Chetta Achara Poet Haibun

Notes About The Poem

Photo by my uncle Virgil Koski (shortened version of the Finnish surname Kalliokoski), who has since passed away. He called it the Finnish Gate because he said "one of this kind at Grandfolks Hoikka is the only other one that I have seen. And that was some 80 and more years ago." Anna Liisa's married name was Hoikka, shortened from Hoikkaniemi when she and her husband, Kalli, emigrated from Finland to the USA. Anna Liisa's maiden name was Lehto, a shortened version of Lammaslehto.(Please forgive my little genealogy session, but I am quite proud of my Finnish ancestry.)

Anna Liisa

Anna Liisa was Great-grandmother's name. She emigrated from Finland at the beginning of the 20th century. 
I have only one memory of Anna Liisa from back when I was 10. She was elderly then and had come to live with Grandmother. 

She sat in a big, comfy rocking chair in the far end of the living room. We young ones, my siblings and cousins, were a bit scared of her. She had a strange countenance, as old people do, and spoke only Finn.

My brother says he remembers her. At that time he was a terrible two, but he swears now, when he talked to Great-grandmother he understood every word that she said.

He tells us that one time Mother had to correct some of his young misbehavior, and she spanked him square on his little behind. He says that made Great-grandmother laugh and say, "paha poika," which translated means "bad boy!" 

dear Anna Liisa
your language was as foreign 
to me as you were

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Kim Rodrigues February 20, 2024 at 3:36 PM A bit fun! Chetta Achara February 20, 2024 at 6:03 PM It was fun to write. Thank you.

Hilda Greenhough February 20, 2024 at 3:27 PM It's too bad you didn't know your great grandmother longer. Perhaps then you could have learned how to communicate. Thank you for sharing this. Chetta Achara February 20, 2024 at 6:02 PM I actually knew only a few of my Finn relatives. My Grandmother was the third of 14 children. I knew only 5 of them and some of their children. I am friends on Facebook with a few other Finnish family members who still live in Finland.