As we began our unit on Mennonite poetry, I realized that this is a topic that I can relate to very closely. I am a Mennonite, and I grew up in the church along with my many Mennonite relatives. I believe wholeheartedly in the faith practices and belief system associated with my denomination, as well as recognizing that there are faults that should be addressed. The poem that I have written stemmed from my experience with many different types of Mennonites and the realization that there are many groups along the spectrum that people are not familiar with. My personal sliver of this Mennonite spectrum is unique and tailored to my own beliefs.
An almost traditional Mennonite
I am a Mennonite.
But not one that wears a covering
or says things are “terrible good.”
I am a baker
but that’s the only time I wear an apron.
I am an artist
but I have no idea how to sew a quilt.
I am a singer
of both hymns and worship music
(and much much more.)
I believe in a simple life
and yes, I have electricity.
I am a pacifist
but sometimes my words are more hurtful than my hands.
I am a family member
part of a long history of Yoders
and Myers
and Millers
and Weavers.
And sometimes I have to wear long skirts to family reunions
(where all we do is play croquet.)
I believe in traditions
but I am not traditional.
I am a Mennonite because I choose to be.
All of the rest is just bonus.
I really appreciate the positive nature of this poem! I was able to relate well to the strain of Mennonite that you wrote about. I seems like this class (including myself sometimes) loves to tear apart Mennonites for their inconsistencies, but this poem did not resort to that. You were able to show that you were not the stereotypical Mennonite, but that you still had a connection to many of the practices that define the traditional Mennonite. I was able to relate to this. Ever since coming to Goshen, being Mennonite has held almost a negative connotation, and it is important for those of us who identify as Mennonite to not water down our heritage.
ReplyDeleteYour poem was very interesting to me. I really liked how I found myself agreeing with almost everything you said. As the new generation of Mennonites, there are a lot of things that make us different, both from our ancestors and from each other. I enjoyed the structure of your first stanza, and how you pull both on traditions and the way you are today. I think it's interesting how many stereotypes go along with Mennonites. It often causes us to say "yes I am Mennonite but..." and go on to explain how Mennonites are not all the same. It will be interesting to see where the church goes in the future, with people like you (and me) who believe in tradition but are not traditional.
ReplyDeleteGrace your poem is pretty great and I also got a smile when reading your first stanza! Even though I'm not Mennonite I could relate to it fairly well. It was nice hearing about your family and how your family reunions function. At my family reunions all of my cousins have to speak Spanish to the elders. So in a way this relates to you wearing long dresses to reunions. If we spoke English to the elders, they would get mad and we would get end up getting in trouble. I also feel like this poem and the other poems that we have read in class have changed my perspective on Mennonites. It went from being a bad perspective to a very good one!
ReplyDeleteI like your details here, such as wearing long skirts to reunions and playing croquet. Your poem shows your discernment as you choose what to embrace and how to fit in. It's use of language is effective and concise. The comments show how the poem connected to readers from a variety of contexts. Good work!
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