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My consolation … I got the answer that righted me. Photo by ©️ selma

Closure–may there always be cherries and wild lilies

Day Thirteen on APRIL 13, 2024
–  play with rhyme. Start by creating a “word bank” of ten simple words. 

🍒 ma chérie loved cherries 🍒

(… and plums)

I sense the magic in
the perfumed room,
inhale the sweet scent of
complete content
soon appears a fairy
carrying fleshy cherries;
and dressed in sheen
of blue and green.
I savor the warm embrace
that lingers and
feel blessed. I awake in time
to catch the tail
end of her laugh, and on the
shelf a heap of
cherries in the calabash.
Today the clouds are frilly,
as tranquil as the lilies,
I must attend my best friend's
funeral. Thanks to Fairy,
my heart's at peace at last—
filled with the sweet and sour
almond scent of cherries.
©️ Selma

Day Fourteen on APRIL 14, 2024
– beginning multiple lines with the same word or phrase is called anaphora.

🍒 we fed on trays of cherries🍒
I soak in the pure sheen of blue and green
I find magic in the room of blooms perfumed
I inhale the sweet scent—replete, present
I relish the caress, the yes, the bless
I love the time we fed on trays of cherries
I laugh at your laughter and what came after…
I wait for the lilies with more peace now
I hold your warmth dear friend until the end
I must let go—this I know—to fill…I will.
You will encounter Eden like a plum tree laden.
©️ Selma

Image: At a rock riverbank this weekend
… I got the answer that righted me. Photo by ©️ selma

(may we all learn to thrive where we’re planted)

Thank you for being here.
Thank you for reading my weekend poems.
Thank you, thank you, thank you
🍒

Selma Martin
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This Post Has 27 Comments

  1. Sadje

    Both the poems are so beautifully written and absolutely amazing. Shows your love and affection for your friend

  2. rajkkhoja

    Nice both poem. Really perfect words use in poem. Beautiful you recommend cherries and wild lilies written inthe poem.

  3. Mike U.

    Such beautiful, poignant, meaningful poetry, Selma. My condolences to you, my friend.

    1. Selma Martin

      I so appreciate this comment Mike.
      (I haven’t forgotten about your poem. I’ll give you notice when I do my friend) the recent shock I got derailed me plenty. But I’m doing better now. 🙇🏽‍♀️

  4. Ingrid

    Thinking of you at this sad time, Selma 🙏 ❤️

    1. Selma Martin

      So pleased you so, dear Maggie. Bless you, kind heart

  5. beth

    ❤️I’m so sorry for the loss of your friend, Selma and both poems are lovely tributes to her

  6. trE

    🙏🏾💙 Peace and blessings, Selma.

  7. Cheryl Batavia

    Poignant poems with lovely images, Selma. The rhymes are beautiful, though they seem somewhat random. How would you categorize the form? 🌼🌺🌸 Hope all is well with you. 🩷

    1. Selma Martin

      I’m well now dear friend. And thanks for the question.
      Here’s what I got. No end rhymes. Read for yourself:
      Day 13th prompt:
      Finally, our optional prompt for the day asks you to play with rhyme. Start by creating a “word bank” of ten simple words. They should only have one or two syllables apiece. Five should correspond to each of the five senses (i.e., one word that is a thing you can see, one word that is a type of sound, one word that is a thing you can taste, etc). Three more should be concrete nouns of whatever character you choose (i.e., “bridge,” “sun,” “airplane,” “cat”), and the last two should be verbs. Now, come up with rhymes for each of your ten words. (If you’re having trouble coming up with rhymes, the wonderful Rhymezone is at your service). Use your expanded word-bank, with rhymes, as the seeds for your poem. Your effort doesn’t actually have to rhyme in the sense of having each line end with a rhymed word, but try to use as much soundplay in your poem as possible.

      Day 14 prompt:
      (optional) prompt asks you to write a poem of at least ten lines in which each line begins with the same word (e.g.,“Because,” “Forget,” “Not,” “If”). This technique of beginning multiple lines with the same word or phrase is called anaphora, and has long been used to give poems a driving rhythm and/or a sense of puzzlebox mystery. To give you more context, here’s an essay by Rebecca Hazelton on her students’ “adventures in anaphora,” and a contemporary poem that uses anaphora to great effect: Layli Long Soldier’s “Whereas.”

      I hope I did it well. Bless you.

  8. memadtwo

    These are lovely tributes Selma. I can feel the love you have for your friendship. (K)

    1. Selma Martin

      3 weeks difference in our age. Next door neighbors all through highschool. She was my best girlfriend. The only one who up until last Christmas still sent me Christmas Cards and I to her.
      I felt this as if it was me leaving her. We were together last April.

      … thanks, K. Bless you.

      1. memadtwo

        I think she will still be with you Selma–that’s a strong bond.

  9. Selma, your poems are lovely, and I’m sorry to hear about your friend’s passing. Sending healing hugs. xo

    1. Selma Martin

      You’re so sweet Lauren. Thanks so much. I appreciate you so much. Please be well. Xo 🤗

  10. Dawn Pisturino

    These are lovely! I just bought two cherry trees to plant.

    1. Selma Martin

      I remember. Yours was downed by a —um, bull? Deer? elephant? That part I forget. Happy you’ll be planting new trees.
      Watch your back—mine just did something the weekend I buried my hands in the garden soil (as a ritual for my friend) and for planting some new flowers.
      Go slow. Bless you Dawn. Xoxo

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