Saturday, January 14, 2012

Finding Luck & Throwing Eyelashes

This week it's Poetry Saturday in Holland, NY! We had a big snowstorm, and it interfered with our satellite. Please excuse my tardiness to the Poetry Friday party!


Eye Self-Portrait
by Georgia LV


Students - Sometimes you might find a poem or writing idea inside of an old writing piece. Today's poem grew from a two-week-old notebook entry. As you read the entry below, you might notice small snips that appear in "Finding Luck."

January 4, 2012

The day began, like many days, with a shower. A hotel shower where so many men and women I will never meet have washed their bodies, breathing deeply, readying themselves for a day ahead. As I looked to the white curtain, I could see a small eyelash curled against the fabric. Someone else's eyelash. Not mine.

In these moments, I decide and re-decide what I will say inside my own head, how I will react. A part of me wants to squeal, "Gross!" and live like my Grandpa Norman who would not stay in hotels or eat in restaurants lest he get the germs. But another side of me is superstitious. This side of me says "Pa-diddle!' and kisses a fool when I see a one-headlight car. This side punches Hope when I see a punch buggy. An eyelash? Why you throw it over your shoulder, of course.

I stood there in the shower, eyeing the tiny line of hair, thinking back to the many small eyelashes I have gently brushed from the cheeks of Hope, Georgia, and Henry, throwing them over their shoulders.

Warm water poured down my back as I heard a clear voice in my head say, "Oh, what the heck!" And I watched as my own hand gently brushed the eyelash from its curtain and threw it over my own wet shoulder.

Again, like always, I thought, "It's lucky!" and wondered if the luck would be mine or if somebody somewhere today had a wonderful day with no idea where the luck hailed from.


I would not consider myself a very superstitious person, but there are certain little habits I have, like tossing eyelashes and avoiding cracks in the sidewalk. Back in 2010, I posted a poem about lucky socks along with a recommendation for Janet Wong's great poetry book about superstitions, KNOCK ON WOOD.

Lately I have been posting more links to great poems and quotes on The Poem Farm Facebook Page. Please 'like' it to receive these links and poems and quotes on your news feed.

Tara is hosting this week's roundup over at A Teaching Life. You may well have already been there, but in case not...enjoy! Happy week ahead!

(Please click on POST A COMMENT below to share a thought.)

5 comments:

  1. We are superstitions soul sisters! My Mom always taught me to put a fallen eyelash on my finger, blow it away, and make a wish! Your poem is lovely! Thank you for your kind comment, I would love to illustrate one of your poems someday! Hope you have been well, Miss Amy! :)

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  2. I knew nothing about this superstition, but I love your poem, and am very happy to come across this website through the 5 comments challenge,a s I enjoy poetry.

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  3. Amy, this is a fun little poem. But it's your journal entry that is making me a bit envious! I wish I could scribble like that.

    Like Nina above, I also thought a found eyelash was to be placed on finger and blown into the air, and that tossing salt over one's shoulder was good luck? Regardless, I enjoyed the poem. Thanks for sharing.

    -Ed

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  4. I forgot all about this superstition. Your poem captured the moment quite well.

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  5. Perfect poem for Friday the 13th, even if it didn't get posted until the 14th!

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