Summer Dresses

On the line behind the house,

twisted round and grown into two trees

older than the ownership of our land,

mother hangs summer dresses in the sunlight.

 

Like paper doll clothes, all primary colors

and geometric designs, they taunt the wind

as her hands, once young and tender,

put them in their places, side by side.

 

Cross-legged and still, I am the intent audience,

the entranced observer consciously unaware

of the wonder I am witnessing, moments

that one dark day I will weep to relive--

these precious, flashing instants with her.

 

Breathing down the mountain, the wind gusts

and one of my dresses defies the prison of the pin,

taking to the air like a startled seabird,

and I smile as my mother laughs like a child--

gleeful and perfect in the last lonely hours of afternoon. 

Reviews

[Audrey Howitt]

And one of my dresses defies the prison of the pin--wonderful alliteration--wonderful scene painting. Loved this piece. It is like a cameo---perfect.

[Calypso]

You told a wonderful story. It left an image in my mind.

[Bear]

;~) a beautiful write reminding me of times past when my mom hung clothes on a line in the yard. Clothes-pins... they are still manufactured though I rarely use mine to "hang clothes". I use them in my dream catcher creating... the "pins" are "extra fingers" and help me hold things in place. Thanks for taking me back in time to good memories! Sallie Bear

[Siddartha Beth Pierce]

Stunning! Going into my library for sure. Thank you to Fabian for sharing this with me. Beautiful imagery and so true to capture these fleeting moments in time and remember them as long as we possibley can. Well done!
Light,
SiddARTha

[just rose.]

"and one of my dresses defies the prison of the pin,"

this line is absolutely sublime in a wonderful poem.

[Rick Puetter]

Dear Millionth Muse,

A friend asked me to read your poem and I have to admit, I love this. Beautiful sentiments throughout as you recall your mother on that perfect, late afternoon. What a wonderful memory. And the writing is equally wonderful. It almost seems to mimic the fluttering of the clothes in the wind.

Extremely well done. High marks.

Rick

[Constance-Outspoken]

Ah, what an amazing feeling this poem gave me. I read it the other night but had no time to comment, so I had to come back to tell you how magnificent your work is yet again.
Every stanza is perfect, though the last is my favorite. You have a way of telling enchanting tales in your poems, which I find refreshing, a departure from what one typically reads on this site. You paint us a moving picture of beauty here. Wonderful work.

[rockinmiley555]

this has a lot of happiness :) the last paragraph was my favorite. i loved how it showed a relationship between a mother and a daughter, even if they were doing something small.

[Ed Hart]

knowing that a good poem is never an accident, I have to say that only a delightful person could have written this...what a wonderful creature you must be...

[Clockwork]

Your imagery is once again very sharp and crisp. You are a master of metaphors and double entendres. I think to bring it all together the idea of ownership and land could be worked into the last stanza. Other than that small comment, this is one of my favorites.