called "Moon and Stars Quilt." Sweet! Carol Louise writes, “I have been sewing since age 10. I inherited the skills and interest from both sides of my family. My father's grandfather was a Swedish tailor from Stockholm, and my mom's grandmother and many aunts from Wales did all the needle craft, too.” I, too, and many Gorgons of my generative, learned needlework from our relatives at an early age. Alas, many of these art forms, including tatting (handmade lace), are disappearing…
Trina Drotar writes that Amber Moon Press is seeking submission of poetry and visual art for a National Poetry Month (April) series of chapbooks to be produced and distributed through the Sac. region and beyond. Some poems and artwork may also be displayed in library venues in conjunction with Nat’l Poetry Month and with Crossroads Reading Series events. Email no more than 3 poems or 3 jpeg images of artwork to AmberMnPress@gmail.com/. Deadline is 11:59pm, March 1.
Head up to Placerville tonight to hear Ladies of the Knight (Carol Lynn Stevenson Grellas, Jeanette Sem, Angela James) read at the Good Earth Movement, 250 Main St. in Placerville. Scroll down to the blue column (under the green column at the right) for info about this and other upcoming poetry events in our area—and note that more may be added at the last minute.
—Medusa
—Anonymous
(Celebrate Poetry!)
(Celebrate Poetry!)
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in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
