Happy #MotherLanguageDay (Impressions on "Impressions" 2)

Today is Mother Language Day. Robert Frost has noted that poetry is what's left behind by translation. Ursula K. Le Guin and other writers offer more reasons for learning languages. Perhaps the challenge of bi- or multilingualism is why some say "a picture is worth a thousand words." If so, here's today's six thousand+ word posting.

tree of life - 3d -- cathy gilles

Photo by J. Harrington

artistic jewelry -- carolann rosenthal

Photo by J. Harrington

stoneware -- richard vincent

Photo by J. Harrington

coiled reed basket  -- laurie greeninger

Photo by J. Harrington

Hallberg Center 1

Photo by J. Harrington

Hallberg Center 2

Photo by J. Harrington

Language Lessons

By Alexandra Teague 

The carpet in the kindergarten room

was alphabet blocks; all of us fidgeting

on bright, primary letters. On the shelf

sat that week's inflatable sound. The th

was shaped like a tooth. We sang

about brushing up and down, practiced

exhaling while touching our tongues

to our teeth. Next week, a puffy U

like an upside-down umbrella; the rest

of the alphabet deflated. Some days,

we saw parents through the windows

to the hallway sky. Look, a fat lady,

a boy beside me giggled. Until then

I'd only known my mother as beautiful.

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