Katherine Rawson

“A writer is a world trapped inside a person.” – Victor Hugo

My maternal grandfather was an avid reader. He loved old movies, poetry, and literature which made his vision loss toward the end of his life almost unbearable as he had already lost most of his hearing. Right up until the end, he could carry on the. most vivid and lively conversations about chess, art, and politics. When I visited, I would read his favorite poems.

So, what does this have to do with Victor Hugo? This quote reminds me of Poppop in two ways.

1. I often felt Poppop was trapped inside a body that just couldn’t keep up with his mind and he loved getting lost in someone else’s world
2. Before he died and after he lost his sight, Poppop gave me his favorite poetry books and his treasured literature collection – 12 volumes in all…Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens, and Victor Hugo, to name a few

I miss you Poppop – thanks for instilling in me an appreciation for the arts. I wish you could have read my book. I know you’d love it 💗