Little Purple Sunglasses

By Tyler Ford ( inspired by Louise Erdrich's Little blue Eyeglasses)

Little Purple Sunglasses, I give you the honored task,

of helping my little eyes

not hurt from the sweltering sun.

Little Purple Sunglasses,

allow my eyes to look up into the sky,

And be Thankful,

That I can see the shapes of clouds,

and see the birds soar.

But most of all, Little purple Sunglasses,

allow my eyes to feel strong.

Help guide in the blinding sun,

so that I will no

ever be afraid to see the joy and happiness of the bright

and shiny sun.

Little blue eyeglasses,
I give you the honored task
of assisting my youngest daughter
in her work, which is to see not only
general shapes but specific details
and minute variations in the color and texture
of objects ranging from immense
(Ocean. Sky.) To very tiny.
(Invertebrate hidden at the edge of carpet)
Little blue eyeglasses,
I charge you with the solemn responsibility
of depth perception. Guide her steps
through dim corridors
and allow her to charge down
the staircase into my arms
without injury. Above all,
little blue eyeglasses,
train her eyes upon the truth
and let her eyes rest in the truth
and help her see within the truth the strength
to bear the truth.

Unknown

Unknown

By Louise Erdrich

I twist my threads like stems into a knot

And smooth “beloved”, but my needle caught

Within the threads, thy blood so dearly bought

The needles strikes my finger to the bone

I lift my hand; it is myself I’ve sewn

The flesh laid bare, the threads of blood my own

I lift my hand in startled agony

And call upon his name, Daddy, daddy”-

My father’s hand touches the injury

 

As lightly as he touched the page before,

Where incarnation bloomed from roots that bore

The flowers I called Christ’s when I was four

Circle Flesh

By Tyler Ford (Inspired by Louise Erdrich’s Unknown poem)

I’m cutting out a circle

Holding it firmly in the middle

The little boy screams, I turn away from the cutting

Suddenly, pain darts through my finger

It is myself I have cut

My blood drips on to the floor

The pain is unbearable

And I’m unable to speak

I cry out for help

My grandmother comes to rescue me

Just like any other grandmother would do

And life goes on and on and on