Today we have another poem written from a poetry prompt. You can find the prompt list here. I chose the first one, which says:

Grab the closest book. Go to page 29. Write down 10 words that catch your eye. Use 7 of words
in a poem. For extra credit, have 4 of them appear at the end of a line.

Fun! I work in a bookstore, so it was, actually, hard to figure out which book was closest. I actually have four poetry books sitting on my desk, but it didn’t seem right to choose those. So I looked to my left instead of my right and found a copy of Where the Red Fern Grows. I don’t know about you guys, but that book scarred me for life. I’ve been afraid of axes ever since.

It has amazing words in it, though. I found these on page 29:

• shaggy
• sigh
• jackets
• patched
• sycamore
• pokeberry
• mountains
• comb
• cloth
• spiderweb

Needless to say, it was not difficult to form a vision with these words to prompt me. I grew up in the mountains of North Carolina. Much of my life is colored by those years. I related to all of the words in this list…except pokeberry. But I do like the word!

Anyway, this is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy:

Memory Bank
By Michelle Garren-Flye

Spiderwebs hang shaggy
from dusty doorframes
in this old house
in my mind.
I keep the memories
I treasure there:
winter coats laying 
on the oil stove to warm
before we step out 
into cold mountain air.
We laugh when the polyester
scorches, leaving small holes
on the interior
that no one can see, anyway.
I discard the patched up jeans
that made me sigh
and the battles with the comb
in Mama’s hand.
It’s best to forget some things.