Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Wednesday Poem


host a weekly opportunity for poets to post
one of their poems



Here's mine:



  A Bar of Ivory Soap

Held its familiar shape in my hand
 it lathered and released a fragrance of time
It took me back to claw foot tub
 mother kneeling beside it soaping my body
as I played in the cloudy water

I raised the soap to my face like a sacred object
tried to inhale my mother back to me
and for a moment she was there
but my grip failed
and the bar slipped from my fingers
splashed
into the sink
vanished
under cloudy water
and
she
was
gone


***



29 comments:

  1. This is very beautiful and i love the way it looks like a splash of water in the air.

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  2. That was a sweet memory. And yes, ivory soap holds lots of memories in its strong scent. Thank you.

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  3. I work in the home town of Ivory Soap (Cincinnati) - which seems strange to me. It's like all of these iconic symbols of the past aren't supposed to get MADE somewhere - sort of like seeing your teacher out in public...

    My poem today is about my mom too - they do seem to be elusive!

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  4. Does P & G still whip air into the Ivory formula to make it float? Lovely piece memories.

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  5. oh, suz- this is exquisite!! i would ahve to say that this is probably one of my favorite peices, maybe because it brings back those very same memories?

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  6. yes it does, but when it is dropped it goes down
    only to reappear
    you are such a good reader

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  7. Sheri, so you had a clawfoot tub too? and everyone used Ivory
    that magical soap that you could pull down under only to have it reappear..such fun
    and when the soap plops into the sink..the magic is gone

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  8. I am forever connected to the floating Ivory and it's sweet scent...thanks for the sweet reminder!

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  9. that was really clever..i often get nostalgic through smells and i like the way you portrayed the soap and its fragrance in this...thanks for sharing such a fine piece with One Shot..cheers Pete

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  10. isnt it amazing hte things that take us back...i can so relate to the smell fo ivery soap and the the blue grey cloudy water...i still have my mom, but still remember the days....nice oneshot!

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  11. Oh, yes -- but for me it reminds me of my grandmother. Love 'inhale my mother back to me.'

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  12. Sweet memory of a bath with your mothers assistance. I love Ivory soap so much...

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  13. I'm heading out to buy a bar of Ivory:)

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  14. Amazing how a childhood memory can come to life through a common household object. Beautiful poem, Suz

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  15. Your poem is so evocative, Suz. I like that the soap is a sacred object and the use of 'cloudy water' twice. I can smell that clean scent of the Ivory soap.

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  16. so wonderful... one can almost feel the magic

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  17. I don't know of this soap but that doesn't matter - you created a beautiful picture of a memory that is more than the soap alone; a memory as slippery as soap.

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  18. Amazing how fragrances can kindle fond memories.

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  19. This brought back memories, a lovely poem. Thanks for sharing with One Shotx

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  20. I haven't used ivory soap in years-- but this sure brings back memories.

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  21. I think
    I just found a lovely blog
    :D
    like it
    visit mine :D

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  22. Oh so sweet, lovely memories, and association, but sad too, losing our mother's sigh. Nice one shot.

    Cheers,

    Joanny

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  23. That is a lovely contribution! "tried to inhale my mother back to me" really got to me. Thanks for coming by my blog, btw!

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  24. love the way memories come back. this was so perfect and sudsy...

    Glad you shared with One Shot

    smiles from the Moon

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  25. I like this a lot. Our sense of smell carries so many memories. One sniff, and you are transported. You captured that feeling very well.

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  26. Awww...wonderful poem. Very touching. I lost my mother, so this struck a deep chord in me.

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  27. Smells are irrevocably tied to memories. I love the telling of yours. Nicely done!
    http://mairmusic.wordpress.com/

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  28. There is something very special about the memories that aromas take us to. The ending is just inspired and so true that when you try to hold on too tight to things they just slip away from your grasp.

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