My grandmother saved twine.
After the lean years of war
she knew its worth
as fastener for paper parcels, 
crackly brown, or propping
tall chrysanthemums 
before the battering storms.
Clematis clambered
and string beans ran their course
along such lines. I miss her still.

39 thoughts on “Ties”

1. I do recognize how my mother hoarded things too… she grew up during the war, and even if Sweden wasn’t in the war we had a lot of rations… so she kept saving things….

   1. she lived through 2 world wars in London so especially understanding of hardship and frugality

2. Your ties reminded me of my own grandmother, who saved twine, amongst other ‘useful’ things, including smoothed paper bags for me to draw on.  The chrysanthemums is another memory of her. Thank you, Laura.

   1. ❤️

3. This quadrille is very elegant and nostalgic. 🙂

   1. many thanks Kitty

4. Laura, I love the affection in your poem. I also like how you imbue life to the plants, blossoms, and fruit. Yes, we know they are alive, but to see the clambering clematis and the running beans gives them the verbs they need to spring to life.

   1. really appreciate your feedback Lisa and for this versatile prompt

      1. Laura, happy to oblige ❤

5. Our ties to the past.

   1. “The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.- Hartley’s quote has so much weight when I think of my grandmother

      1. It probably applies to all grandmothers. We can’t replicate their way of looking at life.

   2. P.S. sorry that you were caught in the spam catcher for a while after you commented

      1. It’s hard enough to comment on many blogs.

6. Truely enjoyed this musing

   much♡love

   1. I appreciate that Gillena x

7. My grandmother was the same. Everything had a use and several re-uses. Thank you for making me think of her with a smile. (K)

   1. memories are made of twine 😉

      1. holding them together, yes

8. I really like the title for this piece. It works in many ways.

   1. thank you for picking up on that Maria – it ties the whole poem together!

9. This reminds me of my grandmothers 🤗

10. I totally get that, Laura! I know people whose attitudes towards mundane items were forever changed by living through the Siege of Leningrad…

    ~David

    1. and so it should – war gives us lessons for peace and we must never forget as Israel knows only too well

11. That string is long that holds all in place even memories. Lovely poem.

    1. what an astute comment – many thanks

12. A kindred poem. A striking image those string bean lines.

    1. thanks Katie and snap!

13. What a wonderful nostalgic piece! All grandmothers were similar it seems, having seen wars, famine and poverty made them frugal I guess.

    1. thank you – yes she came to mind as soon as I saw the prompt word – the ties that bind!

       1. You are welcome. The ties that bind and sometimes gag…😉

14. Ah yes, the inevitable ball of saved string in the kitchen drawer – just in case. Yes, it got used for many things back then didn’t it? Lovely memories of our families ‘making do’ during those hard times. ☺️

    1. memories are out ties

15. my grandmother salvaged paper towels, among other things. a fine pen ~

    1. the best generation who knew such things long before our ‘save the planet’ signallers

16. I like the title. The string that binds us together. I never really knew the only grandmother who was alive when I was small, but my mother certainly was very frugal. I still remember a tin of powdered eggs in the pantry. Not sure it was ever made use of. And doesn’t everyone have a ball of string? Or in my case twine in their house?

    1. yes the title unravels the poem – thank you Jude for sharing your thoughts

17. A homely memory, but fraught with such love.

    1. belated thanks Dora

Comments are closed.