She looks like a mother holding her breath,
or a weathered perch for tired wings.
A cracked wall leaning forward
with a core of solid iron
stained by a century of rain.
She smells of windy peppermint
mixed with bristling feathers,
or a field of burning sage.
A broken eucalyptus tree
rotting in the summer sun.
Step into the shadow she casts
to place memories at her feet—
rocking bundles of dandelion breath
and broken rocks thrown downhill.
A kaleidoscope turning too quickly.
Give the soaked bundle to her
until the stone cracks open
and feathers litter the ground.
Listen to the wind remembering
what sits beneath the stone.
*18/100: For the next 100 days, I’ll be writing and posting a poem every day.
**All photos are mine, taken with an Olympus E-M1 MarkII and edited with Lightroom Classic.
This beautiful poem conjures a timeless feminine presence who is at once mother, tree, stone and sanctuary, weathered by time yet quietly enduring.
I love the deeply tactile and elemental imagery: cracked walls, iron stained by rain, peppermint winds, rotting eucalyptus, feathers, sage and shadow, merging into a landscape where the human and the natural become inseparable. Every image carries the weight of age, resilience and care.
Beneath these striking symbols lies a meditation on memory, grief and renewal. The wind, the trees and the stones become the true keepers of stories that time cannot erase.
I’m so glad you found so many things to like in this one, it’s really personal to me and feels very raw. It might be one of my favorites so far.
What a hauntingly beautiful poem. 🌿 Your vivid imagery and rich symbolism create an atmosphere that is both mysterious and deeply emotional. I was especially moved by the lines, “Listen to the wind remembering what sits beneath the stone.” They evoke a powerful sense of memory, loss, and quiet resilience. This is the kind of poem that invites multiple readings, revealing new layers each time. Thank you for sharing such a compelling and thought-provoking piece. Wishing you continued inspiration throughout your 100-day poetic journey. 🌹
Your comments also make me feel so good and encourage me to keep going, even if this pace feels a bit daunting at the moment.
Very nice Bridgette, evocative.
Thanks so much, Roy!
I love the sensorial descriptions here; taste, smell, sight, and sound, all in one stanza. YES!!!
“She smells of windy peppermint
mixed with bristling feathers,
or a field of burning sage.
A broken eucalyptus tree
rotting in the summer sun.”
So glad you like this one, it felt good coming out. The words flowed quickly, which hasn’t been the case every day.
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 I’m glad it was an easier poem for you.
Your first two commenters said it better than I was going to…. So descriptive, so deft.
So glad you like it! Thank you. I’m finding inspiration daily with my photography, the poems are becoming sort of a dance with them. It’s interesting.