The Causerie
  • The Causerie
  • Welcome

Causerie \kōz-'rē\

An informal chat or talk: a friendly discussion, typically on a literary subject.

Welcome to The Causerie

Heritage:  Men From an Unknown Memory

9/7/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Home and work places of centuries past.


Heritage: 
Men From an Unknown Memory


I’ve seen pictures of them,  
The men of my family.  
Though I’ve never met most, they are part
Of me.  I am their resolve.

My men were strong and solid.  
They swaggered a little.
They tilted their hats to one side
And leaned against trucks.   
They laughed and dreamed.  Some
Were reckless to the point of sin.  

They held themselves upright,
Though life would blow to bow them down.   
Proud of their ability and construct,
They worked with wood and
With machines, with tools and with dirt.

Insightful craftsmen and engineers.
I know their structures.
Silent musicians of my past.  
I hear their songs.

Before I was born.  
My men gave me life and strength.  
Before I was born,
I accepted their endowments,
Both good and bad,
Fine and faulty.
Forming my life with their
Perseverance,
I am their labor.


Susan Patterson
February 2014


Audio and Author Comment-


On this Labor Day, I could not help but post this poem.  It is one of my favorites.  I, like most of you, stand on the shoulders of parents and grandparents.  My family is traced back to 1642 in Cornwall, England.   There are hundreds of names in the family tree.  They all sound familiar to me.  There is no royalty, no fame.  As far as I can tell, most of my ancestors were ordinary workers in one ordinary occupation or another.  Education was not evident, wealth was not apparent.  But, as the poem says, I stand on their shoulders.  I'm proud to do so.  skp

▶Keeping track of the miracles in life will make you feel large and small at the same time.    Earlene Grey

Picture
Cornwall, England

Happy Labor Day to you.    skp
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    If you would like to email Susan, click HERE.

    Author

    Susan Patterson is a published author of three books of poetry and a book of memoirs.  She is heard regularly on RKWP podcast-radio. She also speaks at private and public events. Find out more at the website below.

    If you would like to receive updates and new posts, please sign up on the Welcome to The Causerie page.
    EarleneGrey.com

    Archives

    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All

    What's this RSS Feed stuff?

Blog Sponsor:

Special thanks to Earlene Grey® and Grey Publishing for kindly supporting this causerie.
Website by Western Marketing
Photos used under Creative Commons from David, Bergin, Emmett and Elliott, lamoix, Davide Restivo, naturalflow, WeVe1, johnhope14, kcxd, Boston Public Library, awebbMHAcad, InAweofGod'sCreation, tonyhall, rist2796, BluebearsLair, eioua, Salicia, V-A-K, 55Laney69, Infomastern, riptheskull, sean_hickin, SoulRider.222, paweesit, scotbot, frankdouwes, Andreas Øverland, bernhard.friess, LuAnn Snawder Photography, Just Bens Photos, Kumweni, Alkan de Beaumont Chaglar, Maura McDonnell, ZeroOne, mripp, Bryn Pinzgauer, Nicholas_T, brookpeterson, George Alexander Ishida Newman, eioua, y.caradec, Nicholas_T, fromthevalleys-, Toronto History, Geecy, joncandy, Karen Roe, Jonathan Miske, verityatthedisco, FrankyChou, Tim Tuttle, DncnH, glasseyes view, Rob Gallop, Miguel Mendez, joncandy, The U.S. Army, darvina06, McD22, .tafo., torbakhopper, MCAD Library, BLMOregon, Norbert Reimer, Jonathan Miske, Jamie McCaffrey, benjaflynn, Valoisa Huone | photographer Petteri Sopanen, PapaPiper, timies_art, World/In/My/Eyes, Jaro Larnos, Infomastern, Joonie - http://justjoonie.blogspot.com/, Zanastardust, pfly, UpSticksNGo, Sharada Prasad, Michael Seeley, SpirosK photography, Wonderlane, cletch, Martin Pettitt, Alaskan Dude, Ben124., pedrosimoes7, Jim Sorbie, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, charinaduenas, jamarmstrong, forum.linvoyage.com, rajkumar1220, Zyllan Fotografía, ThisisalexK, versageek, cletch, BotheredByBees, pomodoroentertainment, Camp Pinewood YMCA, jimmyharris, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, Pip R. Lagenta, Seattle Municipal Archives, duck vs. chicken, MCAD Library, gautsch., {Guerrilla Futures | Jason Tester}, Shermeee, ArturoYee, jimbowen0306, Mt. Hood Territory, freeparking :-|, flickr.annieandrew, Giorgio Galeotti, VeZoul, Wonderlane, jedydjah, xovesphoto, bertknot, liverpoolhls, Eric Kilby, iamchad, Karva Javi, rumimume, notfrancois, Imageation, hanspetermeyer.ca, Chuck 55, ninara, PK Fotografie, littlemisspurps, Sarah McDevitt, col&tasha, Island Way Photography, davebloggs007, Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, sunchild123, Th.Papathanasiou, procsilas, Camera Eye Photography, kamsky, facebook.com/snapshotsofthepast, duggar11, *ErinBrierley*, cindy_knowlton2000, Kevin M. Gill, Markus Trienke, Kirt Edblom, tsaiproject, Dougtone, CJS*64 A man with a camera, Kurdistan Photo كوردستان, Wonderlane, Lucas Lima 37, photos_without_borders, -ab, Gonmi, MCAD Library, Lake Worth, L2F1, laffertyryan, Mike Procario, Keith Laverack, AwayWeGo210, bertknot, cheriejoyful, rich701, ierdnall, ninja 4 life, PK Fotografie, Blue Mountains Local Studies, presmd, nicolee_camacho, Vito De Meo, TheFACT, roseannadana, Tekniska museet, katerha, Classic_Movie_Gals, LuAnn Snawder Photography, Kevin Johnston, Tregoning, Mr Moss, Michel Curi, ajuonline, Madalina Ungur, zenera, matthewthecoolguy, Nathan Van Arsdale, gnuckx, docoverachiever, glasseyes view, mckaysavage, Bitterroot, Tim Tuttle, joaobambu, kamsky, synestheticstrings, smileoften, Parker Knight, Kitt Foo, rajkumar1220, Mavroudis Kostas, pedrosimoes7, Waiting For The Word, ed 37 ~~, leo.jeje, adactio, downing.amanda, sⓘndy°, S.MiRK, Meanest Indian, twinxamot, infomatique, MrMitch, Garett Gabriel, librarywebchic, stevendepolo, Paul Stainthorp, coolgeek1998, Debs (ò‿ó)♪, verityatthedisco, paukrus, javcon117, Lars Plougmann, McD22, ulrichkarljoho, tonyhall, Twix, HumanSeeHumanDo, garryknight, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region, slightly everything, e³°°°, chakchouka, archer10 (Dennis), Zhetta, State Records NSW, Katie@!, Flawka, Bjørn Giesenbauer, dvanzuijlekom, RickC, iapetos-1(crazy father), luckyfish, weldonwk, pennyspitter, H o l l y., color line, berny0md, Dominic's pics, ohmyGaly, Marianoff, slightly everything, jetglo, deflam, Jan Tik, Mo Kaiwen 莫楷文, leo.jeje