Against My Grain

A Tisket,
a tasket,
a pretty ribbon basket

Remember Maypoles?
Dancing and weaving grosgrain and satin ribbons
Colors pale and vivid
not grey?

Remember blossoms?
sweet scents
crocus
hyacinth
sweet peas
sweet william
delphinium and daffodils
forget-me-nots
tulips?

Remember softness
sweetness?

Gentle manners
courtesy
gentle custom
please and thank you for rolled and cutout cookies
after school?
May day flower surprises from neighbors
one or two handmade valentines from a secret admirer?

I remember gentle reads
gentle people
gentle times

Ballet class with an accompanist
handwritten notes on good paper
rotary phones
egg timers
birdhouses
reading with the cat who won't stop purring in your lap

Soft and blurred
blue sky
tufted clouds viewed from
dewy rolling lawns

I remember
I remember streamers and petite fours
teacups and aprons
I remember ribbons

I remember the time that wasn't against my grain
migraine.
I do remember.