Ophelia Orphania

Summary

The web content describes the rediscovery of Ophelia Orphania, a homemade rag doll, through a poem and personal narrative, reflecting on childhood creativity and nostalgia.

Abstract

The article shares a personal story about a mother and daughter reconnecting with a cherished homemade doll named Ophelia Orphania. The doll, crafted from fabric scraps, is personified in a poem that celebrates her unique charm and resilience despite her imperfections. The narrative highlights the doll's history, her impact on the daughter's life, and the sentimental value she holds. The piece is a response to Paper Poetry's 'O' is for October prompt, inviting readers to explore themes of heritage, creativity, and the passage of time.

Opinions

The author, Carolyn Hastings, fondly recalls the doll's creation and the creativity it represented, made from leftover fabric.
The daughter initially dismisses the doll as a "bimbo," reflecting a modern, perhaps more critical perspective on the handmade toy.
The mother, upon rediscovery, sees Ophelia as a symbol of resilience and charm, akin to "Orphan Annie," and finds her endearing.
The act of writing the poem and the article is seen as a way to participate in a community event (Paper Poetry's prompt) and to share personal memories with a broader audience.
The author encourages reader engagement by inviting them to subscribe to an email list and become Medium members through an affiliate link, indicating a desire to build a community around her writing.

A poem about a little rag doll

image by author edited in Canva

Ophelia Orphania of bright orchid-pink tresses open wide her oasis eyes bimbo lips painted on kisses

others raise their eyebrows object to young missy’s dresses “Ooh la la,” they tut and twitter “such skimpiness offends us!”

our Ophelia doesn’t care off she goes, takes her chances on her bound tippy-toes how she loves ballet dances

Ophelia, the little orphan occupier of keepsake boxes officially the only doll DD made from scratch with stitches

My darling daughter (DD) discovered Ophelia last weekend in one of the many storage boxes she was sorting through.

“Hey, Mum, look — it’s Ophelia!”

She studied the little rag doll more intently.

“What a bimbo!” she declared with a laugh and discarded her into a garbage bag.

We hadn’t seen Ophelia in years. I vaguely remember my daughter making her out of scraps of fabric left over from when I sewed a lot of my children’s and my own clothes.

I retrieved the doll from the bag and took a closer look. She was very crudely made but cute in a ragamuffin sort of way. “She’s like a spunky Orphan Annie.”

“Ophelia the Orphan,” DD said.

That’s when the penny dropped.

I’ve written this piece for Paper Poetry’s ‘O’ is for October prompt. The prompt is running through to the end of October so there’s still time to join in. You can learn more about the prompt here –

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‘O’ is for October

Ophelia Orphania

A poem about a little rag doll

‘O’ is for October

Paper Poetry Month-long Prompt for October 2022