Poetry Partners #40
‘My Paternal Grandparents’, a poem by Kate Blake of ‘aroused’
Nana and Pop met on the ward
when she gently tended
his gruesome war wounds
he a tall handsome older gent
she a tiny gentle English rose
he solemnly declared he had nothing
and lived in the middle of nowhere
but love blinded her to his reality
and after the war she sailed south
with another nurse to join their beau’s
a huge adventure in the Australian bush
completely off grid with snakes and spiders
sixteen miles from any neighbour or station
in his family home with his sisters and brothers
the children from his first marriage had moved on
they birthed my aunt and father
she sailed back to UK every two years
taught us all to knit crochet and embroider
the boys were more accomplished than I
- Kate Blake: https://aroused.blog/
A Crystalline by ben Alexander of ‘The Skeptic’s Kaddish’
Mama & Papa emigrated
from the cold Soviet Union.
Very few Jews were granted visas
during the 1970's.
By coincidence, they shared a flight
to Austria, then Israel.
(Direct flights to Israel? No.
That was utterly unthinkable.)
Upon arriving in Israel,
they each went their separate ways.
One year later, Mama saw Papa
walking about at Hebrew U.
"Shalom," she said excitedly,
but he offered no acknowledgement.
(He simply had not noticed her;
she did not know he was going deaf.)
Another year passed; fate burbled.
Mutual friends had them both over.
They dated for a very short while.
A few months later, they married.
Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.
–Ben Harper (b. 1969)
Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!
List of Poetry Partners
- Murisopsis
- Judy Dykstra-Brown
- Jennifer Patino
- Mike L. Utley
- Barbara Schaefer
- Ron Rowland
- Cheyenne MacMasters
- Rae Cod
- Eric Erb
- Chris Reilley
- Jim-
- Selma Martin
- Vidah (Chavi)
- varityteller
- Quaranjavirus
- Kunjal
- Coco
- Lov Verma
- bodypositivefemme
- Steven S. Wallace
- Shay Simmons
- Constance Bourg
- C L Barton
- Madamchryzl
- Sangeetha
- Jo
- Audrey Duff
- Gillena Cox
- Yasmin
- Martha Anewa
- Malalai Khan
- Adam Taylor
- trE
- Cindy Georgakas
- paeansunplugged
- davidatqcm
- Orion Foote
- Susi Bocks
- Mister Bump UK
- Kate Blake
- Freddie Omm
- kittysverses
- enchantedwords
- Saint Gaona
- Alan Steinle
- Karina Lutz
- Sarah David
- Beka Tucker
- Maria L. Berg
- Colleen M. Chesebro
- Jane Aguiar
- Jan Beekman
- royalpalmtree
- Marian
- M Jay Dixit
- kenhume79
- Naa Lamiorkor Boye
- Reena Saxena
- Bridget
- Ash Evan Lippert
- Freya Pickard
- Harshi
- LaMon Brown
- Nomad
- Vedran Markovic
- The.Richard.Braxton
- Kim Whysall-Hammond
- Jeff Flesch
- hutschi
- Ami (Gypsie) Offenbacher-Ferris
- Anca
- douryeh
- enchantedwords
- Kerfe
- Puvanesvari Rajan
- MistyBlue
- Henry Mworia
- Anna Smit
- Larry Trasciatti
- Sarah Cope
- Filipa Moreira da Cruz
- Robert J Jr.
- Rosemary McMahan
- Iswar Kar
- Mapule Somo
- Anne Morrigan
Both are such heartening stories. The power of fate. 🙂
💝 Terveen 💝
seconding the appreciative comments plus- as I started reading, I enjoyed for once not having to plough through a yard of mutual appreciation mission statements. Sorry to say, these, for me,can be a bit boring.
I’m glad you enjoy it, Barbara!
❤
David
Wonderful collaboration, David and Kate! It’s always interesting to discover how couples met. ❤
💚 Cheryl 💚
Both of these poems are lovely and endearing. Thank goodness fate burbled in your case, David! 🙂
💖 Mike 💖
How utterly romantic and heartwarming! Lovely set of poems, Kate and David. ❤️❤️
💘 Punam 💘
Off grid in Australia, how romantic and I have one office our first homes in mind neither power nor sewage.
🤗 Andrew 🤗
These poems are so beautiful and sweet! What wonderful grandparents and parents… ❤ Thank you for sharing them with us, Kate and David! ::-)
(((HUGS))) 🙂
💖 Thank you! 💖
-David
You’re most welcome! 🙂
You picked a winning poet to pair with! Kate’s poems always teach me, touch my heart, help me! She’s a gem! ❤
🙂 ❤
I love the way the stories weave in and out. (K)
💜 Kerfe 💜