sometimes i am so happy it hurts
a quadrille
yesterday i am
play of shadow and of light
sunset’s watercolor sky
tomorrow
fragile day-lily
letting go her brief yet lovely life
today
today the texture of a sturdy bark
free flow of cool water
tiny finch whose song is all she has
This week, for the Monday Quadrille prompt at dVerse, Lillian challenges us to paint a self-portrait in exactly 44 words. Whew.
The title of this poem came to me last evening while I was doing dishes, looking out the kitchen window where my husband kept watch over our two small white dogs, romping in the grass. This morning, when I woke up, the poem appeared.
Please join us for this most challenging prompt. This week there is no word that we have to use. Have fun.
Victoria C. Slotto, Author 
this is one great poem. ❤
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I love that you ended with “today”…these precious moments of the present. A nice addition with the little bird song. 🙂
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I know that feeling. My heart is so full that I can actually feel it. If I let myself think about how happy I am, I think about losing all that is making me happy and then a heaviness replaces or sits on top of that full feeling. That’s what hurts, I think.
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I think you nailed it.
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Well, you did first! 🙂
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Really like your approach of writing your portrait in terms of past, future, present. Like a triptych painting!
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Gorgeous wordplay.
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I love your today “texture of study bark” full of the past and the hopes of tomorrow….thank you…bkm
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Thank you, Victoria, this is beautiful with the finch song!
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Today, today is special and the best. 🙂 Lovely piece here, Victoria.
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What a breath-takingly beautiful self-portrait!
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Wonderful. Yesterday, tomorrow, today… Ever becoming but living in the moment singing her own distinctive song
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Softly spoken. Wonderful.
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That is so beautiful, Victoria.
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achingly beautiful…from sunset sky to fragile day lily and wealthy with a tiny finch song….
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Lovely images!
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…so happy it hurts? We should all be in such pain, Victoria! Love this!
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Love your poem! We have these little finches come to our backyard feeder every day. Such a happy tune!
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How I love this poem, and the song of the finch, so beautiful. I LOVE “tiny finch, whose song is all she has.” Reminds me of the quote – a bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.
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Beautiful!
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I love each part, so beautifully weaved with nature and your heart. And that ending line, just sings 🙂
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Beautiful words.
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Love the yesterday, today, tomorrow orgnization of this! A tiny finch? I think not — your words, your artful poetry make you at least as big as an emu — but MUCH more graceful! 🙂
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There is something so “Poem Crazy” about this, Victoria. I love the soft brush strokes of the three stages and the bird is total perfection for the post!
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Sky, water… you are very… elemental. A wonderfully visual piece; although your imagery speaks to other senses as well. Love the bird song!
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It is such happiness to see care-free joy romping outside and still being given a protective eye by hubby.
Hank
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very nice. i like each of your 3 panels in this and how you use each to tell a story of a time – and how you use nature to tell it. realizing our song is all we have – i think there is a bit of humility in that. smiles.
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Lovely write Victoria, and penned so quickly!….oh that I could write a poem again!
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Pick up a pencil, a notebook. Put pencil to paper and write, girl. Your photography shows you have a poet’s eye!
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We’ll see! I have written in the past, but my muse is taking an extended vacation!!
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I’m taken by the fact that her song is all she has…and that you were so happy it hurt. I love this beauty, Victoria.
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This is perfect. You did such a lively job. Mine is so clunky. I like the person in this poem so very much. The last line clutches at my heart, that beautiful finch whose song is so brave and bright.
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Yours is NOT clunky.
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And you are so very kind 🙂
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It certainly is the most beautiful of songs. Bravo, Victoria
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This is excellent, Victoria. I’m especially enamored of the opening line. I’m thoroughly enjoying reading this over and over again while I listen to your little birdy sing its precious, tender, but strong heart-song.
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The birdsong takes a moment to get going. Hope you will listen.
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Definitely. The louder, the better. Totally gorgeous.
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