The small, fragile jewelry box
sewn in a delicate tapestry
fabric that was now
worn and frayed,
held only a
lone pair of dangled
earrings, three tiers of
unidentifiable
pale, pink
crystals that now still
sparkled in the slice
of sunlight that had
crept across the room’s
planked flooring.
A story surrounded this
box and those earrings.
A love story, a gripping story,
a loss story and one
of struggle against the
flat, matte images of lives
entangled (and dangled)
in life and with each other.
Those earrings were an apology.
Join me at dVerse Poets Pub for Open Link Night Thursday at 3PM EST where I’ll be hosting.
Bodhirose's Blog 
Betty Hayes Albright
/ October 19, 2017Lovely poem, Gayle. There is so often a poignant story behind our keepsakes.
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Bodhirose
/ October 19, 2017Thank you, Betty, so true. I hope you are doing well. xo
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whippetwisdom
/ October 19, 2017A beautiful poem Gayle, those ‘matte images of lives entangled (and dangled) in life and with each other’ tell so many stories that make me wonder whether the earrings were worn as much as the box they were kept in.
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Bodhirose
/ October 19, 2017Thank you, Xenia…maybe the apology wasn’t accepted. I hadn’t thought of that until just reading your comment…the plot thickens!
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Björn Rudberg (brudberg)
/ October 19, 2017What a wonderful and sad poem… one with a narrative where we have to fill in the blanks to create the story… the description of the room with the jewelry box makes me think of what story until that final line which turns it all around.
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Bodhirose
/ October 19, 2017Thank you, Bjorn…yes, some sadness there. Our lives together can get so complicated.
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paul scribbles
/ October 19, 2017Here is a poem that opens up so many possible back stories. I like that.
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Sanaa Rizvi (@rizvi_sanaa)
/ October 19, 2017‘A story surrounded this box and those earrings. A love story, a gripping story, a loss story and one of struggle against the flat, matte images of lives entangled’.. this is so incredibly poignant.
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suzykopliku
/ October 19, 2017I love the symbolism. A beautiful, lyrical poem 🙂
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kim881
/ October 19, 2017So delicately written, Gayle, I enjoyed the story of the ‘lone pair of dangled earrings’,and love the description of them:
‘three tiers of
unidentifiable
pale, pink
crystals that now still
sparkled in the slice
of sunlight that had
crept across the room’s
planked flooring’ –
a beautiful image I can picture in my mind clearly.
.
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Beverly Crawford
/ October 19, 2017What a lovely poem that allows us to fill in the blanks as we please. Beautifully writtten!
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Jane Dougherty
/ October 19, 2017Now I want to know the ‘why’ and what happened next?
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MarinaSofia
/ October 19, 2017Oooh, I do want to know more, but of course it’s all in the mind and imagination of the reader!
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kanzensakura
/ October 19, 2017A poignant story Gayle. The sadness of that apology still echoes. It leaves me wanting the rest of the story.
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Candy
/ October 19, 2017the images you created make this story come to life. I feel like I’m standing in that room, looking at those earrings
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Misky
/ October 19, 2017This feels like opening the cover of a wonderful story.
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peterfrankiswrites
/ October 19, 2017Lovely write – like others, love the space that you opened up in this – I also liked the tentativeness of the poet’s gaze. In this line ‘…sunlight that had / crept across the room’s/ planked flooring.’ there seems to be a moment’s hesitation just before the imagination of the story unfolds. very nice.
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Vivian Zems
/ October 19, 2017Every object we own or owned has a story. Beautifully penned.
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Charley
/ October 19, 2017Several tiny, seemingly insignificant, touches that bring this from two dimensional into a living document of a relationship. It’s always the odd, but captivating details that make or break the whole. Wonderfully handled.
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Renee Espriu
/ October 19, 2017Really a nice way to get inspiration. I like this one a lot Gayle. Hope you are doing well…and your family too. 🙂
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Anonymous
/ October 19, 2017I save all your poetry to a file because I like the so much. You paint pictures with words and stimulate unexpected emotions and personal memories. Barbara D
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Bodhirose
/ October 22, 2017I’m touched beyond words, Barbara…thank you for sharing this with me, and just THANK YOU! xo
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ihatepoetry
/ October 19, 2017Loved this.
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Frank J. Tassone
/ October 19, 2017A captivating poem that portrays a poignant story through evocative images. Thank you!
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Kathy Reed
/ October 19, 2017That slice of sunlight…it brings out the truth in things..there is sweetness in your words 🙂
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merrildsmith
/ October 20, 2017Oh, I love this Gayle. A story of a relationship captured in these few words. It’s truly lovely. (For some reason, I’m imagining a 19th century couple.)
It’s interesting that just a few days ago, another blogger had said she was interested in writing poetry about objects in people’s lives.
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Namratha Varadharajan
/ October 20, 2017I love the imagery and the story behind the earrings which is brought out by the easy flow of words in this poem.
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annell4
/ October 20, 2017Lovely!
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Gospel Isosceles
/ October 20, 2017You paint a beautiful picture of love and loneliness.
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Victoria C. Slotto
/ October 20, 2017Your clear descriptions add to the intensity of this emotional poem. I like the ambiguity that makes you beg for the backstory but is more effective without it.
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katiemiafrederick
/ October 21, 2017For what is Sold of Love
For what is Brought of Love
Ear Rings
tOld
A Story
oF Loss Returns..:)
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Colin Lee
/ October 23, 2017A beautiful write that slowly unfolds towards the unexpected ending. Would she try them on, or would she not?
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Bodhirose
/ October 24, 2017I guess a lot of possibilities I opened up with this one didn’t I? Thank you, Colin.
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Angela
/ October 24, 2017Lovely, Gayle. It’s true – some things hold entire stories, reels of memories and emotions.
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Bodhirose
/ December 17, 2017Thank you, Angela…you’re so right!
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Angela
/ December 17, 2017My pleasure. 💜
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Sue Dreamwalker
/ December 7, 2017A lovely poem Gayle even though those earrings I feel could tell a story by themselves.
Thank you Gayle, Loved that you got back in touch again.. I wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas Holiday also..
🎁<3 💝 Love and Hugs xxx
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Bodhirose
/ December 17, 2017Oh, thanks so very much, Sue. I hope to stay in touch better in the coming year, and have a wonderful Christmas surrounded by love and peace, dear friend. Love and hugs… ❤
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Sue Dreamwalker
/ December 18, 2017❤
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Sean Michael
/ December 20, 2017Good poetry.
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Bodhirose
/ December 21, 2017Thank you, Sean, I appreciate that.
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ladynyo
/ December 23, 2017This is so lovely, and intriguing, Gayle. I wanted to hear more of the ‘story’ within this poem. You had my full attention. And this poem is lovely in its atmospheric presence.
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Bodhirose
/ December 28, 2017Sorry to be so late in responding but as you can see my blog has turned into a “ghost town” of sorts. 🙂 But I’m very happy that you enjoyed my poem, Jane, and I still marvel at how some of them seem to write themselves and surprise even me with the endings that I sometimes come up with. Thank you, Jane! xo
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ladynyo
/ December 28, 2017Still surprises me, too. xox
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