Nonets for my Grandmother

My friend and haiku exchange partner recently sent me an article from Poetry Soup about the nonet, a nine line poem that starts with a nine syllable line and decreases one syllable each line until the last line of one syllable (9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1). Rhyming is not necessary, but the poem should express a complete thought. Nonets can also go from one syllable to nine syllables (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9). Two connected nonets can combine the increasing and decreasing lines.

One night when I couldn’t sleep, thinking about my struggle to write about my grandmother, I wrote these two poems:

Home

alone,

savoring

the quiet time

without distraction.

Writing and rewriting

the thousand words due next week,

written from Fannie’s point of view.

Bringing my grandmother’s voice to life.

I am creating your life story.

Whisper your hopes and dreams and fears

and I will listen closely.    

Your great-great-grandchildren

will learn about the

woman who grew

strong enough  

to be

loved.

Part of me knew I was stalling. The challenge of the nonets was easier than creating my grandmother’s voice. I wish she would whisper to me.