Missing Her . . .

Handknit, hand-dyed scarf.
Raw wool dipped in boiled walnuts,
transformed to mahogany brown.
Steeped in golden rod,
yellow yarn gleams.
Red wine we often sipped,
created rich burgundy section.
Scarf left behind,
she promised to return.
Summer here, woolens stowed,
save one colorful scarf.

Written for Quadrille Monday at dVerse, the virtual pub for poets around the globe. Pub opens at 3 PM Boston time, come join us! Today’s word to incorporate into our quadrille, a poem of exactly 44 words, sans title, is wine.

Also shared at NaPoWriMo for Day 5. April is National Poetry Writing Month and the challenge is to write one poem every day during the month of April. Photo from Pixabay.com

And yes: I’ve dyed raw wool with such things as walnuts, wine, onion skins, golden rod, and even beets!

30 thoughts on “Missing Her . . .

  1. msjadeli April 5, 2021 / 3:08 pm

    Your poem flows rich like wine. I’m sorry she was not able to return for her scarf.

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  2. kim881 April 5, 2021 / 3:10 pm

    I love the use of colour in your quadrille, Lill! I’m looking forward to knitting again in the autumn. For now, my thickest woollens are indeed stowed. 😊

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  3. Mish April 5, 2021 / 3:19 pm

    Love the short, crisp phrases that paint the story. I have no patience for knitting but would love a scarf in that rich colour.

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  4. Laura Bloomsbury April 5, 2021 / 3:19 pm

    all those lovely natural dyes – – the rhythm felt like knitting too and you cleverly wound in wine!

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  5. merrildsmith April 5, 2021 / 3:40 pm

    Beautiful colors and memories–and wine! It’s wistful. I wonder about her and the scarf.

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  6. robtkistner April 5, 2021 / 3:48 pm

    Wonderful Lillian. My wife is a dyer, for her weaving yarns.

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  7. Glenn A. Buttkus April 5, 2021 / 4:08 pm

    Learned something new here, while enjoying the read. I love the personal reveals we all share over time. Of course, I wonder who “she” is, and why she never returned; a death theme?

    Liked by 1 person

  8. whimsygizmo April 5, 2021 / 4:17 pm

    Nice! I can practically TASTE all those colors!

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  9. RedCat April 5, 2021 / 4:21 pm

    Yesterday we had spring warmth. Woke up today and the world was covered in snow. And I had to get out my woolen socks and scarf again.

    Your lovely piece made me remember my mother dying yearn or fabric. How the colour could be deepened by doing over and over again. Also the smells permeating the whole house.

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  10. rothpoetry April 5, 2021 / 4:24 pm

    I love your poem with its raw ingredients! I remember getting black walnut stains on my hand as a child. I can feel all of the experiences you share here. Well done.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Gillena Cox April 5, 2021 / 4:31 pm

    Nice one, Lillian

    Happy Easter

    Much💛love

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  12. Beverly Crawford April 5, 2021 / 4:51 pm

    Written with poignant longing for return of the owner of the scarlet scarf. Well penned.

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  13. Ken / rivrvlogr April 5, 2021 / 8:00 pm

    I like how you wove the colors through this.
    How well did the colors set when you dyed the wool?

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  14. Truedessa April 5, 2021 / 8:36 pm

    I sense a sadness and I wonder why she never returned?

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  15. Raivenne April 5, 2021 / 9:39 pm

    “she promised to return” such poignancy in a simple line.

    To put the scarf away with the rest would be akin to forgetting her, and no, you’re not ready to do that. Beautiful.

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  16. Ingrid April 6, 2021 / 2:51 am

    I love how you’ve woven all of these colours and memories into so few words. She must have been a very special friend!

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  17. Yvonne Osborne April 6, 2021 / 5:35 am

    I love this. Didn’t know you could dye yarn like that. Never done that but love to knit and a glass of wine while doing so is a favorite pastime on winter evenings.

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  18. Tricia Sankey April 7, 2021 / 5:34 pm

    So many rich memories in the scarf, beautiful piece! ❤

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  19. Helen Dehner April 7, 2021 / 5:58 pm

    Such a lovely poem ….. Hand dyed yarns are the best!

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  20. Manja Mexi Mexcessive April 14, 2021 / 2:17 pm

    Wow! The first time I hear of walnuts for this use. Is this the effect in the picture or is it just a random choice?

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