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Kaaren Whitney
Kaaren Whitney, a professional homeopath, is a Poetry Advocate encouraging all to do with poetry. Born in the USA, she gained insight into the land, people and herself while living in London and for the last 30 years in Suffolk. Here she has been ‘educated’ by patients, life and being a guardian for her Tree circle and Labyrinth throughout the seasons.
Originally inspired by Mike Bannister she continued her writing in a group run by Michael Laskey and subsequently joined additional groups to improve and strengthen her poetry. A frequenter of many of the Suffolk Poetry Cafes she also reads on occasion in USA. Her book of poems, all illustrated with colour photographs by Jim Nind, is The Turning of the Year: A Book for 8 Seasons (Solstice-Equinox Press 2016). Kaaren can be contacted at kaaren.whitney@icloud.com
SAMHAIN ROLL CALL
They brought customs of Yule
transported from Sweden
all tool and die workers
or maids who knew few words;
returning home from work
serving at the big house
would ask in native tongue
‘What does I’ll show you mean?’
Those who have passed beyond
weavers of who I am
Edging my fabric’s hem
is Irish glib and glee
grandfather’s love of lore,
American Br’er Rabbit
read to us at bedtime
giving a thirst for words
and a clue to clever,
always outsmart the fox.
fashioned the fair fabric
of what I am today
Strengthening the border
are sweet German crullers,
dough I liked to eat raw,
the care put into meals
my grandmother so planned
and accomplished, showing
that with her English background
she still knew what ‘proper’ meant.
being who they were
living life as granted
This, my fabric’s being
is woven from the essence
of diverse threads, pulled taut
or some let loose,
a cloth to be cut, shaped
and worn for many years
until freed, handed down
at my time to pass beyond.
soul-muscle finely formed.
Copyright © 2018 Kaaren Whitney
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