To Mormor on your 80th Birthday
September 23rd 2009, come on, come all, come celebrate!
For those not aware, let me translate,
My Mormor, Sue-Aunt, is maturing in age;
Sue Maguire Beckner is turning to the Octogenarian page!
Born on the Autumnal Equinox;
You hail from the era of pre-jukebox and moonwalks,
Yes, 1929, what an auspicious year! (ha!)
And, weren't you quite the hand-full--or so I hear!
As a youthful charm, you captured many hearts,
At St. Agnes, and Smith you excelled in the arts.
Traversing the world withyour refinement and grace,
Thank-heavens Daddy Bruce scored with an ace!
You're a card playing pro, and a devil at the net
Some might tease, and call you quite the coquette!
What a gregarious hostess, with such culinary proclivity,
Why not mention your cardinal and bluebird affinity.
As written by the stars, you rein with such magnanimity,
You're always perfectly poised and ever so witty.
You're never lugubrious, and neither iniquitous,
And we all laud your endeavors at societal justice.
The many miles you've traveled, criss-crossing the continents,
Withbags full of goodies, you've brought your steady guidance.
From rampant stagflation of the Argentine Peso,
To wobbly Jakarta rickshaws, and that swimming pool gecko!
From Grankulla's pugent lilac tree,
And Warsaw, rather bleakly.
To our many homes, you've come bearing gifts,
But, its your presence that always, always uplifts!
And what happy dog days of summer,
Those warm nights, so tender.
T'was Annapolis childhood bliss,
Those precious memories, how I do miss:
Cathching fireflies in old glass jars
Or the nightly indulgence in our favorite Klondike bars!
The bathing in kitchen sinks,
And your betraying gold-bangled clinks.
You're the P, B &J-sammie expert,
The queen of 'tough-love' but always comfort,
The wrinkled elbows, of course we shan't forget!
But, where were you with our chickenpox onset?
So, read to me in Swedish! Tack and hor du, how about Luparu?
Nobody tells a story quite like Sue!
The lingering family oral anecdotes: Mormor: whare you are?
And the smell of your ol' beat-up Toyota car.
Oh, what a Mormor you've been, and what a Mormor you'll be
Let me sit by you at your vanity!
So much to admire, like your horticultural prowess,
And, how did you ever become such a lexical goddess?
I'm in awe of your everlasting sanguinity,
Hats off to you--you've reach eighty!
Oh Mormor, you are boundless, and more importantly, timeless!
Come, come! Come to Paris!
xx
Finland becomes a hibernating heaven with sunrises at 9:23 and sunsets at 15:12; the total length of a day exactly 5h 49m (in the Helsinki area). Even when the sun does peak through thick snow (or rain) clouds, it rests idly on the horizon, rarely rising above the tree line. Without snow, this can become quite a desolate little place. (Thankfully, snow was in the forecast before my trip.)
