Making Potions

Gold cherry

By jem

Sun, 21 Jul 2024
  • 949 reads
13 comments
 

A girl in my son's nursery class had her leg amputated at the knee. 

 

‘Her leg was poorly so the doctors asked if they could cut it off, and she said ‘sure!’ he tells me on the way home. 

 

I listen to him try to make sense of the violence of it;

turning that word amp-yoo-tate over and over, 

trying to reconcile it with that other word: ‘sure’.

 

Later, in the garden, he makes a potion. 

 

Poppy seeds, pine needles, rose petals,

His mouth moves in silent concentration

His stained fingers stripping, crumbling, crushing

pausing to pour water

stir

 

I breathe in the smell of dirt and fennel,

Listen to the decking creaking in the heat.

 

He uses scissors to split pods and lift out their sticky insides,

Snips stamens into a yellow mush.

 

Adds lemon balm, earth, a little water, 

 

He works for what feels like hours.

 

And then, quietly: 'They're going to make her a new leg’.

 

He exhales deeply.

 

‘My potion’s finished now, we can go inside.’

Certificate U
Poem
Miscellaneous

Comments

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Hi Jem - if you're posting from an android device, there's a glitch and you need to do this:

https://www.abctales.com/blog/insertponceyfrenchnamehere/posting-your-an...

 

Submitted by jem on

Phew! Thanks so much! 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

so glad you came back to post this - the logic of a small child knows no bounds. Touching and wonderful and beautifully done - thank you Jem

 

Submitted by celticman on

a potion is always the answer when magical legs and arms are needed. The opposite of greeded (which isn't a word). Doom is always made that way. 

 

Submitted by rjnewlyn on

This is our Facebook and Twitter/X Pick of the Day! Please share/re-post if you like it.

Picture Credit: https://simplybeyondherbs.com/pine-needle-extract/

(Jem – the picture has been added for publicity purposes. Please feel free to change or remove.)

 

Submitted by Turlough on

Good on your caring son. A nice try!

Turlough

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

That innocence doubles up as something so tough, the unsentimentality of it, it's both precious and practical. Sounds like he's got the survival tools he needs for himself and the rest of the tribe.

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Very glad this was picked - well deserved golden cherries - congratulations!

 

Submitted by Starfish Girl on

You sum up a child's logic and knowledge so well. Beautifully done.

Submitted by jem on

Thanks all, this is the first poem I've written in seven years and it's so good to be writing again, thank you so much for the feedback!

Submitted by lenchenelf on

and bursts beyond this moment to how folk learn to encompass and personally weather traumatic event, be it through potions or prayers.

Thoughtful and wise.

best

L

 

Submitted by D G Moody on

If this is your first poem in seven years - then bravo! And may your inspiration give us more!

Dougie Moody

Submitted by Penny4athought on

Empathy and innocent logic of a child mixed with the ability to believe magic is possible; a lovely poem that touches the child in all of us. smiley

Penny4athought