Dalliance

Be mindful where you walk.
Some of these hills
are full of things best left unsaid.

Here things grow wild

that cut and stab--

roses that never bloom.

In my mind,

honeysuckle is sweeter

and lacks the thorns.

If you will not be deterred

By stings and nettles and bites

come along, then,
follow the deer path
straight up past the scrub cedars
and the tired, old oak.
I'll be at the creek
toes bare

in the cool, clear water--
waiting.

Dalliance

is best shared.

 

Reviews

[KUFU]

I love to dilly dally...usually gets me in trouble though with some authoritarian type, but you, you wait with:

"toes bare
in the cool, clear water--"

...how accommodating. The civility of this piece is what draws me in. You write this as if to say, "even though summer is fading fast, we can still kick back and enjoy the sublime re-freshingness of Fall, And laze away the extended dusk in the cool shade of an Autumnal glade"...OK that was way too rhymee...hehe, but the peace of this poem is quite refreshing.
This poem reads like the intentions of an Oriental Rock Garden or reflecting pool. Calm, serene, beautiful.
A delight to read.

[Loribeth215]

Hi Emily,

I really like this. Atmospheric, tranquil, and just a little foreboding at the same time. This is my favorite line:

Be mindful where you walk.
Some of these hills
are full of things best left unsaid.

[Jim W White]

Keats, Blake, Wordsworth.. would thank you for this. You cannot beat nature and human psyche as provoking contrastables (surely not a word 'contrastables' but it counts). Lovely and innocent but not at all naive.. very honest, very endearing but cryptic enough to make it a thoughtful read and re-read. "In my mind honeysuckle is sweeter and lacks thorns".. good stuff!

[Tomás Ó C..]

We well may be along, have the plasters ready for the scrathes on our legs!!!

[Spoken]

Great imagery Em! Loved this... some imagery I can really sink my mind into!

The very definition of getting what you want in life... No work no play.. and it's no fun to play alone :)

[Christine]

Very vivid imagery! Great job with this. I really like it.

Christine :-)

[Scott H.]

I love this piece. The imagery in so vivid and alive.

[Spilled Her Guts in Cur..]

I love the image i get from this. Very pretty and rural and it makes me smile.

Great job!

[Dezaraye]

You paint a beautiful picture. Even the dangerous things hold a beauty of their own ... but nothing like the honeysuckle and dangling feet in cold, clear water. How wonderful.

[Annie]

I like this... You seem to convey a message about some things being left unsaid, yet provide an image that somehow seems to hide it and keep the mind entertained.

[TL Boehm]

oh Emily I love this one. It has a romantic, old world poetry feel to it. Gentle yet lush with meaning. Nicely done.