Skylight dims, paler than
tamarind, until all is dark clothing
covering the body changed
by ill-health
Tears didn't come
raining down
in room bathed in
dying flowers
Rather, each teardrop was pursed
in warm remembrance
of what was, past
pinned, unsullied in pine board
Photo credit: Here
Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Quadrille, hosted by De Jackson. This is a 44 word count, with the chosen word, Change. Thanks for the visit.
Oh Grace. This is beautiful. It strikes home for me as I have a cousin who was suddenly struck down by a brain tumor: same as Senators Kennedy and McClain. He is struggling mightily as are his brother and sisters. I dug through old photos and sent them one of us -- all sitting at a table when we were probably 5 through 7 years of age. Made me smile. Made them smile. A memory board of sorts........death is so very hard but sweet memories we can treasure in photos that we save. As you can see, your post is visceral in its reaching out. I'm certain others will respond deeply to it. Beautifully writ - in just 44 words.
ReplyDeleteVery touching. I had an actor friend who died of heart trouble at 48 years old. I sent him a dozen photos of he and I in various plays; it cheered him up immensely .
ReplyDeleteThis is simply beautiful, Grace. Such a light touch on grief. And I love that tamarind...
ReplyDeleteThis really makes me wonder.... we celebrated my mother's 90 year's birthday... and what she really has lost are all the memories... sometimes you are ripped even that. But we do keep a pinboard handy...
ReplyDeleteI read that first stanza and could so clearly see a figure standing alone in the darkness. I loved the word tamarind as well, it's the sort you can swirl round your mouth.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of us can link this to people we've lost or seen suffer. You've managed to make it beautifully personal and completely universal at the same time.
This is light and delicate, like life fading away.
ReplyDeleteJust having come from my mother's bedside, this poem really struck home, Grace. How cleverly you have dealt with the subject matter.
ReplyDeletePaler than tamarind. Perfect. I've often looked for a word for that color.
ReplyDeleteNeed to pin them many a time as they can fade as illness rises.
ReplyDeleteSeems we touched on the same part of day ...this is just a beautiful emotional poem with some deft touches ~ the tamarind sky, the bathing of dying flowers
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful. I especially like the pursed tears in the last stanza.
ReplyDeleteI hate dead flowers in a sickroom. Makes me shudder. This is so visual, deftly done.
ReplyDeleteI just shed one more tear in tribute to your loss Grace, so tenderly expressed in yout deeply moving poem...
ReplyDelete"Skylight dims, paler than tamarind," -- beautiful!
ReplyDeletewhat a lovely poem on grief and death.
ReplyDeleteThis reminded me so much of sitting by my mother's deathbed, watching her die. Such a light touch with a hard subject. The last stanza is so touching in its sad honesty.
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautifully and poignantly drawn. Perfection.
ReplyDeleteI'm paying special attention to titles today - since they are such valuable addendums to our sparse word count. Yours is perfect. I agree with all the above comments and am now wildly curious about tamarinds- I know the taste,but nothing more but the word is equally delicious and bears further scrutiny.
ReplyDeleteThis is beautifully poignant, Grace. Especially love; "Tears didn't come raining down in room bathed in dying flowers." Such a strong image!❤️
ReplyDeleteI have been to some celebrations of life and the photo boards are always so amazing. They make people smile and remember happier days.
ReplyDeleteA unique way to incorporate change into your poem.
Have a nice week Grace!
Beautiful and touching.
ReplyDeleteVery touching Grace. Yes, tears come with each photo placed on that pine board! Loved the line … in room bathed in dying flowers!
ReplyDeleteI can't bring myself to comment on the content; it's too fresh and painful. But the first two lines are especially beautiful.
ReplyDeletesensitive and evocative, and the word choice like tamarind is exceptional - and then the closing is really a startling take on what could be a more traditional "pine box" idea - so this is fresh and most appreciated for this type of context ...
ReplyDeletea photo is worth a thousand words - Flowers are not my favorite - a letter or a visit from the person - playing board games - spending time - memories - they really are precious!
ReplyDelete"each teardrop was pursed
in warm remembrance " Beautiful.
Family photos are some of my most precious possessions.
ReplyDeleteThis is the part that resonated with me most,
"in warm remembrance
of what was, past
pinned, unsullied in pine board,"
very touching (and sad) poem....."unsullied in pine board" is one of those lines that sticks in the head.
ReplyDeleteA gentle transition into a new reality. Beautifully done.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above - the pine board ending is perfect not least because it has pine box overtones too
ReplyDeleteI like the association of teardrops and warm remembrance.
ReplyDeleteI love the shift that happens across the three stanzas, Grace: the way the skylight dims to dark clothing and starts to lighten with the ‘room bathed in dying flowers’ and opens into ‘warm remembrance’, captured in a teardrop. A beautiful ode to grief. I also love the hint of closure in the final lines.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and tender, Grace...we fade like old photographs but hold onto precious memories. You gave a light freshness to a heavy event.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful and poignant write Grace, I can especially relate to how 'each teardrop was pursed in warm remembrance' xxx
ReplyDeleteReMarKaBLE
ReplyDeleteRecords Never
Changing
only
Colors
Our Memories
More Creating
LoVE LiFE GReaTeR..:)
In my friend's hospice room, her own room actually, a modern day pine board, a continuous slide show of family photos, a wash of grandchildren and memories. Did it make leaving harder?
ReplyDeleteYou have shared an evocative poem.
I too admire the tamarind, and the tenor of this pen - grieving, dark - but yet the dark is still filled with wonder ~
ReplyDeleteThis is very heart rending and touching. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful poem Grace. I do hope you have a wonderful 2019.
ReplyDelete