The sleepy December sun struggles
to raise his head above the drifting dreams
that cloud the sky, but breathes a delicate gold filigree,
to hold them till the wind breaks the clasp—
scarlet leaves flutter to the ground
in a fiery pile, they glow with their dying breaths,
the smell of cinnamon, ginger, and ash in the air,
reflecting the morning light, the gulls sparkle
as they wing back and forth,
gathering food and intelligence,
spying for the flock—here are fish, there are eagles,
watch for the woman–
she gazes at the lone duck,
and her face crumbles, remembering,
I’m sorry she says,
my husband died two years ago today—
a blink in the life of the river, grey or blue,
mirroring clouds, sky, sun, and moon,
it whispers to the massive tree trunks and branches
resting on the beach, bleached bone-white,
they’ve traveled a long time together, what stories
they might tell.
An attempt at a fragment poem for dVerse.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Wow!! I really enjoyed your fragmented masterpiece. 🙂
Aww–thank you so much!
You are welcome. 🙂
A walk along your river, with fragments of someone else’s thoughts breaking in. I wonder if the duck had lost her husband too?
Yes, not sure if this is a fragment poem or not.
We wondered about the duck, too.
I have a feeling that if we understand what’s going on, it’s not a real fragmented poem. On the other hand, who wants to read a poem where we don’t know what’s going on?
Yes, exactly! That just seems like post-modern pretension. 😏
My feeling too.
A fantastic attempt, if you ask me. This was so moving and felt like scenes in a movie…
Oh, that’s lovely! Thank you so much, Dale!
Your poem was so lovely!
Awww–😘
😘
Ah, yes, what stories they might tell! I think your landscape is a good muse for you. The sky might be too blue out here. BTW, today decided to be very blue. Not a single cloud. Almost to the hot blue, but not quite.
Thank you very much, Luanne!
This photo is from the summer, but it looks wintry, doesn’t it? It’s been sunny and cloudy here. It seemed gloomy because the sun is already so low in the sky, but I just looked outside, and the sky is bright blue with pretty white clouds. Strange weather!
Well, it does look unsummery, let me call it that!
🤣
Beautiful, Merril: I am intrigued by the hints of stories here!
Thank you so much, Ingrid.
Exactly what I hoped for–though I’m not sure it’s really what Laura was asking for.
It works for me!
Thank you!💙
I read the poem as more of a loosely connected meander than unconnected fragments. Either way, I enjoyed it!
Thank you, Liz. Yes, I think you’re right, and I’m pleased you enjoyed it!
You’re welcome, Merril!
I enjoyed reading the whole poem but this stanza is alive with sensory imagery:
“scarlet leaves flutter to the ground
in a fiery pile, they glow with their dying breaths,
the smell of cinnamon, ginger, and ash in the air,”
You take me there, Merril.
The imagery in this stanza struck me as well, particuarly the smell of cinnamon, ginger, and ash in the air.
Thank you, Liz.
Yes, my mind tends to blur or combine taste/smell and color sometimes. 😀
You’re welcome, Merril. I like that blurring of the senses. It adds depth to a scene.
Thank you again, Liz! 💙
You’re welcome, Merril!
Thank you so much, Lisa! I’m so pleased you felt so.
You’re very welcome.
I’m not familiar with fragment poems, so I read the d’Verse information. I’ve bookmarked it, as I think it’s something I might like to try.
I wasn’t familiar with the term either. 😀
It’s not just me, then! There is so much about poetry that I don’t know!!
I don’t have a poetry or literature background. And–I just got serious about poetry a few years ago, so I am not very knowledgeable about it at all!
I have a literature and poetry background, but my depth of knowledge is in writing fiction–and I’m behind the times there, too!
It’s difficult to keep up with any field unless you’re very active in it.
So I came to learn–in many different areas!
Wow! Lovely, Merril!
Thank you so much, Jill!
A blink in the life of the river…like reflections that keep moving and changing.(K)
Yes, exactly. Thank you, Kerfe.
blink, yes, in the words that flow by, as your story unfolds, here, there, beautifully done, with that timelessness of those final lines…
Thank you so much, Ain!
Fragments strung together so well – birds, humans, trees – all with their spans of shared time.
Thank you very much, Derrick.
Oh! Now I want to know more about her (and her departed husband)!
❤
David
Thank you, David.
A real woman at the park. I only know her from there.
you captured her beautifully.
Thank you so much! 💙
You have created a complete picture with seemingly disparate fragments. Beautifully.
Thank you very much, Helen!
the river a sparkling metaphor for all the fragment it throws up in the current and bankside, as you collected here
Thank you so much, Laura!
Low how you captured this from the walk by the river with thoughts and images entering.
Thank you so much, Björn.
I’m not sure what a fragment poem is, Merril, but this is one of the depths of life you write about from time to time.
Turning on a word, this frag of yours is meant to be.
Thank you very much, Resa!
( If you want to know what a fragment poem is, you can go to the dVerse prompt.)
I’ll do that! Thank you, Merril!
😀
Just beautiful!!!
Thank you so much, Linda!