The season of love and joy is upon us. Paradoxically, the new is full of heartbreak and hope. We are staying home and will have a “Zoom” Christmas. I am thankful we have that option, and am thankful for my many blessings, including this amazing community. I’m taking a holiday hiatus, but didn’t want the year to end without sharing a final poem for 2020.
Over the past three weeks, I’ve been participating in one of Georgia Heard‘s poetry workshops through her Poet’s Studio. The focus of the workshop was poetic forms. We read and wrote cinquains, villanelles, sonnets, and more. Georgia introduced and discussed many other types of poetry, including found poetry.
Knitting has long been a passion of mine, and I’ve recently been knitting up a storm for my baby granddaughter, Hazel. I wanted to write a poem about knitting, but my brain power is limited these days. (Too many distractions; see first paragraph.) So today I’m sharing a found poem, culled from “Knitting for Poets: Elizabeth Zimmermann” by A.E. Stallings. I followed the rules and kept the words in the order in which they appear in the article.
“Knitting”
Sonnet-length baby sweaters
magically form beneath our hands:
texture and color,
the pleasure of materials.
Knit on
with confidence and hope
through all crisis.
Get lost together.
Well-worn wooden needles’
benevolent clack is soothing,
reassured.
Cherish them.
Knit.
Follow your secret heart.
Draft © Catherine Flynn, 2020
I wish you a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season. I hope to see you back here in 2021. Please be sure to visit the multi-talented Michelle Kogan at her blog for the Poetry Friday Roundup.
Reading to the Core 
Great poem and I love the name Hazel. Looks like a sweet baby, a little smile on her face!
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Lovely poem, and Hazel is adorable. Is that a strawberry hat? 🙂 Happy Holidays!
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Your found poem is lovely, and I like the original Stallings piece too! Thank you for sharing both. Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
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I am a knitter and you’ve captured the comfort in it. I relate to the well-worn wooden needles and the clack. It’s a wonderfully Zen activity, of course, as long as everything goes smoothly.;)
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Catherine, my kids have their knitted stockings from my mother and they are treasures. What a beautiful poem…sonnet length sweaters, sweet. Rest well these next couple of weeks. Take time to be with family on zoom and enjoy. I love the photo of sweet Hazel. You are a fortunate Grandma.
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That piece by Stallings is a delight from start to finish. What rich ground for finding a poem! Your poem most assuredly does it justice. I love that you’re creating such treasures for Hazel and am so glad you included a photo of her wearing one of your creations. So cute!
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It’s wonderful that you can knit Hazel some beautiful things, Catherine. And I love that first line, “Sonnet-length baby sweaters.” I’m sneaking in a few posts while waiting for a brief “outdoor” visit with my son & family, on their way to ski. It’s nice to see them, but sadly it won’t be like before. Wishing you and yours a loving Christmas no matter the method!
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Hazel is precious!!! And you are so talented.
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Beautiful poem, with many sparkling and special words woven together– magic, soothing, and secret heart. And what a gorgeous bundle of joy you have. Merry Christmas to you and your family Catherine, and enjoy your break!
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That stocking is adorable and such a treasure for sweet Hazel. I suppose Zoom Christmas is better that no Christmas, but I am ready to get my arm stuck however many times it takes so that I can be with my family in person. I love your found poem about knitting. I am crocheting a hat and the pleasure of the textures are soothing. Merry Christmas!
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Catherine, your sonnet-length baby sweater is just lovely and so bright. Hazel seems to adore it as much as I do. My mother knit the most precious items for my children and I shall always remember the Christening suit she made for my son. This is the time to “Knit on/with confidence and hope/through all crisis.” Enjoy your Zoom holiday. That will be mine also.
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Georgia’s classes are the best. I love this sonnet knitted together with love. Hazel will cherish that stocking for years. I zoomed with family last nigh and I hope yours will be as fun as mine.
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Hazel, her knit stocking, penguin shirt, and hat are adorable! I used to knit so I can relate to all those great knitting words you cleverly used in your wow poem. I love
“Sonnet-length baby sweaters
magically form beneath our hands,
Knit on
with confidence and hope
through all crisis,
benevolent clack is soothing,
reassured,
Follow your secret heart.”
Merry knitting and Christmas! i wish you a hopeful 2021 filled with light. Thank you for sharing.
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Darling Hazel! And that stocking! WOW! May you be soothed by the “benevolent clack” of needles. Rest, friend. Restore your brain, heart, and soul. (I’m right there with you!)
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