My Mother Pieced Quilts

My Mother Pieced QuiltsName_________________________ Per__My Mother Pieced QuiltsTeresa Palomo Acosta___________________510152025303540they were just meant as coversin wintersas weaponsagainst pounding january windsbut it was just that every morning I awoke to theseoctober ripened canvasespassed my hand across their cloth facesand began to wonder how you piecedall these togetherthese strips of gentle communion cotton and flannel nightgownswedding organdiesdime store velvetshow you shaped patterns square and oblong and roundpositionedbalancedthen cemented themwith your threada steel needlea thimblehow the thread darted in and outgalloping along the frayed edges, tucking them inas you did us at nightoh how you stretched and turned and re-arrangedyour michigan spring faded curtain piecesmy father’s sante fe work shirtthe summer denims, the tweeds of fallin the evening you sat at your canvas--our cracked linoleum floor the drawing boardme lounging on your armand you staking out the plan:whether to put the lilac purple of easter against the redplaid of winter-goinginto-springwhether to mix a yellow with blue and white and paint thecorpus christi noon when my father held your hand

whether to shape a five-point star from thesomber black silk you wore to grandmother’s funeral4550556065you were the river currentcarrying the roaring notesforming them into pictures of a little boy reclininga swallow flyingyou were the caravan master at the reinsdriving your threaded needle artillery across the mosaiccloth bridgesdelivering yourself in separate testimoniesoh mother you plunged me sobbing and laughinginto our pastinto the river crossing at fiveinto the spinach fieldsinto the plainview cotton rowsinto tuberculosis wardsinto braids and muslin dressessewn hard and taut to withstand the thrashing oftwenty-five yearsstretched out they layarmed/ready/shouting/celebratingknotted with lovethe quilts sing on

Questions: My Mother Pieced QuiltsName___________________________ Per___1. What is the image in lines 7-8? Why does the poet use it here?2. What is the image in lines 11-12? Why does the poet use it here?3. Why does the poet use the word “cemented” in line 21?4. Why does the poet describe her mother’s needle as “galloping” in lines 26-27?5. Why does the poet describe her mother as sitting at a canvas in line 35? What does this tellthe reader about how the speaker thinks of her mother and her quilts?6. Why does the poet describe her mother has a river in line 48? What does this image tell usabout her mother?7. Why does the poet say her mother’s quilts “sing” in line 71? What do they sing about?8. Considering the above, how might you summarize the importance of the speaker’s motherand her quilts?

AssignmentClass Quilt AssignmentMr. PlattEnglish IIIWe are going to construct a class “quilt” The quilt will consist of each of your quilt pieces,which you will create and share with the class. Your quilt piece will help us to get to know you,and it will be your opportunity to start off the year demonstrating how creative you are.I will provide you with a blank quilt piece and art supplies, and you will do the rest. Your quiltpiece should include the following things:1) Your name2) One sentence which describes your philosophy on life3) A symbol that represents your philosophy4) Major accomplishments or something you are proud of5) Talents, hobbies, and/or favorite pastime6) Important people in your life7) Things you hold dear, such as pets, teams, clubs, etc.You may use any material that you like, including computer graphics, photos, magazine cutouts,illustrations, awards, etc, but you must bring them to class so that we can work on our quiltpieces together. Be thoughtful and original, but most of all, have fun with your piece!Be prepared to share your piece with the class.