EVERYTHING IS A GREAT FAMILY TOGETHER
TEXT FOR STILL PICTURES
Graduation time and this year two of our grandchildren,
cousins of twin daughters, graduate. They’re 18.
Hamburgers on the grill. Back yard, family.
Sitting beneath shade trees in a garden.
A dozen years ago, Karen and I were on retreat
in the North Cascade mountains
in a former copper mine turned retreat center.
A blackout of news was suspended
with news of kindergarten children murdered
in their school at Sandy Hook. My wife
had recently made me a Pendleton vest
with Chief Joseph patterned fabric.
Brown, gold, I will fight no more forever.
On the boat ride out of the mountains,
we asked each other what we should do.
Karen would make a Chief Joseph vest
to fit the children from Sandy Hook,
lining it with their names. Our grandchildren
would wear it for them.. We had to see. During
its making, our youngest granddaughter
had tonsillitis, and spent the day with Grandma.
Our grandson would come from Karate, followed
by his cousin, who would come from dance lessons.
We made a movie that day trying to understand.
The kids read poems by Yeats and William Blake
sewn into vest pockets. Twelve years later,
it’s graduation day. There’s cake and poetry.
This is what it’s like.
Jim Bodeen
11 June 2024
MEDITATION ON VIOLENCE; KAREN BODEEN'S CHIEF JOSEPH VEST
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Such a lovely tribute. You are teaching compassion in a tactile way as they wear it. Thank you, Karen!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful family gathering and ritual...and those granduating grandkids are so awesome!!!
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