Seeing the Light

Cherry

By Silver Spun Sand

Wed, 25 Nov 2015
  • 3769 reads
16 comments
 
There is a crack in everything, That’s how the light gets in.”
(Leonard Cohen)
 
I’ve always been rubbish at knitting but must admit
to being totally addicted. Nothing complex
like Fair Isle or Aran; 
 
cardigans and jumpers way out of my league.
Scarves are much more me. They don’t
turn corners.
 
A bit like my ‘pièce de resistance’. A bedspread – 
double-bed size; squares of varying patterns
in a tasteful, buttermilk-cream, but eight long years
in the making
 
during which time it saw the world; Dubai, Delhi
and Dubrovnik; the click-clack of needles 
keeping me sane – terrified as I am of flying.
 
And then there was that arduous night
with my youngest daughter, when my grandson was born
at Wycombe General...kept me, thankfully,
from climbing the walls.
 
and then, two months later, this time 
at my father’s bedside...willing him to come round
from a stroke, which, sadly, he never did.
 
And finally, after many years of gracing mine,
and my husband’s bed, it helped keep our eldest daughter warm
in hers at the hospice;
 
comforting, she told me...it smelt of log-fires
her father and me...and Archie, the dog
and of home.
 
My ‘designer’ quilt I called it, modelled on one 
I’d seen in Harrods, many moons ago
cost an arm and a leg.  Except, 
 
there’s something makes mine priceless;
a hole – dead centre, where a stitch slipped through...
 
my signature, of course, or so I tell them...there is
a crack in everything, that’s how the light
gets in.
Certificate PG
Poem
Silver Spun Sand Poems
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

beautifully done Tina. Have I read this before?

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

The bones of it, most certainly, insertsmiley  A bit...no, a lot like my knitting.  I unpick more than I knit, both realistically and metaphorically speaking.  The marvellous thing about the IP, for me personally, at least, is that it inspires me to look at past work in a new light, with a correspondingly new perspective.

 

 

Submitted by maisie on

and reads well too :)

maisie angel Guess what?  I'm still alive!

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Good morning to you, maisie, and a big, fat thank yousmiley

Tina

 

Submitted by Starfish Girl on

My mother taught me to knit, never could do it properly always let go of one pin. I've got a number of unfinished items maybe you'll inspire me to finish. I still have some of the things my mother knitted for m, with love, won't ever throw them away.

Knitting takes such a time that within memories are built.

Lovely poem Tina.

Lindy

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

How right you are, Lindy, on all counts.  With me, it was my aunt taught me to knit, and it all started one Christmas Day when I was about five years old when Santa gave me two miniature sized knitting needles and a skein of rainbow wool.  She also taught me how to wind the wool into a ball, as all wool was in skeins then...which is an art in itselfsmiley

When I first started that bedspread, everyone said I'd never finish it...such a big task it was, but I did, and to this day I am so very proud of it, and its history, and what's more, it washes and washes, and still looks just as good as ever.

So get knittingsmiley

Tina

 

Submitted by love_writing on

Lovely. I love that Leonard Cohen quote; one of my favourites. 

love_writing

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Great minds obviously think alike, lwsmiley

Tina

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Oh, enjoyed this tale of many years and events. Makes me feel I must start another one. Didn't achieve a large size, but a knee rug, and it lives with mother-in-law's wheelchair, and kept my fingers busy for so long when watching TV or being a passenger in the car. Has many odd combinations, very unique in its own say like your 'hole'. I made a few woolly hats too, but I'd got too many done (and a source who sent them away to deep sea fishermen had moved away), so should get back to the squares, the different colours, the oddements and the memories! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Gosh, Rhiannon...did you really knit hats?  Way too complicated for me...all that decreasing and increasing, and passing the slipped stitch oversmiley

Seriously though, I do find knitting so very therapeutic.  At the moment I'm just putting the finishing touches to a scarf I've knitted for someone who shall remain nameless, for Christmas.  I'm fringing it with sparkly bronze, brown and blue fringe and it is so fiddly, with each strand having to be hand-knotted.  As a matter of fact, just off to finish it now while the light is good...that's if my husband doesn't wake up from his morning siesta demanding his lunchsmiley

Thank you, so much, for reading and for sharing your thoughts, and I hope you do get back to those squares and get busy with knitting more memories .

Tina

 

Submitted by Bee on

Loved this for the poem and the knitted journey. A friend who got me into quilting years ago told me that every quilt (blanket?) must have a flaw in it somewhere, often put in deliberately, because nothing is perfect except God. So your slipped stitch is a special part of the thing. I never had to put in a deliberate one, and my friend only told me about that to make me feel better about my mistakes. 

So much comfort in your knitted spread, and in the poem, too. 

Bee

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, Bee...I think your friend sounds a very special person...and she is so right in what she says, believe it, or notsmiley

Tina

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

You seem to be on a roll, Tina, with your prolific input. The quantity is matched by the quality which is appreciated by many. You make it look easy with a tone that sound almost conversational but I know that a lot of thought goes into composing your poetry. I may not always comment on your work but I follow it without fail.

Best wishes and have a nice week-end.

Luigi xxx

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Dear Luigi...your words are more than appreciated.  Thank you...and have a lovely week-end, toosmiley

Tina xxx

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

HI Tina,

you bought back memories of my mum with this poem. She was always knitting in the evenings while watching the television, all you would hear would be the click...click of her needles along with the tv.

The story behind each piece you knitted is as special as the item itself, which I'm sure turned out as good as your poetry.

Very much enjoyed reading.

Jenny.

 

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Jenny - so pleased you enjoyed this and that it brought back some special memories for yousmiley

Tina