The body of a woman
as though twilight shadows lengthened
and a glimpse into the woes
washed by the rain.
The body of a woman
as clouds that descend without a thought
and a glimpse into past resolutions
as changes in the sea.
The body of a woman
as memory belonging to another lifetime
and a glimpse into unfaltering hope
etched upon her heart.
I glanced at myself in the mirror,
grateful for the body and soul
that would carry on to be an example
to the world.
Photo credits: Pinterest
Inspired by the title ‘Body of a Woman’ by Pablo Neruda
Also linking to Leo’s Wednesday Verses
Posted on Midweek Motif @ Poets United
Posted on Open Link Night @ dVerse Pub
56 Responses
Lovely! Well written and thoughtful. I love how in the first three stanzas you write in metaphor and in the last it’s more concrete.
Thank you so much, Mosk 😀 so good to see you ❤️
Wow! So much is at stake in our health, self-respect and willingness to expand to our fullest. I love that your subject is female capacity and most particularly that of the voice in this poem. This is a beautiful body, a beautiful poem.
Aww gosh!❤️ Thank you so much, Susan 😀 so glad you liked it!❤️
I especially like the unfaltering hope etched upon her heart. We all need that quality!
Definitely 😀 thanks for stopping by, Sherry ❤️
I read this as a woman accepts the changes that occur to in her lifetime as well as her common sense that is inherent being passed to future generations. (Mind you I have a vivid imagination!)
Thank you so much, Robin 😀 so glad you liked it ❤️
(Your interpretation was accurate!)
This is beautiful and elegant. Such vivid metaphors. The portrait is lovely too.
Thank you so much, Barry 😀 so glad you liked it ❤️
It’s quite nice that there have been changes over time, but she accepts those and sees herself as a role model, to herself if not anyone else. 🙂
Thank you so much for linking up with #WednesdayVerses, Sanaa!
Thank you so much, Vinay 🙂 so glad you liked it ❤️
(and thank you for the lovely prompt)
Accepting the changes is definitely a good resolution. Well said Sanaa.
Thank you so much, Jyothi 🙂 so good to see you ❤️
beautifully written Sanaa
Thank you so much, Jae 🙂 so glad you liked it ❤️
Accepting who we are and being grateful for it is all we need!
Thanks for linking up with #WednesdayVerses
Thank you so much, Reema 😀 so good to see you ❤️
(and thank you for the lovely prompt)
Gratitude for one’s own body is not always easy to express, but you have done it well.
Thank you so much, MMT 🙂 so glad you liked it ❤️
Expressed with joy and hope. Lovely!
Thank you so much, Sara 😀 so good to see you ❤️
I like the shift from focusing on ‘the body of a woman’ in general to the reflection of your own body, Sanaa. The stanza that I identify with is:
‘The body of a woman
as memory belonging to another lifetime
and a glimpse into unfaltering hope
etched upon her heart’.
Thank you so much, Kim 😀 so glad you liked it ❤️
I love the reflecting part here… and cannot avoid reflecting on the the similarities between your poem and Kim’s… as well as the choice of image being so different.
Thank you so much, Bjorn 🙂 so good to see you ❤️
And may we bring joy and much hope to the world!
Definitely 😀 thanks for stopping by, Grace ❤️
The body of a woman is as mystifying as it is beautiful!
Hank
Thank you so much, Hank 🙂 so good to see you ❤️
Our bodies, even in our senior years. deserved to be revered. I love the sort-of twist at the end.
Thank you so much, Victoria 😊 so glad you liked it ❤
This is so beautiful! And haunting in its beauty!
Thank you so much, Audrey 😊 so good to see you ❤
I liked the phrase: “The body of a woman
as memory”
Thank you so much, Frank 😊 so glad you liked it ❤
The third stanza really stands out for me. The body houses the spirit that resides inside.
Thank you so much, Truedessa 😊 so glad you liked it ❤
Love the attitude of body and soul being an example to others. Wonderfully positive!
Thank you so much, Bryan 😊 so good to see you ❤
Hi Sanaa, each stanza is beautiful with an equally beautiful message. I hear the confidence in the poem.
Thank you so much, Vivian 😊 so good to see you ❤
As a man I have always believed that the body of a woman is nature’s finest work of art. This lovely poem is both personal and ethereal. I like the third stanza best.
Aww gosh!❤ Thank you so much, Glenn 😊 so glad you liked it!❤
Every body is a collection of its experiences, of every touch, of every person we allow into our soul… And when we are no more, the memories gathered by our tells our story, an everlasting sample of what we were.
Definitely 😀 thanks for stopping by, Magaly ❤
“Twilight shadows lengthened” is a gorgeous way to describe the life, plight, depth, and beauty of what it means to be a woman.
Thank you so much, Amaya 😀 so glad you liked it ❤
Simply brilliant! Deft imagery, a wonderous refrain. Elegant and evocative!
Thank you so much, Frank 😀 so glad you enjoyed it ❤
A beautiful and inspiring write Sanaa, there is so much strength here, both in the metaphors and in the heart xxx
Aww gosh!❤ Thank you so much, Xenia 😀 so glad you liked it! ❤
So sorry to be this late Sanaa, I was without my laptop. Thanks for this beautiful gift of a poem. I love the resolution of the speaker at the end and also the beautiful metaphors at work in the previous stanzas.
Thank you so much, Sumana 😀 so glad you liked it ❤
(and thank you for the lovely prompt)
The repetition of the phrase has a wonderful impact and the manner in which you’ve used it differently is great. Enjoyed this piece.
Thank you so much, Sanch 🙂 so glad you enjoyed it ❤