In this heart-wrenching collection, Vanessa Shields chronicles the life of her Nonna, Maria, from her origins as a seamstress in Italy to her eventual death from dementia. These raw, prosaic poems thread together grief, memory, loss, and love into a conversation that speaks across pages, years, and oceans. Shields bravely interrogates her own feelings of guilt, grief, and curiosity with unflinching precision. As she attempts to navigate and accept Nonna's decline, Shields takes on the role of witness as she excavates the larger narrative that is her Nonna's legacy. Thimbles is a courageous celebration of the transformative power of love across generations."
Authors
Related Organizations
- Control Number Identifier
- CaOOCEL
- Description conventions
- rda
- Dewey Decimal Classification Number
- 811/.6
- Dewey Decimal Edition Number
- 23
- Distributor
- Canadian Electronic Library (Firm),
- General Note
- Issued as part of the desLibris books collection
- ISBN
- 9781989287798
- LCCN
- PR9199.4.S5298
- LCCN Item number
- A6 2021eb
- Modifying agency
- CaBNVSL
- Original cataloging agency
- NLC
- Physical Description | Extent
- 1 electronic text (117 pages)
- Published in
- Ottawa, Ontario
- Publisher or Distributor Number
- CaOOCEL
- Rights
- Access restricted to authorized users and institutions
- System Control Number
- (CaBNVSL)kck00241890 (OCoLC)1228345918 (CaOOCEL)460841
- System Details Note
- Mode of access: World Wide Web
- Transcribing agency
- YDX
Table of Contents
- Cover 1
- Title Page 4
- Copyright 5
- Table of Contents 6
- Dedication 10
- un bacin d’amor 12
- ponte vecchio 14
- ins and outs of days 16
- her father came home 17
- her past unravels 18
- she remembers dates 21
- she transports me 22
- nonna took me for walks 23
- hand-made apron tied 24
- the day before 25
- after she lets me 26
- she wouldn’t throw out old stockings 27
- the wrinkle between her eyebrows 28
- she made one pantsuit for herself 29
- in willistead park she teaches me 30
- nonna takes a bath 31
- she is naked from the waist down. 32
- she said 33
- something happened after her brother died 34
- what if this is a lesson in light? 35
- only the good lasts 36
- there are no stories 38
- when I enter this house 39
- her head floats over 41
- i begin with thimbles 42
- the wine is locked up 43
- nonna never complained 45
- i call them episodes 46
- her middle name 48
- my hands were always swelling. 49
- this afternoon at 3:45 50
- nonna needs someone 51
- she never changed 52
- in the white 53
- i arrive armed 54
- later i ask her 55
- i witness her suffering 56
- i call to her 57
- i am too weak 58
- the questions i haven’t asked 59
- over & over, i am fractured 60
- i want to unfold the disease 61
- & there are days 62
- i didn’t pay attention to her service 63
- i can see your spirit 64
- you are an extension of me 65
- i dream of going into your bedroom 66
- does it make me a bad 67
- for two months i did not visit. 68
- who will take her things? 69
- i stole your flowered dress 70
- if thimbles could speak 71
- on my left arm there’s a thimble in black 72
- in the purgatory of a transitioning soul 73
- i stare at nonna 74
- one day i’m going to 75
- minds change like colour in heated cotton 76
- on this day she is different 77
- don’t force her to get up 78
- the palliative care doctor is a man 79
- three daughters one granddaughter a nurse 81
- i curse my inability to speak my heart 82
- her pain is spiritual 83
- nonna’s spirit floats above 84
- even though 85
- water gets inserted 86
- the medical term is “agitation” 87
- i undo myself 88
- this is a plea 89
- her body becomes 90
- her cheekbones 91
- i can measure 92
- send in the opioids 93
- i let her go before she goes 94
- i am afraid 95
- domani è un altro giorno 96
- my cell phone rings at 6:12am 98
- i give you permission 99
- her forehead is still warm 100
- it takes too long for the nurse to arrive 101
- there is talk of tying it 102
- black body bag gaping on a stretcher 103
- thursdays will always be cracked 104
- today 105
- the pandemic funeral 106
- i take three pictures 107
- seven hours of visitation 108
- someone tucked roses 109
- the date of your death 110
- a shirtless man with 1980s hair 111
- the ground 112
- the simple truth is 113
- i want you back in the kitchen 114
- breakfast with nonna in the graveyard 115
- it is my responsibility 116
- ask me anything 117
- response: when i die i want your thimble on my finger 118
- Acknowledgements 122
- About the Author 124