Sadje: “Waiting for your responses.”
Image credit: Nickola Johnny Mirkovic @ Unsplash
For the visually challenged reader, this image shows an arched veranda,
where multiple pillars support a high vaulted ceiling. The sun is casting
shadows on the wall behind the veranda. At the end of it is a fancy door.
Sadje: “Does this picture [ABOVE] inspire you to write something?“
WHEN I WAS SIX OR SEVEN
When I was a skinny girl of six or seven
I played with shadows plenty.
Kick-the-can and hopscotch
with the flattened ones.
I would hoist, slide, and tumble, or with
lanky legs climb over the bulky others.
I’d swing and skip with the moving shadows
and snuggle with the shy and quiet.
I’d romp all day in the sticky breeze never for
a moment complaining–oozing with the hours.
But now that I’ve plumped
to the power of 10
I am taken with the hot animal of my skin,
grateful to swing my limbs
and have them move as I intend,
though my knee,
though my shoulder,
though something
is torn or tearing.*
If I had pillars in a row, I’d ride them all day long
and make pretend the stairs were there to lead me
straight to heaven–If …
if I were light: if I were six or seven.
© selma
*Donika Kelly: The moon rose over the bay. I had a lot of feelings.
Incidentally, I’m decades past six or seven, but I’m still smitten by shadows.
If you care to know more, check out my debut poetry collection in which the
keyword is, you guessed it–shadows. 101 pages on shadows!
Amazon,
Barnes and Noble,
Goodreads,
OR reach out to me.
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You’re the shadow queen uh?! Lovely 😊
Indeed I am the shadow queen 😂 👸 thanks for reading Dawn.
Selma, such a poignant and fun capture of your young self enjoying the play of shadows – when life and its needs were so simple and engaging! Xx
When life was simple 👏🏽 best time ever.
Thanks for enjoying the antics here, Annika dear. Sending blessings.
So enjoyed this poem Selma 😊
You are tops then. Happy you enjoyed it.
I so enjoyed this Selma, the fun of shadows, made me smile
💞Suzanne
You oh! did? So happy it make you smile Suzanne. The best! Bless you.
I like your shadow pic WHEN you WAS SIX OR SEVEN
When I was a skinny girl of six or seven
You played with shadows plenty.
Love your poem. Nice write words in poem.
😜 thanks for liking everything here, Raj. Blessings. What did you like when you were six or seven? Let me know. 😉
I was played someone shadow,I Like!when I was seven!
A universal game. 👏🏽 for children. Happy to know you did it too. 💃🏼
Wonderful, Selma. Truly enjoyed.💕
Aww. So happy to know this. Playful souls connect. Xoxo
Absolutely 💕
Aww… i enjoy reading this Selma..it makes me wanna hop and dance and hop and dance again.
I love this!!!
Beth. 😀 💕
A beautiful and unique look at shadow play Selma. I can imagine a young skinny girl playing with her own shadow. Thanks for joining in.
It’s my pleasure Sadje. This one hit the mark precisely.
Pillow Talk: this is NOT the poem I intended to send in. I worked on another. A cento. But then that night this poem woke me up—I wrote it down—wrote it in notes and later sent it in without editing.
Wow. Surprised me. 😂 thanks
The muse wanted something else so it made you write it. Awesome
How wonderful to remember the whimsy.
Yes. It’s fun to remember. I hope I always do. Xoxo VJ xoxo
😊💕
Good to be young at heart, Selma. I love the playfulness of this one. ☺️🌷
It’s up to us, right? I think so.
I think so too 🙂
we are of the same mind. xoxo
so lovely , Selma…🤍🙏
Thanks for thinking it so, dear Destiny. Blessings
my pleasure and blessings your way too 🙏🌷
Selma 💯
Really?! 🥹 thanks dearly. I think you can do it too. Jump in and show me, Kajal. 😀
Such a cute poem!
Thanks, Dawn.
You brought the two picture together in a beautiful fanciful way, well done.
Thanks for reading Mason. Happy Equinox Day to you. 🤗
You’re welcome and you too!
Our bodies unfortunately refuse to stay as young as our minds…(K)
Hope our minds could stay young and aware for ever. Thanks, K
I
Ive always loved playing with shadows, Selma! Lovely photos and poem. ❤️😊
It was a healthy pastime. We would have been so good together —when we were 6 or 7 😜
Thanks Cheryl. Xo SELMA
Wonderful, Selma. ❣️
New follower here.
Oh yeah? Thanks
Selma, I especially like how your final lines evoke a sense of longing and longing for the past, beautifully conveying the bittersweet nature of growing older.
Much love,
David