Photo Album
This week’s words: amalgam, gravel, trash, nothing, cheat, vacant, brick, mouth, tentacles, fence, notices, everything, balance
~~ 1 ~~
an old photograph
amalgam of sepias
staining the paper
~~ 2 ~~
Forties photograph—
we are planting apple trees
near the gravel pit.
~~ 3 ~~
She writes poetry
on the photograph’s edges—
two words rhyme with trash.
~~ 4 ~~
Her crushing losses—
nothing in the photograph,
but what is missing.
~~ 5 ~~
See this photograph?
Even though her bed’s on fire,
still you cheat on me!
~~ 6 ~~
From the photograph
she stares out with vacant eyes—
no one knows her name.
~~ 7 ~~
Frankfurt photograph—
graffiti stains a brick wall,
while old men play chess.
~~ 8 ~~
her mouth makes an O
staring at the photograph
of the one she loves
~~ 9 ~~
Grandma’s photograph—
apron strings in disarray
tentacles of grace
~~ 10 ~~
Old fence photograph—
cowboys will never forget
mustangs corralled there.
~~ 11 ~~
A faded photo—
she notices his squinting
eighty years ago.
~~ 12 ~~
everything but one
shows in the old photograph—
miser’s wizened heart
~~ 13 ~~
on a balance beam
the small child in the photo
smiles with confidence
© 2013 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More Poetry Pantry #172
More The Sunday Whirl, Wordle 131
Posted on October 20, 2013, in 5-7-5, The Poetry Pantry, The Sunday Whirl and tagged amalgam, balance, brick, cheat, everything, fence, gravel, mouth, nothing, notices, tentacles, trash, vacant. Bookmark the permalink. 46 Comments.
Magical Mystical Teacher 
You write so well that I don’t need to see these pictures. Reading these is like a slide-show in my heart.
You mean 35mm slides? 😉 Thank you!
memories held dear
Photos are powerful joggers of memories, aren’t they?
Seems like a lifetime of instances captured in these quick images. So well explained…
Eileen
That’s what snapshots do: They capture life on the fly and preserve it “forever.” 😉
what a treasure it would be to find those old photos with poetry on the side of them….really cool progression through these as well….
I agree: Finding poetry written on photos would be a wonder-filled discovery!
Yes, photographs nudge our memories….loved each one, especially loved #10!
Photos are a powerful way to nudge memories and so, I think, are the visual art works you produce.
Wow, wow, wow. Such interesting reflections on photographs! I have seen some old photos too (from old family albums – unlabeled) where people stare out with vacant eyes, and I wonder just who it is & what they were thinking. And yes, the child on the balance beam….and you wonder if the child kept that confidence into adulthood. A very nice set!
I’m going to believe (and I hope you do too) that the child on the balance beam kept her confidence throughout a long and productive life!
Reading through these was like flipping through the photos themselves. Nicely penned, each of them! #6 is particularly haunting. I have seen this photo. It makes me sad.
It sounds to me like you have spent many pleasurable hours lingering over piles of photographs!
You write so well, I am able to picture the whole scene & feel the emotion from each group of words!
I’m glad to have brought you pleasure this morning!
Beautiful haiku, each one its own beauty ~
Grace
Fabulously written – I can see them all, and especially love the apron string “tentacles of grace”. Wowzers!
I kind of like those apron strings too. Glad we’re “on the same page.”
Lovely! I really enjoyed “tentacles of grace.”
Those tentacles rather grabbed me too! 😉
Great job, as always. My favorites…the first and ninth.
So glad you found some to latch on to as faves! 😉
Wonderful progression in poetry here and yes the apron strings and tentacles of grace is my favorite.
You like aprons too? They do come in handy, don’t they? Especially as a means of grace…
I’d forgotten how much I enjoy your short bits (haiku, I think? I’ve been off the grid for awhile) — it’s hard to pick favourites (and I think I always say this) but I’m rather drawn to number 7 and the grafitti stained wall…as I say though, they’re all good.
http://thepoet-tree-house.blogspot.ca/2013/10/notice-how-nothing-nohow.html
Some are haiku, some are just short poems, but all are in 5-7-5 format. Glad to see you again, and glad that you enjoyed this little romp through the photo album! 😉
I really like the way you show photographs so that we don’t need the photos at all. Nice!
Perhaps you recognise someone here? 😉
You always have an interesting multifacetted take on the Wordle.
I try. Sometimes I think I don’t succeed, but I’ll let my readers decide. Thank you!
Spectacular series as always.
I’m glad it was spectacular and not a spectacle! 😉 Thanks, Irene!
I too loved the progression here although each one stands beautifully on its own–
That’s why I numbered them, so they could stand on their own. 😉 (I really didn’t see this as a set of stanzas to one poem.)
This is like meandering through old photos of my family. The sepia mentioned as a stain is a nice touch, but “nothing in the photograph/ but what is missing” got me by the throat. Excellent format for the Wordle. Amy
It’s good, I think, to have visceral reactions to poetry. Thanks for your kind comment.
The two words that rhymed with trash set my mind on fire. However grannies apron reminded me of photos of my grandmother always wearing her apron or pinafore. Your haiku sets always evoke a laugh.
Some laugh, some weep, My hope is that all appreciate! 😉 Thanks for your kind comment.
A wonderful bouquet MMT 🙂
Glad you came by to sniff the blooms, Celestine! 😉
really nice haiku string; the old photos evoke stirring memories
much love…
Might they also stir evocative memories? 😉 (Just playing with words, I am!)
I enjoyed them all, but especially this one:
“Grandma’s photograph—
apron strings in disarray
tentacles of grace”
Aha there she is the right there confident and smiling in the last verse..all that she was makes all that she is..
Number nine caught my attention in particular.