Love and Wishes

First, I’d love for you to take a look at my new chapbook. It’s on pre-sale at Finishing Line Press for the next several weeks. https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/stories-told-in-a-lost-tongue-by-elaine-reardon/

The Grandmother’s Lament

I would have liked to hear her

call Seanmháthair—

to hear her toddler’s tongue call to me.

Perhaps I would have

fed her oatmeal one morning,

lifted her to pull an apple right

from the tree. We would go

into the garden, salute Yarrow

and heart’s ease near the fence gate,

push our noses into basil and roses

then press them onto our tongues.

She would say Seanmháthair

and I would pick her up with

the mint & chamomile. We’d go inside

for tea, drink from Peter Rabbit mugs.

She would tell me about fairies

she glimpsed from the corner

of her eyes, then mention

that she’d like to use the bathroom.

We’d rush upstairs just in time.

She would say Seanmháthair;

I would wash her sticky hands and face.

We’d pick up a small storybook,

murmur the words, and touch each picture.

Then we’d climb the stairs to bed,

peeking out the window to say “Good rest”

to the squirrel on the windowsill.

We’d sing a small song together

to soften the journey into rest.

Seanmháthair translated from Irish means grandmother.

Between Mother’s Day and Memorial Day my Mother and my Mother-in-Law had May birthdays, so there is a lot of remembering of celebrations and cemetery visits. I don’t pick up a spoon to cook without thinking of my mother-in-law or see oatmeal without thinking of my mam making bread or her Betty Crocker cookbook.

Every May lilac, lily-in-the-valley, and bridal veil bloom and the fragrance rekindles childhood memories. It’s no accident that I have Lilac, Lily of the Vally, and Bridal Wreath growing by my door. The lilac scrapes against the open window when the wind blows; it’s wonderful, and very visceral memories come spontaneously with the fragrance. Do you have springtime triggers like this?

My newest chapbook, Stories Told in a Forgotten Tongue is available for pre-order from the publisher, and we’d sure appreciate your consideration. Finishing Line Press, a larger publisher than I’ve had in the past, begins with presales, as do most larger publishers of new books these days. Stories Told In A Forgotten Tongue is available now at the publisher’s website below, not Amazon.

Finishing Line Press strongly wishes for pre-sales, so the price is lower for the next several weeks. I don’t have copies, but I will sign books previously purchased. Readers outside of the US, I’m working on trying to find out how best to order and ship.

I’m raffling off this original watercolor painting that’s the cover design to people who are on the list for preorders. I hope to set some readings up for late September and will be at the Garlic and Arts Festival Reading, as well.

Stories Told in a Lost Tongue by Elaine Reardon