31 January 2015

Bone's Memory




When I picture myself alive I'm in lavender 
fields near home back when muscles
powered me anywhere I pleased. They brought me
one morning to purple flower bustles
stretched out
far as eyes see, lavender cowls
gathered free,
held close against my decline,
becoming only bone, having to surrender
home's fields and time's spine.


Posted for Kerry's Flash 55 at Imaginary Garden with Real Toads with an additional feature of a form she devised with a word count each line and a rhyme scheme. The original inspiration was from Hannah's prompt, also from Real Toads, of Lavender Fields under Transforming Thursday/ Friday Nature's Wonders. Also posted for Open Link Night, hosted by Claudia, over at dVerse Poets Pub. Another in my bone poem series.
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26 comments:

  1. Claudia01 February, 2015 17:48

    there's a smashing beauty in those lavender fields and i can smell them while reading your words...i love the expression time's spine as well - though it's not easy to watch things decaying or a certain decay in our strength as well

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  2. Brian Miller01 February, 2015 18:43

    those last couple lines carry a lot of the emotion of this one to me....homes field and times spine...lavender can be so calming...but at times with too much, so overpowering...

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  3. Grace01 February, 2015 19:50

    I would love to go into those lavender fields and get lost in their scents~ Like that lavender cowls ~

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  4. Sherry Blue Sky02 February, 2015 00:13

    What a great hook: "when I picture myself alive"......then the memories and the reality of aging bodies.....I sure can "feel" this poem, Mary! I'm one big ache today!

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  5. DJan02 February, 2015 03:47

    I can almost smell that lavender from here. How sweet that smell! Love that picture, Mary. :-)

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    1. Grandmother Mary02 February, 2015 17:57

      It's a gorgeous photo that was attached to the prompt. We grow lavender in Italy and I find the scent intoxicating.

      Delete
  6. Outlawyer02 February, 2015 04:09

    Hey Mary--the rhyme and your general theme work super well here--very chilling and rather sad at once, and the rhyme is musical yet subtle. Thanks. k. (http://manicddaily.wordpres.com)

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    1. Grandmother Mary02 February, 2015 18:01

      Thanks, Karin. My sis-in-law's mother died a couple of weeks ago and spoke at the end of what she would miss. I tried to speak from that vantage point.

      Delete
  7. Kerry O'Connor02 February, 2015 16:10

    I so enjoyed this poem, Mary. It has wonderful flow and I really like the way you linked the place to the personal experience of it. Also I think 'lavender cowls' is just the perfect description.

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    1. Grandmother Mary02 February, 2015 18:06

      Thanks, Kerry, and thanks for the new form. It helped me say this in a fresh way.

      Delete
  8. Magaly Guerrero03 February, 2015 14:42

    "...muscles
    powered me anywhere I pleased."

    The entire poem is a jewel, and the words above shine brightest for me. I can see the muscles walking towards and between the lavender rows... the scent is empowering... the memories are strong.

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  9. Lydia04 February, 2015 05:38

    held close against my decline, ....... where it seems this should be depressing it is not so for me. I find the embrace of the flowers to that "decline" truly beautiful. Flowers speak to us. And so does this fragrant poem.

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  10. Grandmother Mary04 February, 2015 12:38

    Thank you, Lydia. Flowers do speak to me and settle in memories to cherish.

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  11. Mary04 February, 2015 20:23

    What a beautiful setting to picture oneself in!! To be surrounded with lavendar flowers would be an extra treat.

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    1. Grandmother Mary05 February, 2015 00:48

      The combination of the sight and the scent is wonderful.

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  12. Outlawyer04 February, 2015 23:48

    A poignant and powerful Poem to revisit, Mary, thanks. Manicddaily

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  13. grapeling05 February, 2015 03:40

    so much lavender makes me want to plant some ~

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    1. Grandmother Mary05 February, 2015 19:25

      I grow it on our balcony in Italy and then dry it come fall- never fails to please me.

      Delete
  14. Margaret11 February, 2015 04:43

    Powerfully evocative progression… and the last line is superb.

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    1. Grandmother Mary11 March, 2015 09:58

      Thank you, Margaret and thanks for this prompt.

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