Nothing Usual (From a Magpie Tales Poetry Prompt)

The folks at Magpie Tales gave us a beautiful image prompt though for whatever reason the poem that was born has the same poignant theme so many of my poems have had lately. It won't surprise those of you who have been following my words recently.

She saw nothing usual, nothing
familiar or ordinary through
her Bakersfield dust coated eyes
She peered through the pines to see
something akin to the place where
Hansl and Gretl's father lived
or perhaps Maria von Trapp
spent her girl hood Summers

She could hear her heart
through her ears

This was the door her daughter
would open, squeaking happily -
both of them- and then
move through to start her
new life: dust-free and humid before
the snow comes rather than baked stiff
and crackling before fog drifts in - -
She will start waking up, over
there, on the other side of the
continent. This place unbeknownst
to this mother she had become
and to the place her daughter
would become a woman
out of sight, out of scent range
deeply entrenched in
her heart, her mind, her
memory wanderings

She saw nothing usual, nothing
familiar or ordinary through
her Bakersfield dust coated eyes

 

Comments

[Tumblewords]

Nothing familiar or ordinary - indeed, it is. A wonderful read.

[Stafford]

A start and an ending. When they go... and, 'out of scent range'. Yes, I know. It is the most primitive and sesuous part of nmemory. I am a smeller too!

[Lydia]

Wistful and beautiful. I love it.

My sister's oldest is beginning his last year of HS now and she is trying to not fall apart just thinking of what is ahead. Not having children it is a pain (and proud happiness) that I won't know. But your poem sure helps me to feel what you are feeling.

Thank you so much for coming to my blog and commenting on my first magpie.

[bkmackenzie]

This is really an amazing piece...and I love it all, how you pulled emotion, change and love into this piece and ended and began the piece through the mind of the woman....Excellent write..bkm

[Teresa]

So emotionally laden. It makes me feel so sad, yet it's because I can feel the love. Very beautiful.

[brian]

nothing familiar, nothing ordinary...it can be freeing and scary...i wish her all the best...nice write, nice magpie.

[Gemma@Greyscale]

There is a sense of sad beauty in freedom sometimes! This poem beautifully captures that enigmatic feeling!

[willow]

Wow. This was indeed a joy to read. As a mother of a daughter, becoming a woman in a distant place, I immediately connected. Thank you!!

[kathe W.]

oh my how beautifully written

[Kavita]

Sad and beautiful... and it takes to you another world of thought... of reminiscence, of ponder..

Very well laid out here... I think I could relate to it in a very odd sorta way... Thanks for sharing this lovely piece..

[annell livingston]

Really nice Julie. Thanks