KenmoreRulesAll

CD, that's a wonderful poem. Very touching -- you express the ideas and emotions I'm sure we all feel. Each one of these machines has a story, hopefully one that is unfinished.

ThayerRags

Canuka-canuka, is sort of the sound,
just me and machine, no one else is around.

It’s hard to describe the sound using a word,
the vibrating shuttle just needs to be heard.

My 1910 hand-crank, a Singer 28,
makes that cool sound I’m trying to relate.

The sound that it makes, sounds so peaceful to me,
it sooths both my mind and my soul don’t you see.

Other than that, silence is all that is heard,
‘cept my dog sleeping or the chirp of a bird.

The cadence of ticks from an old-timey clock,
accompanies my sewing of another quilt block.

This project I’m doing is easy for me,
so my mind can just drift off so easily.

Going through the motions while deeply in thought,
of things that I’ve done and of things I have not.

Small fabric pieces that were scraps from before,
with a quarter-inch seam, be useful once more.

So blissful, so peaceful, a wonderful day,
just quietly sewing, I love it this way.

Now just wait a minute, what happened, oh dear!
this piece should go there, and that piece should go here.

How did that happen, it’s not happened before!
grabbing my ripper, knocks my drink to the floor.

My poor old dog sleeping, is lying below,
that a cold drink was coming, how could he know?

The open top drink landed right by his face,
the tea and the cubes going all over the place.

Startled from slumber, his face wet from the drink,
he knew not what got him, nor took time to think.

All muscles were tense, from his nose to his tail,
yelping and howling, he let out a big wail.

Now up on his feet, tryin’ to run on his claws,
he was running in place, a blur were his paws.

To run on his claws on a slick hardwood floor,
just doesn’t work well, ‘cause he’s tried it before.

When finally some traction, his feet then did get,
in a blur he was gone, both frightened and wet.

I raced along to him to help calm him down,
and was met with first wide eyes ‘n then with a frown.

I tried to console him, but it was no use,
for what I had done, there was just no excuse.

So to clean up my mess, I brought out a towel,
but when I went toward him, he gave me a scowl.

I decided it was best to just leave him be,
he’ll dry soon enough, ‘cause it’s nothing but tea.

I mopped up the mess I had made on the floor,
and sat myself down to my sewing once more.

I began ripping stitches that had to come out,
the tranquility was gone, there was no doubt.

My dog stayed in the kitchen, licking off tea,
I guess for today, he wants no more of me.

Maybe tomorrow, my dog’s trust I will win,
and he’ll decide to come lie near me again.

He’s pretty forgiving, from what I can judge.
dogs don’t seem to keep score or carry a grudge.

And now that this event has opened my eyes,
the sound I like better, I now realize.

Is my old dog sleeping right here by my chair,
I sure do miss him, now that he isn’t there.

CD in Oklahoma

Cari-in-Oly

Another winner CD, had me lol. Had a startled animal here yesterday. The cat howled, 3yr old started screaming. Ran to see wth was happening and while I was checking out the kidlet with a scratch on her face I noticed a chip clip on the end of the cats tail. I didn't know who to scold, who to console, or who to laugh at first.

Cari

ThayerRags

Thanks for another compliment Cari. And when you have critters, there will be some moments that cause a ruckus but can end up being amusing when everything has settled down. I’m glad that I’ve been able to have critters most of my life.

CD in Oklahoma

ThayerRags

Today I’m not getting much real sewing done,
although this quilt pattern has been lots of fun.

My mind’s concentration is not up to task,
I catch myself idle, reliving the past.

Just sitting here thinking, not moving at all,
reminiscing good times that I can recall.

Of the years spent living, loving, and such,
with my family that’s gone, I miss them so much.

The kids are all raising more kids of their own,
I hear all about it, when often they phone.

They all live afar, there’s no work for them here,
my husband’s gone too, he died early last year.

I guess I’ll leave too, and go live there in town,
but it’s a small place, I will have to size down.

I knew it was coming, so I can’t complain,
in this big house alone, I just can’t remain.

It takes just too much, both in money and time,
to keep up this house, on this small check of mine.

To think that this house didn’t seem big at all,
back then when we bought it, it even seemed small.

When raising our family, we needed the space,
we were so happy when we found this nice place.

Far enough from town, with really good neighbors,
those willing to help when we needed favors.

Yet close to our work, we could run to the store,
when something we used up and needed some more.

We raised most of our food, the veggies at least,
we had a few critters on land that we leased.

Back in the days when the family was all here,
we grew enough food to last most of the year.

That huge garden now is all grown up in weeds,
it’s been several years since I’ve even bought seeds.

But to an apartment, I now will retreat,
with space limitations somehow I must meet.

When trying to figure out how to downsize,
I can’t help but get big ol’ tears in my eyes.

The kids have all taken their choice of heirlooms,
but there’s so many things still left in these rooms.

What things do I take and what gets left behind?
trying to decide, really boggles my mind.

Those things that I leave will then have to be sold,
they’re planning an auction, or so I’ve been told.

The old sewing machines, I have a quite lot,
some from past relatives and some that I’ve bought.

I can take some with me, as long as they’re small,
but most of the treadles, I can’t take at all.

The kids don’t have room, and I can’t pay to store,
these old machines until they’re wanted once more.

It shouldn’t come to me as any surprise,
this pain in my heart and these tears in my eyes.

I’ve continually put off this painful task,
I’ve had plenty of time, for more I won’t ask.

I need to get to it, it’s near time to go,
but here I set thinking and trying to sew.

