Fragments of an era lost in the mists of time

Night was elongation of berry-red urge
and desire,
carrying your words like wisps of clouds–
I watch as they mouth your name
and paint
every emotion that has ever erupted within me
in raisin black.
I have been halved and cored,
held on to every thought
as you kiss my lips
while they retort–

my torment is one of freckles upon blood oranges,
their vital force
pulled apart
so that cloying would last; would last.

 

 

Photo credits: Thomas Saliot, Pinterest

β€œI have been halved and cored,” from Perennial by Kerry O’ Conner ❀️

Posted for Weekend Mini-Challenge: 13 Poetic bits of kerry @ Real Toads

64 thoughts on “Fragments of an era lost in the mists of time

  1. Kerry says:

    This is a deeply passionate poem, Sanaa. The image of fruit gives me associations of both ripeness and decay, the yin and yang of relationships. It is wonderful to see my line in your poem but your own words affect me more:

    their vital force
    pulled apart so that cloying would last

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Kerry 😍 so glad the poem resonated with you πŸ“β€οΈ

  2. Jae Rose says:

    What an intense and powerful poem

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Jae πŸ˜€ so good to see you πŸ“β€οΈ

  3. Shawna says:

    This is so good, Sana’a. So good.

    What fabulously creative phrasing’s:

    β€œelongation of berry-red urge”

    β€œevery emotion that has ever erupted within me
    in raisin black”

    β€œmy torment is one of freckles upon blood oranges”

    The rhyme throughout is excellent.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Shawna πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it πŸ“β€οΈ

  4. I don’t often use the word “organic” to describe a poem, but the terms was the first thing that came to mind when I read this one. This poem is alive, fighting with lips, watching the world and recording its feels, it’s being cut but continues to be whole. The end, in particular, that final bit of repetition “would last; would last” sticks to the chest walls… and lingers.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Magaly πŸ˜€ so glad the poem resonated with you πŸ“β€οΈ

      (and thank you for the glorious prompt) 🌹

  5. I love how you’ve taken Magaly’s thirteen bits and turned them into fragments of an era, Sanaa, as well as the fruitiness you have imbued in your poem: the colourful β€˜berry-red urge and desire’, β€˜raisin black’ and the β€˜freckles upon blood oranges’; and the passion in being halved and cored.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Kim πŸ˜€ so glad you liked it πŸ“β€οΈ

  6. Vivian Zems says:

    This is filled with raw emotion. Lovely!

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Vivian πŸ˜€ so good to see you πŸ“β€οΈ

  7. Helen L Dehner says:

    I have fallen head over heels with your poem, the magic you imbued in colors and descriptive words. Sigh.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Helen πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it πŸ“β€οΈ

  8. Toni Spencer says:

    A lovely and passionate poem

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Toni πŸ™‚ so glad you liked it πŸ“β€οΈ

  9. Inspired use of the prompt! And I love that perfectly judged repetition at the end.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Rosemary πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it πŸ“β€οΈ

  10. Old Egg says:

    What a fruity piece of poetry Sanaa! How we always want to have each pleasure last a little longer, forgetting that desiring something is often more satisfactory than achieving it only to find you are empty again!

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Robin πŸ˜€ so glad the poem resonated with you πŸ“β€οΈ

  11. Brendan says:

    Sappho was the first poet of desire, measuring Eros at the ends of arousal — O that a touch could halve and core a longing , that torment could be so delicate and wild at once, filling all the sails with gorgeous abandon. Lovely work Sanaa.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Brendan πŸ˜€ so glad you liked it πŸ“β€οΈ

  12. Rommy says:

    This is such intense and passionate imagery. It grabs at us instantly and builds from there.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Rommy πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it πŸ“β€οΈ

  13. Your borrowed line works seamlessly in this poem. And I love the closing lines.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Sherry πŸ˜€ so good to see you πŸ“β€οΈ

  14. Margaret says:

    vivid and passionate!

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Margaret πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it πŸ“β€οΈ

  15. Thotpurge says:

    Rich imagery and colour, Sanaa.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Rajani πŸ˜€ so glad you liked it πŸ“β€οΈ

  16. Sumana Roy says:

    The play of colors with such depth and emotion so lifts the poem! The poem touches reality going beyond sweetness.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Sumana πŸ˜€ so glad the poem resonated with you πŸ“β€οΈ

  17. If someone could halve and core me, I certainly wouldn’t complain! πŸ™‚

    1. Sanaa says:

      πŸ“β€οΈπŸ“β€οΈ

  18. Marian says:

    Raisin black! Love that.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Marian πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it πŸ“β€οΈ

  19. I love the line about being halved and cored. And the colors bring this to life.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Colleen πŸ˜€ so glad you liked it πŸ“β€οΈ

  20. gillena says:

    The duplicity of sensuous love is well evoked, the fire the passion the sweetness and the letting go
    Happy Sunday, thanks for dropping by my blog today

    Much✏love

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Gillena πŸ˜€ so glad the poem resonated with you πŸ“β€οΈ

      MuchπŸ“love

  21. ZQ says:

    Love all the colors…

    1. Sanaa says:

      πŸ“β€οΈπŸ“β€οΈ

  22. Scott Hastie says:

    Beautifully, richly passionate and visceral, as ever, my dear Sanaa – I especially like the notion of: “freckles upon blood oranges…” and the use of “raisin black” Beautiful and inspiring writing…

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Scott πŸ˜€ so glad you liked it πŸ“β€οΈ

  23. “Night was elongation of berry-red urge and desire” Goodness, from your very first line I was captivated. You have written so well of the bite romance hold when it is in the throes of darkness. I have so loved watching you grow into such a talented poet.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Awwww gosh! πŸ“β€οΈ Thank you so much, Susie πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it! πŸ“β€οΈ

  24. Something in this made me think of Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly”. This poem is incredibly visceral. I love the images of fruit – ripe and coming apart. “I have been halved and cored” is a wonderful line!

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, H. Hennenburg πŸ˜€ so glad the poem resonated with you πŸ“β€οΈ

  25. Bjorn Rudberg says:

    The freckles on a blood orange…
    like the mole on a model it’s what make passion perfect

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Bjorn πŸ˜€ so glad you liked it πŸ“β€οΈ

  26. When you are hollowed out like this–the only thing left is to claim your power–i loved this!!!

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Audrey πŸ˜€ so glad the poem resonated with you πŸ“β€οΈ

  27. Margaret says:

    second read through… halved and cored – that is very vivid and leaves one quite vulnerable.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Margaret πŸ˜€ for your second visit! Sending love and hugs your way πŸ“β€οΈ

  28. Wendy Bourke says:

    Yet another stunning piece. I really like what you did with the construction of this one …. it is rather mesmerizing.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Wendy πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it πŸ“β€οΈ

  29. Pratibha says:

    I loved this so much. So many emotions and such vivid images!

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Pratibha πŸ˜€ so glad you liked it πŸ“β€οΈ

  30. Susan says:

    “would last; would last.” Such torment! And within the very fruit of our lives . . . .

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Susan πŸ˜€ so glad the poem resonated with you πŸ“β€οΈ

  31. Words of longing and sadness. You give us interesting shades of your world. thank you

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Joel πŸ™‚ so glad you liked it πŸ“β€οΈ

  32. Sara McNulty says:

    Your last two lines are a perfect closing to this excellent, well written poem.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Sara πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it πŸ“β€οΈ

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