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Sara Etgen-Baker | + Follow Poet |

Fallen Stars--EPHEMERA POETRY CONTEST

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(Image courtesy of my grandmother's scrapbook)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Attic room paint, musty gray-blue fallen stars, moon's silver hues fairytale clutter, brother’s treasure map I brushed off a feathered cap catch fallen stars while roaming down the aisles. Mother’s pink cameo with a Victorian face velvet beret, love letters, and doilies made of lace dusty relics, torn gowns~~from when I can only surmise Father’s picture with smiles and hazel eyes fallen stars fade into shadows. In corner, Granny’s heirloom cedar chest sat quilts, clothes, her slouchy hat, and Granddad’s spats. Aunt Betty’s ostrich feather boa tickled my nose around her neck she wore it with her favorite clothes fallen stars eclipse moon's light. Lives and times from long ago danced upon a cozy fire igniting memories of ancestral lives made of colorful sapphire silk scarves spun from golden threads jewelry, watches, tie clasps, and ivory beads fallen stars shimmer in nighttime sky.

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Suzanne Delaney

Date: 4/17/2024 4:17:00 PM

What wonderful memories in this ‘fairytale clutter, Sara I do love this poem. Reads like a sure winner to me. SuZ

Sara Etgen-Baker
Date: 4/17/2024 6:16:00 PM

thank you, Suzanne, for dropping by. I liked 'fairytale clutter' too...thanks for noticing it. Grateful for your visit and enthusiasm. Have a great evening, Sara

Paige Hind

Date: 4/17/2024 12:27:00 PM

I love the repetition of what the stars are doing at the end of each stanza...just beautiful, almost like a pantoum.

Sara Etgen-Baker
Date: 4/17/2024 6:15:00 PM

thank you for noticing the repetition and the effect it had on the poem. You're right--almost a pantoum...hadn't thought of that. Grateful for your visit and encouragement. Have a pleasant evening, hugs, Sara

Sotto Poet

Date: 4/17/2024 11:18:00 AM

Dear Sara, In a beautiful symphony of love, grief, and perseverance, your poetry honors the timeless nature of recollections and the bonds that bind us to our past as well as our future. It makes the reader think about their genealogy and how special mementos may bring back joyful recollections for years to come.

Sara Etgen-Baker
Date: 4/17/2024 6:14:00 PM

I appreciate your visit, kind Sotto, and your mindful comments. I'm grateful it stirred the reader into thinking about ancestry and genealogy and all those priceless moments. Hope you have a splendid evening, your poetess friend in Texas, Sara

Victor Buhagiar

Date: 4/17/2024 1:53:00 AM

Wow. Such happy memories. Looking at that photo, I wonder where those people ended up. Brings a bit of nostalgia.

Sara Etgen-Baker
Date: 4/17/2024 6:17:00 AM

thank you Victor for your complimentary words. I agree, the poem is nostalgic. The people in the photo are from my father's side of the family--my grandmother, her husband, her brothers and sisters and their children. The picture was taken a few years before I was born...long, long ago :-) have a pleasant day, Sara

Silent One

Date: 4/16/2024 12:05:00 PM

Hi Sara, your poem celebrates the interconnectedness of past and present, weaving together threads of memory and nostalgia to create a tapestry of love, loss, and resilience. It invites readers to reflect on their own family histories and the enduring power of cherished keepsakes to evoke emotions and memories across generations.

Sara Etgen-Baker
Date: 4/16/2024 6:35:00 PM

thanks for your visit and for your analysis of my poem...you're spot on! Always grateful for your insightful words...Have a splendid evening, Sara

Joe Dimino

Date: 4/16/2024 10:31:00 AM

"Lives and times from long ago danced upon a cozy fire igniting memories of ancestral lives made of colorful sapphire silk scarves spun from golden threads" Yes, every life is history of wonder and discovery -- Photographs, memories are ways of hitching a ride and yet follow -- the magnitude of a star existence determined by love manifested and shared. Best of luck with contest. Very well written, great imagery and experience.

Sara Etgen-Baker
Date: 4/16/2024 6:34:00 PM

thank you, Joe. I so appreciate your thoughtful and encouraging comments. Grateful you liked the imagery....that means a lot to me. Have a pleasant evening, Sara

Jerry Brotherton

Date: 4/16/2024 6:24:00 AM

A lovely poem Sara. So many treasures hidden away. Powerful imagery, my friend.

Sara Etgen-Baker
Date: 4/16/2024 6:33:00 PM

thanks for visiting, Jerry, and for your positive and encouraging words. Wishing you a splendid evening, Sara

Jim Healey

Date: 4/16/2024 5:47:00 AM

Beautiful, vivid images Sara. A pleasure to read. I have also written an Ephemera poem. It's a nostalgic kind of experience as you write it. Looking forward to reading more of your poetry. Cheers! Jim

Sara Etgen-Baker
Date: 4/16/2024 6:22:00 PM

thank you, Jim, for stopping by. Grateful you found my poem a pleasure to read. Tomorrow I'll check out your poem and comment on it as well. Have a great evening, Sara