I’ll make time later, it’s too agonizing,
things that I love will be lost with downsizing.

CD in Oklahoma

Jeanette Frantz

CD, your poetry is great!

Jeanette

maviskw

[h=2]Too Many Sewing Machines[/h]

ThayerRags

Thanks for posting Mavita. I hope we get many more poems posted in here.

Thanks Jeanette.

CD in Oklahoma

Quincunx

She pulled up on the sewing chair / when mommy wasn't there-- / had mommy gone to get the door / or tell her brother (nearly four) / to climb on down from that?-- / but with the chair's help she could stand, / and with her prize in hand. / Mommy uses these to sew, / but she is unsure where they go. / They vanish at the tabletop, / or when she's very lucky, drop / and mommy doesn't take them back. / Brother keeps his in a bank. / He puts them in a narrow slot / and somehow, once they're in, they're caught. / She looks up. There one is. It hides. / The button fits inside. / She lets go, wobbles, sits back down. / Maybe there's others? Looks around. // Years go by. Dirt collects. / The Singer passes to the next. // I don't know who had this last, / I don't know why this Singer passed, / They kept it clean, but it must be said, / the insulation's dead. / I tugged the pedal. It was stuck / with who knows what kind of muck. / They said this was an easy task. / And of the powers all I ask / is that it comes off in one--sure, / that sounded like plastic hitting the floor. / I thought the pedal button fell, / and what I said will not go over well. . . // But everything turned out Ok* / And we both were right, in a way. (*Except the line breaks. Yes I used the regular reply window.)

ThayerRags

“Get your boots and your cap, we’re hittin’ the road,
we need to be quick, to get this Mother Load”.

My husband looked up, from what he was doing,
then went right back, to the drawer he was gluing.

He slowly inserted a small wooden dowel,
then wiped off his hands on an old grungy towel.

With the drawer parts lined up, he applied a clamp,
then wiped off some glue with a rag that was damp.

Wiping his tools and then putting them away,
at the rate he was going, we’ll be here all day.

I told him, “Hey you, dang it, get on the ball,
“We’ll even need the trailer for this big’a haul.”

“There’s an Estate Sale going on now as we speak,
the one that I told you I’d heard of last week”.

“The ad said they’re selling a bunch of machines,
New Homes, Singers, and there’s a couple of Queens”.

“It’s the collector’s stash that we’ve heard about,
there’s some beauties in that bunch, I have no doubt”.

“They’re going to sell quickly, I anticipate,
we’ve got to move fast before it’s too late”.

Finally, it seemed, he understood what I said,
he slipped on his boots, put his cap on his head.

He said “Go get the truck, I’ll meet you out back,
I’ll grab some moving pads from off of the stack”.

Now hooking up the trailer, I’ve never done,
but due to the hurry, I’ll be the one.

How hard can it be, backing up with the mirrors?
I’ve watched him do it many times through the years.

So I lined the truck out, squared up with the hitch,
and backwards I went, through a very small ditch.

“Hold it, hold it, hold it!”, he began to yell,
I guess I wasn’t lined up really that well.

After eight or nine stabs, the trailer’s now on,
but time has been wasted, we need to be gone.

“No time to change drivers, get in, buckle up”,
He asked me “You driving?”, and I just said “Yup”.

I ran smack over a shrub leaving our yard,
then off down our street, I was pushing things hard.

I’ve got to get there, well ahead of the pack,
I raced toward the sale, and didn’t look back.

There’s no time to waste, since we’re running so late,
but at pulling the trailer, I’m not so great.

The freeway is crowded, cars all around,
traffic is tough, but I am holding my ground.

A van pulled beside me, a woman I know,
I met her last year at the annual Quilt Show.

Sewing machines, she had said when we met,
is what she collects, and buys all she can get.

So now that I’ve seen her, I picked up my pace,
there’s sewing machines there, so this is a race.

I couldn’t let her beat me, of that I was sure,
I floored that old pickup, quickly outrunning her.

I’m not used to changing my lanes quite so fast,
I’ve seen others do it, the times I’ve been passed.

They swerve to the left, then swerve to the right,
and before you know it, they’re clean out of sight.

I check in my mirrors, watching for that van lady,
my speedometer now is setting on eighty.

I’m having good luck at getting through,
but the trailer is causing a problem or two.

The construction zone made things just a bit tense,
one wheel of the trailer was rubbing a fence.

I glance at my husband, his hand on the dash,
he looks like he’s fearing a terrible crash.

I pass cars on the left, and cars on the right,
and now in my mirror is a bright blue strobe light.

“Dad gum it!” I said, I had that old gal beat,
but now some nice Trooper, I will get to meet.

He takes my driver’s license and registration too,
then went back to his car and left me to stew.

My husband sat silent, looking straight ahead,
what he was thinking, was best just not said.

After taking forever, my ticket I’d signed,
for two hundred dollars, I now had been fined.

We’re back on the road and I’m fit to be tied,
my husband is driving, for now, I’ll just ride.

Then up in the distance, was I seeing things?
she also got stopped by a Trooper it seems.

Yep, that’s her van, merging back onto the road,
I still have a chance to beat her to that load.

I turn to my husband, but before I could speak,
he said “One citation is plenty for this week”.

As we pull into, the Estate Sale site,
the building appears to still be locked up tight.

I thought there’d be people and cars all around,
and few parking places at all to be found!

Prepared to bolt from the truck on the run,
the plan I had formed suddenly came all undone.

“Cause there on the lawn, I saw and then groaned,
a big sign that said, TODAY’S SALE POSTPONED.

CD in Oklahoma