Transplant from concrete city,
hustle-bustle and blaring horns,
she loves all things Bermudaful.
Smitten by color
red flowers peek from handlebar baskets,
her rusty bicycle now a sky-blue.
Today, just as every day
day after day, week after week
she tries to begin a letter home.
Sea breezed salt-flavored lips
gnaw tooth-marked pen.
Mind searches for appropriate words.
The ocean here is so . . .
cerulean, cobalt blue,
aquamarine, azure hued.
Page littered,
crossed out words.
How to write what she sees?
Try again. First words flow,
White-capped and undulating,
turquoise ultramarine waves . . .
sapphire, Prussian, pastel blue.
Mesmerizing . . . royal blue waters.
Nature defies the dictionary.
Stationery crumpled and set aside,
sun glasses off, wine poured
she makes the long distance call . . .
and simply says two words.
Come see.
Bermudaful — another way to say beautiful in Bermuda! We have 10 days left of our month-long stay in this beautiful island country.
It’s Tuesday Poetics at dVerse, the virtual pub for poets. I’m hosting today and provide folks with a number of images to peruse….all of which, in some ways, evoke the feelings of spring. “Think young, take the energy of the spring season and think fun, new life, possibilities. Sunny side up, everyone.” Poets choose one image from those provided in the prompt. (I selected the bicycle). Poems should be motivated by the image, which should be cut and pasted into the post. The poem does not need to be about spring, but it should take us away from the cold and dreary.
Pub opens at 3 PM Boston time. Come see the other images available for this prompt….and put a spring in your step with us!
lillian the home poet 
Bernudaful… love all the great ways to describe the blue… here it’s simple periwinkle that fits the best… but as long as there’s no grey I’m still fine.
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ooooh…didn’t think of periwinkle! And oh yes….chase away the grey! 🙂
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What a beautiful and colorful Bermudaful. Hard to describe such blue blue waters and sky ~
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It is indeed….looking out our window now as I’m on the computer, the different blues just meld into each other in the ocean and then fuse into the sky.
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I loved that you shared your letter, with all the crossed out words. Sometimes it is hard to find the exact word that says what one wants to say.
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It’s almost impossible to find the right word(s) to describe the color of the ocean here surrounding Bermuda. Sometimes it even appears neon! Sometimes it glows! It is truly beautiful, beautiful!
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The blues of nature are all beautiful. From the deep Caribbean sea to the tiny speedwell flower.
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Oh you are so so right. I used to always have blue flowers in my garden in Iowa. And lobelia was my favorite! 🙂
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🙂
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It does sound amazing and beautiful.The sea and all of those shades and colours- very mesmerizing.
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Oh yes. I can sit for a long time just looking at the ocean here! 🙂
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I love the new word, Bermudaful! It looks gorgeous. Anyone would be ‘Smitten by color’. I also like the image of:
‘Sea breezed salt-flavored lips
gnaw tooth-marked pen’.
I can understand how hard it must be to describe such a place.
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Somehow “blue” melds into a myriad of shades in one place…and then when the water meets the clear blue sky in the distance, rather than coming up against a dock or bridge in your field of vision, it really defies description! 🙂
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“she loves all things Bermudaful”
That is so awesome. 🙂
Also these:
“week after week
she tries to begin a letter home.
Sea breezed salt-flavored lips
gnaw tooth-marked pen.”
“Nature defies the dictionary.”
What an effective ending, as well.
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Ah….you’re the only reader who mentioned the ending. I smiled when I thought of it….as in, she gives up trying to describe it and just says, “come and see for yourself!” 🙂 Glad you enjoyed.
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Good observation: “Nature defies the dictionary.”
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Yes….and it happens in many instances, not just looking at the colors of the ocean here. I think there are many times when we just can’t find the words….
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I too liked “Nature defies the dictionary”. So true! So a new word for the dictionary – bermudaful. Another new word that was added to the dictionary recently – glamper – glamorous camping.
Love your poem and so true to form when I try to write letters.. best just to call. So much can get lost in translation. 🙂
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Ah yes…I’d heard of “glamping” — except my computer’s spell checker hasn’t — it keeps wanting to change it to “galloping!” People use the word “Bermudaful” here a lot 🙂 Did you know that Mark Twain used to come often to Bermuda? The quotation he’s most noted for here is “You can go to heaven if you want to, I’ll take Bermuda.” There’s a number of statues, sculptures, black and white photos etc of him here. I actually bought a book about his years here.
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I didn’t know that about Mark Twain! I like his quote. Bermuda must be something to see and enjoy.. perhaps someday I will get there. Enjoy your last days there on the beautiful island..
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Writers block due to overwhelming beauty all around… very unique!
Dwight
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Exactly!! 🙂 That’s why they use the word “Bermudaful” instead of “beautiful!” 🙂
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It works very well!!
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Bermudaful! Love this. And yes there are n words adequate to describe the sea…no matter where it is.
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Exactly! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed.
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so many words but none are adequate to describe nature. love the invitation at the end – I wish 😉
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Maybe on your future list of places to visit? I always thought Bermuda was in the Caribbean…it’s not. It’s actually in the Atlantic off the coast of North Carolina and only a 90 minute direct flight from Boston! 🙂
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So true! Nature’s beauty beyond words… “Nature defies the dictionary.”
I found myself being attracted to read the first verse of every stanza. I discovered another poem. at least two in one! Beautiful!
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Thanks so much, Daniela. So nice to see you here. Interesting way to read the post…:)
Any way you read it or look at it, the best word to describe it here is “Bermudaful” — instead of “beautiful.” Bermudaful is a word well recognized on this island nation….just 22 miles long and .5 miles wide at its widest — the ocean is almost always visible!
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Sound Fantastic.. 😎🥀😎🥀😎🥀😎🥀
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It is!😎
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So.. True.. Constructs
We make may
Over Shadow
Essence
oF Beauty
Even unTiL
Wisdom NoW
BeCoMes Sunshine
BLack.. True.. too.. while some
old bikes meet ends in Gehenna
Dumps oN aN outSkirt oF ‘Town’.. oTHeR
Bikes NOW arE Repainted Blue Bermuda
Beach SkeYeS Ocean eVer FaiLinG NoW
ReBorn Means
Re
Tired
As Wheels
wHo Love aLL
Beauty Wisdom
LiFE ForeverMorenoW.. SMiLES
Lillian.. Happy ‘Easter’ ALWaYS NoW..:)
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Happy Easter to you as well!
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Warm wishes to
You as well.. Lillian..:)
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Reblogged this on Frank J. Tassone and commented:
“she loves all things Bermudaful.” That says it all. Along with your cross-outs for the hue of the ocean! Bermudafully done! 🙂
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Thanks for the reblog! It truly is Bermudaful here😊
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Yes, about that: I deleted the reblog. 🤦♂️ but fear not: I am reblogging your post today! 😀
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All fixed, lillian! 🙂
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Bermudaful–wow! It is beautiful. I love the cross-outs for shades of blue, too.
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So glad you enjoyed! 😎
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“she loves all things Bermudaful.” That says it all. Along with your cross-outs for the hue of the ocean! Bermudafully done! 🙂
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Smiling I am! 😎
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I chose same image and imagined it by the sea! How to describe that blue?
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That is the age old question as poets visit here and artists work at blending oils to get the right melding of changing hues.
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I love this! It makes me want to visit Bermudaful! Your last two words ‘come see’ were the perfect ending to your poem!
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Put it on your list of “must sees”…..it is indeed bermudaful! 🙂
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Amazing!
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