Pogue Ma’Hone – Both Versions
Mamacita says: 
May you be buried in a
casket made from the wood
of a 100 year old oak
That I shall plant tomorrow.
Oh, tis a wondrous thing to be Irish, although the same could not be 
said earlier in our country’s history. Many people do not know how unwelcome the Irish were here, in those days. We’ve since learned wisdom. About the Irish, anyway; some people are still working on wisdom in general.
I loved to read about Beany Malone for so many reasons, some of which were the casual ways their Irish ancestry was a part of their everyday lives. Beany’s cousin Sheila McBride was the also the source of one of my favorite expressions, “pogue ma’ hone.” It means, “the back of my hand to you,” if you’re a classy lady/gentleman, and “kiss my arse” if you’re me you.
What’s a little green water between friends?
This picture is by Tim Nyberg, a fantastic artist who draws awesome things which look even more awesome than they originally looked before he drew them so awesomely. He drew this one for the Wittenburg Door, which is a wonderful thing in and of itself; the site is down right now but you can still see it in its archived glory. (Don’t click the link if the corncob makes you walk funny.)
What is it supposed to be?
Why, it’s St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland, of course.
It was no mean feat, and I should know.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you all. If you’re not wearing green, strangers are allowed to pinch you.
What’s that? I can’t hear you. Come a little closer. . . thaaaaat’s right. Gotcha.
I repost this, adding a little here and there and subtracting a little likewise, each March 17, so if it looks familiar to you, you’re not crazy. Well, not about this post, anyway.
Pogue Ma’Hone to you all, for you know why you deserve it even if I don’t. Pick your version.
Poetry Friday: Sara Teasdale and the Muses
Mamacita says: There are many poets whose works I love, although of course NOBODY loves everything that anyone does. You may apply that philosophy to every aspect of life. You’re welcome.
Sara Teasdale is a favorite of mine. Her poems strike hard, yet she strikes below the belt with beauty and metaphor and pictures for the mind’s eye, and lessons are learned in spite of ourselves. “I Shall Not Care” is quite possibly my favorite of my favorite Teasdale poems.
I Shall Not Care
WHEN I am dead and over me bright April
Shakes out her rain-drenched hair,
Though you should lean above me broken-hearted,
I shall not care.
I shall have peace, as leafy trees are peaceful
When rain bends down the bough;
And I shall be more silent and cold-hearted
Than you are now.
I could turn into a traditional teacher now and tell you that this is a traditional poem with a rhyme scheme of ABCB, DEFE, but I won’t, even though rhyme schemes are a great way to help people learn about patterns in rhythmic pieces, be they song lyrics or just lyrics. Calliope, Erato, and Polyhymnia are smiling at you, and so are their sisters.
Do you like poetry? I hope your answer was “Yes” because if you said “No” I would have to give you my lecture about how it’s too bad that you hate music.
Because, my dear, if you remove the melody, what you’ve got there is a poem. Probably with a rhyme scheme, and a muse that pimps it.
I’ll ask again. Do you like poetry? You do? Good answer.
Another time we’ll take the Muses’ names apart and connect them to a lot of modern things. Or, you could do that yourself; it’s easy enough.
You Can Do It, Duffy Moon!
Mamacita says: This coming week is Midterm Week, and while I know for a fact that every single solitary thing mentioned even in passing on this test has been thoroughly covered, I also know that this is the first college midterm for most of my students and they are frightened.
In literary terms, this kind of conflict is called “person vs. the unknown.” That’s scary because it’s, like, UNKNOWN. Once they get a few college tests under their belts, they won’t be as frightened because the concept will no longer be unknown.
But for most of them, for this coming week, this is their first college exam and it’s unknown and they’re scared.
I’ve told them many times that a test is nothing but a piece of paper, and that no piece of paper is as important as each individual student, but my students, while understanding and agreeing with this philosophy, also know that their collegiate futures and bank accounts and financial aid depend on the results they get on these midterm exams.
Many years ago, I used to show a little video to my middle school students called The Amazing Cosmic Awareness of Duffy Moon. It was a charming little Afterschool Special story about a small-for-his-age boy who was bullied, taken advantage of, and 
generally picked on to the degree that he decided enough was enough and took the advice of a self-help book. The boy began to take on jobs too big for his strength, and to confront bullies too big for him to fight, and found success in both. “You can do it, Duffy Moon!” became his mantra and it worked.
Therefore, to my nervous and worried students, I wish to share this same advice and to give them the same mantra: You can do it, Duffy Moon!
Because he did, and so can they.
Students, don’t worry about pieces of paper. No piece of paper will ever be as important, let alone more important, than YOU are. You can do this. You can do this well.
Giggle and guffaw and repeat: You can do it, Duffy Moon.
It’s just goofy enough to give a student some confidence. Remember: what you learn while laughing, you remember.
So to my classroom full of Duffy Moons: YOU CAN DO IT.
I know you can. You know it, too – let the panic go and meet the challenge head on. It worked for tiny insecure little Duffy Moon, and it will work for you.
Bring a Coke and a candy bar to class. It’ll help with your energy level while you’re answering questions.
Your professor has a little good-luck gift for each of you, too. Don’t get your hopes up; it’s not edible. But it’s shiny.
I’ll see you all on Tuesday and Friday. Leave your panic at home. You won’t need it.
You can do it, Duffy Moon.
