I refuse to just call it "Washington's Birthday!" We used to celebrate both Lincoln's and Washington's and then it was deemed that was one too many holidays. Though, as miserable a month as February is, I don't think you can HAVE too many holidays in that month. But, what do I know? And now they're chiseling Old Abe's birthday out entirely, or trying to. Southern redneck conspiracy, if you ask me. (Though I'm a little uncomfortable with the use of the term "redneck" as a pejorative, since the original rednecks were organizing workers fighting for their rights against the mine bosses and the Pinkerton bullies.) But enough of the haranguing. We're supposed to still be channeling the love from Valentine's Day, right?
So, on to poetry. Check below the orange squiggly dingbat to see what I've come up with this time.
Kalliope
Means "beautiful voice" from Greek καλλος (kallos) "beauty" and οψ (ops) "voice". In Greek mythology she was a goddess of epic poetry and eloquence, one of the nine Muses.
Join us every Tuesday afternoon at the Daily Kos community political poetry club.
Your own poetry is always welcome in the comments.
Bongos, berets & turtle neck sweaters optional.
The keyboard is mightier than the sword.
Matoaka – Amonute – Pocahontas – Rebecca Rolfe
It must have been hard
Straddling two cultures
Carrying at times, the hopes
At times, the enmity, of both.
What made you choose the new,
The stranger of the two?
Did you feel less valued
By the one you were born into?
I have to believe
There must have been
Love between you
And John, earnest and pious.
I don't think anything less
Could have carried you
So far from the world
You'd known from birth.
Did children of London
Run up to you, shyly
In the street, to touch
Your alien skin, gape at your face?
So many hopes must
Have carried you through
Yet your life was so short!
Taken, on your way “home”
To where you had arisen
Virginia tidewater lands.
The fragile thread
Of your tiny son
Left behind in the new
Land. In time, he returned
To where you could not.
Left your bloodline
On two continents.
Descendants claim you
Proudly, “princess”
Of hopes and dreams.
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