…and She is Beautiful

lillian

A merry heart does good like a medicine
the yellowed brittle fortune
rest where he’d last touched it.
Beside the faded red envelope,
embroidered stitches now soft to touch.

She sipped her green tea, waiting.
The sun had set long ago
and now the rains were here.
Soon the streets would be a cacophony
drums, shouts, tourists and parades.

And from her window, she would see
the dragon dancing down the street,
her sign ever present, every new year
even in this approaching time,
the Year of the Monkey.

Closing her eyes, she saw again
mother, father, the land, and river
heavy rains bringing fish to the fields.
Images swam in and out in waves,
and memories filled her heart.

She sat, and sipped her tea,
waiting patiently.

red-envelope-1416257

 

Written for Toni’s Chinese New Year’s prompt at dVerse, a Poet’s Pub. Toni provided several fortune cookie slips and we were to choose one, and use it as the first line in our poem.

Photo credit: Yenhoon

35 thoughts on “…and She is Beautiful”

  1. Mary February 10, 2016 / 9:36 am

    This is very poignant really…the yellowed fortune from some past time…and the woman sitting and watching the dragon while reminiscing about times past. Sigh. What an evocative scene.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 10, 2016 / 9:44 am

      Thank you, Mary. I’m afraid I’m last on the list this time…..did not get to this til this morning. Do appreciate your read and very happy you liked it.

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      • writersdream9 February 10, 2016 / 10:27 am

        I didn’t either. Could it be my email? It seems so slow for the internet.

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Glenn Buttkus February 10, 2016 / 10:21 am

    An excellent poem, enjoyed it immensely; rife with specificity of place & time–sweet & sour, reflective & imaginative, just the right amount of detail, leaving much for our imaginations to fill in. Lovely wordsmithing, like the line /heavy rains bringing fish to the fields/–that image a bit sad & haunting.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 10, 2016 / 10:43 am

      Thank you so much, Glenn. Always appreciate your impressions.

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    • lillian February 10, 2016 / 10:45 am

      So happy you liked it. Sipping tea I am, right now in the Bermuda sun.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      • writersdream9 February 10, 2016 / 10:47 am

        That must be rough! 😉 Enjoy!

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  4. Nato February 10, 2016 / 11:14 am

    I too am sipping tea as I read this. I found this quite wonderful. Thank you for sharing it.

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    Reply
  5. whimsygizmo February 10, 2016 / 11:25 am

    OH. My chest let go of a great big breath, as I was reading this. Whoosh. Waiting with her. Perhaps mourning with her. So well done, Lillian.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 10, 2016 / 11:43 am

      So very glad you liked it. Yes — mourning and waiting with happy and beautiful memories…she is a beautiful lady waiting to rejoin her loved ones in another place.

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  7. Grace February 10, 2016 / 11:39 am

    I admire her patience in the waiting, not bitter nor angst, just the patience of waiting ~ I love the title, very positive self affirmation ~ A wonderful read Lillian ~

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 10, 2016 / 11:44 am

      Thank you so much, Grace. I so enjoyed learning about the Chinese new year — and thinking about their wonderful respect for the elderly…their gentleness in old age…and the beauty of the reds and yellows.

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    • lillian February 10, 2016 / 12:36 pm

      Thank you so much. Your kind words are truly appreciated!

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  9. Victoria C. Slotto February 10, 2016 / 1:57 pm

    I really like the mood you create in this one…it longs for the backstory. I feel the setting of this.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 10, 2016 / 2:27 pm

      Thank you, Victoria. Hmmm a back story….

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    • lillian February 10, 2016 / 4:48 pm

      Glad you ran with it…..Enjoyed learning about the Chinese New Year very much! 🙂

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  11. katiemiafrederick February 11, 2016 / 2:05 am

    Ah.. yes
    a hot
    bath..
    a warm
    bed.. now..
    and toilet
    paper.. our
    ancestors
    say look
    at what
    we did
    so you
    can
    have
    that..
    ugh
    yeah..
    first
    word
    prob
    lems..
    Merry
    Christ
    mas
    alWays
    now..:)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 11, 2016 / 6:51 am

      Good morning, Katie. Yes, this beautiful lady in my poem is indeed thinking of her ancestors….and perhaps waiting to join them.

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      Reply
      • katiemiafrederick February 11, 2016 / 8:27 am

        Good morning Lillian Love of yoUr ancestors shine iN yOur words and eYes..:)

        Like

    • lillian February 11, 2016 / 6:52 am

      Thank you! Smiling I am, over my first cup of coffee this AM.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  13. Bryan Ens February 11, 2016 / 7:47 am

    This could be such a sad poem, but I get the feeling that even though your protagonist has lost much, she takes joy and comfort in her memories.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 11, 2016 / 8:06 am

      Exactly…..beautiful memories keep her company until she joins her loved ones in that next place. She is smiling throughout. Glad you felt that, Bryan. Smiling I am.

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    • lillian February 11, 2016 / 1:45 pm

      Thank you…so happy you liked it. I loved the prompt.

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    • lillian February 12, 2016 / 6:01 am

      I was wishing for one of your drawings when I finished this one! I could just see you having fun drawing a Chinese joyful dancing dragon!

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