Our family
of odd
patched together
in a strange
pattern,
threads
fabric wearing thin—
but made to keep
even in bitter
cold.
© 1996, 2019 Janet S. Wong from A Suitcase of Seaweed & MORE (YUZU/Pomelo Books)
R.1, R.2, R.5, W.3, SL.1, L.4, L.5
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CCSS
Quilt
Art by Nicole Choi
Courtesy Janet Wong
Meet the Poet
Janet Wong was born in Los Angeles to a Chinese father and a Korean mother. She has written more than 30 books, including 10 collections of poetry for young readers.
Bonus Poem!
The poem above is from Janet Wong’s book, A Suitcase of Seaweed & MORE. In the book, each poem has another poem or piece of writing that expands on it. Here is the second poem for “Quilt.” In it, Wong writes about the pieces of fabric that represent, or stand for, her family members. As you read, think about the details she includes. What do they tell you about each person?
The blue twill of my Winnie-the-Pooh jacket.
The canvas he learned to paint on when he was 88.
My Korean grandparents, Halmoni and Haraboji:
Stiff beige linen, the clothes of old-time farmers.
My father:
Wide-wale
A life of ups and downs.
My mother:
An ivory-colored vinyl tablecloth, embossed with flowers.
A cigarette burn in it.
Me:
Boiled wool.
All of us, now and then:
Swatches of smooth silk:
we can hope.
Text-to-Speech