Albatross

Cherry
Poem of the week

By Silver Spun Sand

Thu, 09 Oct 2014
  • 7295 reads
22 comments
 
Her breath – 
like a moth’s kiss
on my shoulder;
skin melds with skin,
and I drink
her softness in.
 
Breath from her yawn
bends the down on my neck...
as her mouth seals
into the sweetest pinch....
 
a fist, wrapped tight
around my thumb;
phantom moons rise
to the very tips 
of her tiny fingers...
 
On her lips – a glimmer
of a smile.; Only wind –
so  her grandma says. 
 
Just a glimpse
of a shy, pink tongue – 
tinged with milk. 
 
A CD on repeat, 
and Fleetwood Mac 
softly strum her to sleep.
 
The stutter of her eyelids 
brushes my cheek as I kiss hers –
too soon bruised by this world.
 
Back and forth in my arms
I rock her and I roll her
while the clock in the hall
thrums a largo beat; 
 
cajoling me 
to believe the albatross is
a pious creature of good intent.
 
From outside the window
a storm-bird’s call, heralding
a sanguine dawn
and beside the bed 
a cup of camomile tea
grows ever cold
Certificate PG
Poem
Silver Spun Sand Poems
Spiritual
Love

Comments

Submitted by scratch on

Love it.  Totally.  broken heart

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Scratch - thankssmiley

A poem written about my late daughter.  We were living in a tiny village called Lower Stoke, near the Isle of Grain, down in Kent, whilst my hubbie was working with the then CEGB at Kingsnorth Power Station.  Andrea was  a few months old, and a bit of a blubberer.smiley  The only thing that calmed her down, that rainy afternoon, many moons ago,  was said tune, released as a single the year she was born, in 1968.  Whenever I hear it, it takes me right back.

Tina

 

Submitted by Bee on

This is exquisitely beautiful. 

Bee

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thank you, so much, Bee.

Tina

 

Submitted by scratch on

I just want to say congratulations on your 800th cherry pick!  As far as I know that is an unprecedented achievement Tina.

yes

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Scratch, what else can I say, except thanks for noticing. smiley  A bit of a veteran, though me...in more than one sense of the word.wink

Tina

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

What a beautiful poem, you deserve all those picks, wonderful writing.

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Gee, ta, Philip. Your kind words much appreciated.

Tina

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Tina

What a beautiful poem. I like the baby images, and the largo beat.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Obliged to you, Jean, and many thanks.

Tina

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Congratulations on Pick of the Week, Tina, and all those baskets of cherries!
You have such an eye for noticing the details of your situations and remembering them and communicating them. I was puzzled by your ref to Fleetwood Mac and the Albatross, but I've looked them up now. Not something I ever got into! Rhiannon
 

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Hi there, Rhiannon.  

It was interesting, what you said about having an 'eye for detail'.

Having read this poem to my husband this evening I realised, even though we thought we knew each other inside out and back to front after  47 years of marriage, I had never even spoken to him about that rainy afternoon, many moons ago.  And why would I?  At the time, it seemed, and was, so insignificant, in the grand scheme of things, and it's only circumstance, and the passing of time, that makes us realise the importance of the so-called minutiae of our daily lives.

As always, your thoughts are inspiring.  Thank you for sharing them, and in case you're interested, here's a link to that track, recorded in the early 70s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Viqr6KHwJjc

Tinasmiley

 

 

Submitted by VeraClark on

800 pieces of work is humbling. It's an excellent and deeply emotive poem. Your everyday surroundings are loaded with subtle, carefully placed threat - even the camomile tea is too cool to soothe.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks for reading, Vera, and for you sharing your thoughts - inspired, as ever.

Tina

 

Submitted by MJG on

Very peaceful, slow, gentle, relaxing, tender, I enjoyed this thank you

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

I am so pleased you found it so, MJG, especially in this busy world of ours, and that you kindly took the trouble to let me know.

Tina

 

Submitted by Starfish Girl on

As always Tina you get down to the very simple, 'a moth's kiss', 'phantom moons, 'sanguine dawns' and manage to produce something exquisitly complex and extremely moving.

Lovely.

Lindy

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Lindy...it's always good to hear from you, and I hope your Saturday is sunnier than mine, so thank you for brightening it for me with your kind words.

Tinasmiley

 

Submitted by Mark Heathcote on

Congrats much enjoyed a lovely read well done.

Mark Heathcote

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Sincere thanks to you, Mark.

Tina

 

Submitted by Parson Thru on

How beautiful, Tina. As gentle as the touch that it describes. 800 cherries! Your work is consistently wonderful. Every one I've seen well earned. Every one I've read a joy. Well done.

Parson Thru

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

PT...thanks, so very muchsmiley

Tina