'Poppies in the Snow'

Cherry

By Silver Spun Sand

Fri, 31 Oct 2014
  • 2343 reads
8 comments
 
She turned to red to cheer herself up;
headscarf, lipstick...necklace – not permitted, 
naturally, at work. Mind you, the red clashed
a touch, with the yellow of her skin; cordite, 
the revolutionary alternative to gunpowder.  
Mixing it in the dark – dicey but she could cope...
no alternative. One mistake, and ‘pop’ – 
you’re  a gonner, the sole training advice 
she was given, but you learn as you go along...
like that fiancé of hers.Burned – all over, at 17; 
forget it, either that, or conscription. 
 
Red – her colour. Poppy by name and nature,
he used to say, recalling the day he proposed, 
and how she’d kissed him in the midst of the floor. 
Poppies in the Snow... right there, emblazoned 
on his cheek courtesy of Max Factor, as they tangoed
out the door as the band played on; These Foolish Things,
reminding her of him, still...a lifetime, and stuff, ago...
Underground shelters, the blitz, the silences, then
the sound of his screaming; she’d been eating 
her lunch. Tomatoes in a bowl fell from the table – 
folds of dark cloth, then they hit the floor...the air – 
full of war, and the smell of red, breaking.
Certificate 12
Poem
Silver Spun Sand Poems
Biography
Love

Comments

Submitted by Bee on

I love the way this story builds, but from her awareness of his screaming that last scene is simply brilliant - the cloth the tomatoes falling, hitting the floor, all that breaking and spilling as blood, and that line - 'the air – full of war, and the smell of red, breaking.' Somehow reading this, I know the smell. For me, it's the smell of death and loss of love and all her favourite colour had previously meant to her.,

Bee

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Bee, how well you encapsulate this poem in your words.  

My sincere thanks to yousmiley

Tina

 

Submitted by Starfish Girl on

Lots of background to this but so unecessary to tell in full. You have captured so well the ideas and feelings of the time, and that last line!!!!

Lindy

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Pleased it 'did it for you', Lindy, and I really appreciate your telling me, so wonderfully.

Tina

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

A great condensed narrative in this clever poem.  Love the symbolic use of 'poppy'. 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, Philip, more than appreciated.

Tina

 

Submitted by VeraClark on

I've just finished Vanessa Gebbie's 'Storm Warning' and a short story featuring soup parallels with this. Eclectic images in fish lens detail make very vivid poetry, particularly colour.This is a fine example of ambiguity making your reader string things together. Active reading.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

I must check Vanessa Gebbie out.  Sounds interesting.  Many thanks for your great comment, Vera.

Tina