Everything Beautiful

Features of stone

were washed away

as the old man watched

the willowy ballerina sashay .

The winds and strings

further tenderized his soul,

till glassy eyes refused to blink

as time faded

and only the moment was.

Reviews

[Sami Khalil]

Lost in the moment with past memories run like an old movie; dementia might be taking over as he is holding on to the dancer and the song.
Gorgeous!

[emmajoygreen]

Not so many words here but what there are make me focus on what is being 'said'. Perhaps the ballerina has captured an empty moment in the old man's mind.. a moment that maybe has become unable to fill itself, needs impetus and the movements of the dancer have slipped him into a beautiful and peaceful world, perhaps as a distraction, maybe a much needed inspiration. Beautifully laid tho' perhaps, sad words needing a third or fourth reading. I needed and read.. '.. the winds and strings further tenderized his soul,'

[Aura]

This is so beautifully written, you depict an elderly man who seems to be living in the present. He is not thinking about anything else, except the exquisite ballerina. Perhaps, this ballerina has a calming aura about her that allows the man to free himself of his worries and stresses. We all need something like that, don't we? A hobby, or a television show or a novel that allows us to escape our daily stresses and sadness. Thank you for sharing, I enjoyed reading this!

[Cherrie Palmer]

Aura, you sweet-thing. I am so sorry I missed your review. Thank you 😊

[Aura]

You are most welcome Cherrie!

[Mauricio Montoya]

Yes everything is beautiful but you definitely make it real love the flow and the word that makes me think

[William Michael Reeves]

Your poem made me wonder if dementia wipes the mind of beauty. Or maybe what is beautiful changes. To me features of stone are memories. When we have none we stand still, unable to move through our mind. Your poem moved my mind in surprising ways.

[Cherrie Palmer]

I spent 5 years as the office manager of a nursing home.
And
I loved your vision of this. Alzhimers runs in my family. My grandmother and all her siblings had it. It is a devastating thing that strips the person away one memory at a time.

[William Michael Reeves]

I've seen the devastation. Seen how someone's personality does a 180. We can only hope if we get it we are one of those who are happily demented. Is this what you were writing about or did I take it somewhere you hadn't intended?

[Cherrie Palmer]

I was thinking of an old soul hardened by life.
However I like whatbyou see better
Reminds me of an old MSN in the nursing home who forgot how to talk, but he could still sing.

[William Michael Reeves]

That sounds like a stroke too. When the brain short circuits all hell breaks loose. Probably feels like hell.

[William Michael Reeves]

If you haven't looked I'm posting again. Like to hear what you think of my Villanelle

[keith]

hello cherrie long time no see
the dance of ballerina can be captivating all the while destroying the old man stone face
(trust me i know the stone face of old man, the chiseled features and an often-cold, hard heart that pumps blood not emotions)
your verse paints such but i cannot for the life of me figure in the 'strings'
unless the ballerina is a puppet of sorts?
growing older my abilities to SEE has diminished and roadblocks of dyslexia gain in confusion

it is a most beautiful write ... thank you for allowing me to 'breathe'

[Cherrie Palmer]

The winds and strings... I hoped would bring to mind the music being played.
:) it was great to see you stop by for a visit.

[keith]

aha! now i comprende!
and that my friend is the beauty of poetry ... it is just as art ... subjective and suggestive!

[Cherrie Palmer]

Exactly it us a living breathing thing that belongs to the reader as much as it does to he writer.

[keith]

i think it is called sharing?

[Kelly Scheppers]

This spoke to me of an elderly man being estranged by his only daughter, who was a ballerina in younger days. The glassy eyes brought it all into focus. Beautiful, Cherrie. So poignant.

[Cherrie Palmer]

I like that. I can see a story unfold with this opening. I'm overjoyed you can as well.

[Relic]

Even a hard man can see and recognize beauty and graceful moves when something outside himself wakes up his inner innocence. Poems like this almost make the reader see the images when the writer is aware of show not tell.

This is beautiful to read.

[Cherrie Palmer]

Thank you Tim :) this is my 2nd attempt to leave you a comment on this (wish me luck).

[Lorry]

The beauty is in the ability for the old man to forget age and become ageless within those moments of beauty.
Very visual piece that I saw and felt.

[Cherrie Palmer]

Thank you Lorry.
:)