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A LETTER FROM MARIN COUNTY'S POLITICAL PRISONER, CAROL MARDEUSZ.  

Carol will be released from prison on March 30, 2001.  She fought to save her children from an abuser and cocaine addict, and Marin D.A. Paula Kamena protected the abuser/addict and prosecuted Carol.  For more information about this case. Click.

SPRING AND SUMMER
by Carol Mardeusz 

Oh my little girls, it seems oh so long ago, that I 
      held you in my arms, and sang you a sweet
      rhyme.
The springtime of my life.

Oh, my little girls, I've been blessed without a doubt
The time to tell you so has now come about.

Oh, my little girls, I see sunshine on your faces and 
    friendship in your eyes.
Your bodies have grown so strong and there's 
    wisdom upon your smiles.
I am glad I was your mother, if only for a while.
Thank you for the summer.

Oh, my little girls, you'll be finally on your own.
You'll be making your decisions through the
     curious maze of life.
You'll make the right man happy
     should you choose to become a wife.

Oh, my little girls, we had our spring, we had our
     summer and now the fall has come.
It's time to spread your wings and try life just as  
      you.
The confidence you proffer to the good life you
     have to offer.
The things we learned together, it's now your time to      
     show.
I'll always be your mother waiting there for you.

Oh, my little girls, each one of you are different.
A shade of brown, a shade of blonde, so special and so 
    precious.  
The gifts you gave each other, while growing up 
    together, may never be spoken but will remain with
    you forever.
Remember spring and summer.

Oh, my little girls, don't forget the closeness that you've
     found,
Behind the door you've closed; when you open up 
     another, you start to live your life.

Oh, my little girls, when you have children of your own,
     and begin a new spring and a new summer,
Enjoy those years together;
There's none quite the same.
The most years I've spent, were both my summer 
     and my spring.

Carol Mardeusz © 2001

"THE PATCHWORK QUILT OF LIFE"
A Collection of Prose and Cons

By Carol Mardeusz © 2000

The beautiful spring yellow patch sewn with very skillful stitches
And with a very careful eye, is now the state of something
new that has just come alive.

A color green has lots of meaning with growth extending wide;
I think I'll add a few more greens to make my quilt resound
with youth, and then begin to bloom.

Oh, orange is very nice, and knows so very, very much.
It's brave, it's bold, it's loud and very clearly shows,
though my quilt is not quite ready, though personality appears,
to dominate the pattern and to mold the finished thread.

I'm moving right along...ouch!  I pricked my finger.
Blood is pouring forth.  I should have been more careful;
I should have worn a thimble.
A little blood has stained a portion.
I'll cover it with red; everything was fine 'til now.
I'll just keep mending though; my anger is subsiding,
the color has a glow.

I look into my sewing kit and see what I have left;
I found a patch with purple, it seems to match the best.
My experience is showing now, and my work is somewhat able.
I put my labor into purple, the most tedious of all.
Thousands of stitches, miles of thread,
a learned student with recognized speed.
Petals of purple enclosing the rose.
My confidence established, the story of life unfolds.

With twines and tweeds I did succeed to bind it all together,
with shades of blue, that blend right through,
I think I'll recreate another.
So sturdy, a lovely family tree, tradition and an heirloom,
the pattern is so unique, as well as it is mine.
Yes, I think I'll make several of its kind -
The blue is coming through.

The rain outside, I have some time to finish what I've started.
I'm not so anxious; I'm not so worried; my quilt has come into it's own.
The mold is set, it's quite complete,
but I'd like to add some brown to finish off the edges all around.
Strength and knowledge the brown patch adds,
like a well through out plan.
A loop, a stitch, a cross and a knot, the finest in the land.

Only gray around the border, because no other scheme will do,
I want it soft in flannel and light to the touch;
no coarsely knotted thread, bulging at the seam,
it has to be so pleasantly resting on it's side.
The gray is very telling that the quilt is very rare;
and the time it took to make this quilt, shows the very care.
Exquisitely sewn and unmistakably shown,
the quilt has a life of it's own.
You can't put a price tag on life, so I can't put a price on the quilt.
I think I'll give my quilt as a gift...
so precious is that of a life.

Thanks to Arizona Kate for the background quilt. http://arizonakate.homestead.com