This Poem was Submitted By: Dellena Rovito On Date: 2006-01-21 20:53:06 . . . Click Here To Mail this Poem to a Friend!

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Darning

I pull open the sock drawer of my days the 'good old days' where there's never a waste. I view my footies and anklets of the 50's  worn with flatties and black patent Mary Jane's.  Bobbie socks worn with brown and white saddles,  penny loafers, and suede shoes, from yesterday.  Thigh-high socks from the most present whenever. Lightly cool, warmer and hotter ever socks. Aged tattered worn ones, and others almost new. Relentlessly pressured socks, grown old and holey.   With needle and thread, using my darning egg, I repair them, weaving through the warp, under and over to make them usable again. To right what's wrong as  quickly, conscientiously and frugally as possible. Habitually I do, with all things that have worn broken: broken-promises, broken-hearts, broken-bones, and broken-spirits. I've been broken, my family broken and my friends broken. With my darning tools I attempt to make useable, to fix it all! I see no need for disposal. All holes worn can be repaired.  Today not by me, but I know a weaver, who's a far better darner than I!

Copyright © January 2006 Dellena Rovito


This Poem was Critiqued By: Thomas H. Smihula On Date: 2006-02-07 08:19:29
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.60526
Interesting concept and it helps introduce the thought so well. This was a very enjoyable read for me and glad it was one of the last ones for me to read. I like the flow and presentation and especially the thought and how your presented to this reader. Well done.


This Poem was Critiqued By: Mark Andrew Hislop On Date: 2006-02-06 14:17:36
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.71429
Dellena I remember you. You do things with chocolate ... chocolate fixes you, you fix the world. Dellena's Circle of Life. Nice to see something from you. Your imagery here is clean and unfussy. Wouldn't be complete without a nod to the Great Darner. Which completes the philosophy of valuing what one has, to tend it and mend it, instead of throwing it all away. I enjoyed this. Regards, Mark.
This Poem was Critiqued By: Terry A On Date: 2006-01-27 18:03:39
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.85714
Hi Dellena, I hope that you can submit this poem to a magazine, for its marvelous, in such a homemaker kind of way. Your use of language, parallels the socks, detailed, interesting, piles and piles of socks amid piles and piles of words; all as descriptive as the other. The metaphor of value and repair is justified fully in this poem; and it takes artistry to do it as well as you do here. The stanzas work in a way I'd like to experiment more with in my own writing, very effective and contributing much to the reading. This poem has the voice of a free and generous spirit, and is of a far more optimistic faith then seems the usual. Could explain a little why you've stayed at TPL, when so many other women shy away. Terry
This Poem was Critiqued By: Claire H. Currier On Date: 2006-01-26 09:24:13
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.60000
Good Morning Poet.....what a picture you paint with the flare of your pen and though I might add I have tried darning a sock or two (hubby never throws anything away) I have not one of those darning eggs and mine most likely did not come out or last long enough to try again. Love the way you take us back in time too, those days of long ago when life was most likely much better, easier if you ask me for we were younger then too, filled with life and promises of things to come and things we would create on the roads to travelled. The shoes, the socks, the time frame itself, greatly achieved........we have all experienced broken promises, broken families, friendships we treasured, losses over the years and I love the way you never give up on any of it and most important you share your faith with us in closing knowing a weaver with a better knowledge of the art then we. Good form, nice read, easy word flow and to me most important is the faith shared. Thank you, hope you are well as Spring should be returning soon to the world. God Bless, Claire
This Poem was Critiqued By: arnie s WACHMAN On Date: 2006-01-25 14:58:34
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.55556
Well Dellena I never thought I would read a poem (and it is one) about darning socks. I didn't think anyone aver did that anymore. Socks these days are inexpensive so replacing them is not a big deal (at least by my standards anyway). Habitually I do, with all things that have worn broken: broken-promises, broken-hearts, broken-bones, and broken-spirits. I've been broken, my family broken and my friends broken Those above lines are the most telling about yourself...how does all that happen? Again I read a "poor me" attitude! Quite frankly I don't hear you taking on any responsibility for thos things. It's all "me me me" here. And do you want to know the truth (well maybe you don't)...you let it happen!!! I have a feeling you won't want to hear from me again...but I just had to tell you. You are ungrateful... You need a change of attitude.
This Poem was Critiqued By: DeniMari Z. On Date: 2006-01-23 20:30:08
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.62500
Dear Dellena, This poem is different, in content and the clear message of it, comes in your last verse. Very clever way, of pointing out, who really is in charge of everything we do. It's a fun read, with many visuals for the senses to take in - explicit crafting of darning (something I've never done)but saw my mother do quite often. I remember my brothers complaining of the feel of their socks after being sewn, they mentioned they never felt right to them. lol. I enjoyed this read, in it's simplicity, it has a very positive feel to it. Thanks for posting, DeniMari
This Poem was Critiqued By: James C. Horak On Date: 2006-01-22 09:37:20
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Women make far more of "busy work" than do men in and about the recovery we constantly make of life's "broken" aspects. Men are more direct...often to the point of fault. You create a wonderful traveling euphemism of this sock drawer and your concerns to set all it contains, darned/righted. The final line unifies this parallel well and reaches towards a sublimated conclusion in the form of "a weaver", perhaps better capitalized (Weaver) if your allusion is meant to be God. Following the stanza just before ("broken-promises, broken-hearts, broken-bones, etc.") The hyphen suggests this as your hyphenated phrase becomes conceptualized into more than mere modified noun. Again, your poem is a traverse into the woman who as mother and care-giver, has the over-powering concern to "right what's wrong as quickly, conscientioulsy and frugally as possible", the wonderful mothering instinct. It is charming the way you revisit the fashion eras attached to items you find in the drawer, just as, in stages of our lives, we find the currents of the times, with their own characteristics. "To make them usable again" comes to represent, in clandestine overtone, the hope we all have to revisit youth. This is the core of your lovely poem and what takes its reader into your running parallel more completely. Just capitalize weaver. JCH
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