Day 3: February Poetry Challenge

It’s February and the start of about three months of daily posting opportunities. This month it’s National Haiku Writing Month and Laura Shovan’s Poetry Challenge. Next month it’s the daily Slice of Life and April is National Poetry Month.

Laura’s challenge theme is Ekphrastic At-home. Ekphrastic is a literary comment on a visual or piece of art.  The art that participants are responding to is owned b the contributors.  I plan to respond with haiku for #NaHaiWriMo.

Text:

afternoon
irises lead me
back home
©jone rush macculloch
Painting by Emma Jones

BACKSTORY:  This is a painting by my great-grandmother, Emma Jones.  It’s been in our family forever.  Emma was born in 1857 and died in 1912.  So when Laura asked for a contribution for her February project, I wanted to share it.

The signing of the painting as E. Jones made me curious. My grandmother’s maiden last name was Moyer.  I knew that Emma left Hiram Moyer. I didn’t remember that she remarried. BUT after going down the rabbit hole called Ancestry.com last night, I was shocked to discover that great-grandmother had a daughter three years prior to marrying the father, Hiram Moyer.   Further research:  According to the marriage record, Hiram married an Emma R. Jones…so I am befuddled.  I need to research her husband Jones which has little clues.   The mysterious daughter, Nellie, lists Emma as the mother on the death certificate.  Wow!

This was never discussed as a family.  I wonder if this daughter may have been sent to a home.  It’s left me with so many questions.