•Bandaids. How many will it take, to put me back together?
•Antiseptic. Can I scrub away the memory of you?
•Bath Salt. Will my sadness dissolve in the water in the same way?
•Nail Polish. If I change the shade of my personality from a dark blue to a bright red, maybe my feelings won’t bruise so easily.
•Perfume. Because the smell of cherry blossoms reminds me of days by your side but maybe vanilla will make me think of growth.
•Cinammon Scrolls. There are some parts of my old self I might never be able to get rid of. This is one. (I ate lollies with you but never this. It belongs to me.)
•Strawberries. They taste like freedom. Like healing.
•Happiness. I’m not sure where to find it yet. I think it must be in the process of letting you go. (I hope I’m almost there.)
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The Challenge:
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Remembering the rink
If you were there, you’ll never forget it. For decades, Durham Ice Rink was at the heart of the city’s social life. From Friday night ice discos to crowds roaring on the Wasps every Sunday, not to mention a proud history of figure skating and speed skating, the riverside rink was the place to be.
By Andy Potts4 days ago in Art
Comments (19)
Absolutely loved this, Poppy. Fabulous introspection, and an interesting take on the power of food and the senses in general. The last line re “happiness” offered hope at the end of the journey, or perhaps the beginning of a new one. Lovely.
This is sublime, Poppy! I love the idea that strawberries taste of freedom and thought it was clever the way you described each of the things. The nail polish one particularly struck me and that last line is everything! Stunning work as usual, pal!
Beautiful list of healing things and what the mean to you - Nice work!
Most of this sounds like stuff You'd buy at "Bed, Bath, and Beyond." Thanks to the self-care culture today I wonder if investors are going big on that market. That last part though, "Happiness," reminds me of the lyrics from a song where the line goes, "I'm not happier, but I'm way less sad." Plus, strawberries are ohhhhhh so good. Love picking them right off the vine, rinsing them, and eating them fresh as they are. Plus, they got high levels of anti-oxidants. Gotta remove those free radicals somehow.
Retail therapy. Let the shopping commence.
I was totally stumped, but I kinda get it now. The grocery list thing poem. Nice.
This was PHENOMENAL! I especially loved the nail polish and antiseptic. At the risk of sounding dumb, what are cinnamon scrolls? 😅
Excellent take on the challenge. Wouldn’t it be nice to buy happiness whenever we need it.
Oh love this so much! The thoughts behind each purchase so cleverly done x Brilliant! 🤍
Oh my, this is such an amazing poem! I love this so much. That nail polish line? HELLO?? Stunning. "Strawberries. They taste like freedom. Like healing." a big YES to that. You're really good at this Poppy! :)
Such clever writing!
She didn't buy alcohol, this is good!
Wow… quite the grocery list!!😳 Remind me not to go shopping with you too often… unless of course, you’re paying the bill!🙃
This is so good, Poppy. The raw depth of emotion is . . . just wow. Well done!
Awesome, Poppy
My jaw is on the floor. True, the context is more than the challenge asked for, but damn, Poppy, the emotional richness in these lines is just incredible. "Nail Polish. If I change the shade of my personality from a dark blue to a bright red, maybe my feelings won’t bruise so easily." -- Mic drop. The word play on "bruise" is stunning here. "•Cinammon Scrolls. There are some parts of my old self I might never be able to get rid of. This is one. (I ate lollies with you but never this. It belongs to me.)" -- The reclamation of cinnamon. This spice is dear to my heart, so naturally I was drawn to this line. It's a wonderful accompaniment to the item, almost unrelated, til you think about it more. Fantastic.
Great job on the prompt. Well done.
Lovely, hopeful poem. I recommend local parks with lovely trees for a place to start hunting for happiness! 🥳
DAMN. This is good.