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.
Bridgette Tales 
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.
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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.
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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. 🌹
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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.
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Very nice Bridgette, evocative.
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Thanks so much, Roy!
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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.”
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So glad you like this one, it felt good coming out. The words flowed quickly, which hasn’t been the case every day.
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👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 I’m glad it was an easier poem for you.
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Your first two commenters said it better than I was going to…. So descriptive, so deft.
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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.
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