a few broken promises
some dishonoured vows
yours and mine, I keep
like shark's teeth
braceleted as charms
...besides
a Firecrest feather duster
for sweeping up the past
clear crystal in a sphere
and sympathetic writings
rolled as tiny scrolls
from our forgiving friends

43 thoughts on “Relics”

1. A Firecrest feather duster
   for sweeping up the past…..

   LOVE these lines! Well done!

   1. thank you Lillian for your feedback and the prompt

2. Love the relics & keepsakes of the past – specially the sympathetic writings rolled as tiny scrolls from forgiving friends.

   1. a charm bracelet contains so much!

3. Laura, you have me envisioning a snowglobe with all of the precious items within it, where those friends can shake it every so often 🙂

   1. an interesting metaphor Lisa!

      1. It was my first thought with all of the meticulous tiny things and trying to keep them contained.

4. This is gorgeously rendered, Laura! I love the image of a “Firecrest feather duster.” 💜💜💜

   1. thank you Sanaa – we need to sweep away the past sometimes

5. The firecrest is the smallest bird in Sweden as well… love also those broken promises kept.

   1. Makes for a paradox

6. h the sharks’ teeth and feather duster…brilliant, but the tone all-too real…

   1. life like certainly Ain!

7. Oof! Some promises never really are.

   1. I guess not when broken Ken but what then are they called?I

8. The firecrest featherduster is a great image for this poem.

   1. the image literally flew in

      1. It was great!!

9. Love is complicated. (K)

   1. as life 😉

10. Great images. I too like the firecrest featherduster for sweeping up the past. This poem makes me think about cherishing the shared journey as it really is broken, repaired, and all beautiful in its own way.

    1. thank you Ali – you have picked up just what I’d hoped the poem is saying

11. Quite the charm bracelet!

    1. a mix of charms indeed

12. Beautiful writing, Laura.

    1. thank you Roberta

13. Oh this is SO good, Laura. And what an image: ‘shark’s teeth braceleted as charms’ – the gnawing things we fasten on ourselves. So much dark ‘treasure’.

    1. and so well put Tish – those gnawing things we fasten – thank you for this encapsulation

14. Beautifully written, Laura

    1. ❤

15. What a struggle between keeping bad memories like charms on a bracelet and making a clean sweep of the past and thank goodness for the boon of friends…

    1. the baggage we all carry though it does not have to be burdensome

16. Laura, your poem beautifully weaves memories and artifacts into a poignant reflection on promises and the passage of time!

    ~David

    1. thank you David for your insightful summation

17. “sympathetic writing rolled as tiny scrolls” – a beautiful turn of phrase! Excellent.

    1. thank you for picking out that one

18. I’m sorry I’m so late responding, Laura, but it’s been a difficult week. Your quadrille has sorted me out this morning, especially the promises and dishonoured vows ‘like shark’s teeth braceleted as charms’ and the ‘Firecrest feather duster for sweeping up the past’. I agree with Andrew about the struggle between keeping and sweeping clean.

    1. thank you Kim for stopping by with your kind words –

       1. Always a pleasure, Laura.

19. “A Firecrest feather duster

    for sweeping up the past”.”

    Love that image, Laura. Beautiful poem.

    1. many thanks – nothing larger would fit the charm bracelet!

20. I love the this Laura, its sadness, its truth, its compromise.

    1. thank you Paul for this insightful feedback

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