On, In and Around Mondays: Tweety, Tea and She

I am in the living room.

Here are the signs that on Saturday we did our girls' annual combined birthday party: my guitar is turned towards the wall in its stand— evidence that a child must have been in need of deterrence. To my right, an African basket, big as the circle of my arms if I were to hug you, lies flat and displaced. Boys thought of boats or cars or a hot air balloon and were told by a grandmother to move on— baskets are breakable.



To my left, gift bags (one pink with hearts, one lavender striped) hold necklaces, drawing pads, Natalie Merchant (we'll be singing The Janitor's Boy now), "Safari" ceramic beads. A tea party book tells that we tried to do Victorian tea. The cucumber sandwich on its cover is far more artful than mine, which were put together hurriedly while I chatted with early guests.



A Tweety bird, who must have been hopefully given by a young child, is lying face down, lavender-brimmed hat to mahogany (faux) round lamp table. Tweety stares continuously at his reflection in shining wood. This might seem more narcissistic if he were not bowed in worship before a black and white photograph of my mother as a child.

She too wears a hat, black, to match her worn black girlish coat. Her milk-white skin frames dark, startled eyes and soft lips set apart in surprise or maybe fear. Shyly and intently, she stares into the room as if to say, I saw it all and I wished... I wished the necklaces and beads, the guitar, the African basket, the ride in a hot air balloon, the scones and tea had been mine.




Birthday Party photos by L.L. Barkat.

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On, In and Around Mondays (which partly means you can post any day and still add a link) is an invitation to write from where you are. Tell us what is on, in, around (over, under, near, by...) you. Feel free to write any which way... compose a tight poem or just ramble for a few paragraphs. But we should feel a sense of place.

Would you like to try? Write something 'in place' and add your link below. If you could kindly link back here when you post, it will create a central meeting place. :)



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Claire, Kelly and Sarah just started a new photo place. Cool. "Home" is their first prompt! Go Claire, Kelly and Sarah!



This post is also linked to Emily's Imperfect Prose.