Get Your Premium Membership

Fashioned Fortitude

Poet's Notes
(Show)

Become a Premium Member and post notes and photos about your poem like Ink Empress.


written for the self portrait contest sponsored by Jayme T using words that are taken from my messy wardrobe. 

A mirror never reveals fallen secrets sewn with soulful sequins; time unmutes raven melodies within, tawny tunes of truth~ I once spoke in colorful dialects. Now, I trust just the crying crescent in your onyx realms to alter faulty fringes, hanging undone. Tonight I flaunt scented blue, macaw-feathered longing across skies draped in glamorous garments. There, the sakura moon glows, mimicking the sullen silhouette of this ink-less skin, in an amethyst sundress flowing with kimono sleeves, embellished with floral textures, sparkling above cashmere rivulets, while flickering jewels of midnight sing beige ballads in a taupe tenor, emanating tales of wildfire forests through toffee-brown irises of twinkling lunar. With you, this metallic gold cage feels unchained and free, for my glass heart is a walk-in closet, a perfectly imperfect mess; fearless yet seamlessly flawed, prisoner to polyester promises, brimming with mismatched memories and messy memoirs perfumed with limitless weariness, buttoned with burgundy betrayals, tangled in unwashable restlessness. Yet the ignorant ones claim this is me cloaked in shame and self-loathing rants, oblivious to hope that flows forgotten, in russet wine and champagne shades, between velvety dusk of dazzling deceit and dimmed dawn of unstrapped reality, when innocence is buried within a pile of unzipped sins and needles. But in the midst of silence, I sit, questioning the milky quartz stars in soft, melted musicality; will scarlet-scarfed sorrow be seen in darkness? Will fate ever stitch frayed fabric of woes? I wear my grief in silken lilac, concealing the sleepless nights beneath cinnamon eyes, veiling the buckled scars beneath tanned skin, reluctant to voice the corseted angst... I thread beads of bruised dreams with warm strands of tenderness, letting my honey-sage hair dance in the delicate light of the summer breeze, for I am the retro queen of fashioned fortitude, crowned in blushing begonias, robed in sakura stillness, throned to the vintage visions of antique skirts, tracing pastel-colored pages of poetry to find the rhymes beyond leathered phrases I weave, as I waltz through wisps of wilderness, dressed in hues of haze and blackness that dwells deeper than obsidian tears. I am the essence of sunless spheres. I strive alone, crooning chaos in cluttered cadence, as an unfinished portrait of a poignant past, framed in garnet elegance and gothic-ruffled gracefulness.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2024




Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 7/21/2024 9:44:00 PM
Glamorous, mysterious & charming! 'garnet elegance' lovely writing. Congratulations dear poet.
Login to Reply
Date: 7/20/2024 3:26:00 PM
Congratulations Dear Inky on your win. Cheers.
Login to Reply
Date: 7/16/2024 10:12:00 AM
Wow, this is breathtaking, Ink! "glass heart a walk-in closet" whoa-" to alter faulty fringes, hanging undone" beautiful imagery
Login to Reply
Date: 7/15/2024 1:56:00 PM
This is a stunning masterpiece of vivid imagery and profound emotion, weaving a complex narrative that explores themes of identity, loss, and resilience. The use of language is both intricate and evocative, as always creating a sensory experience that immerses the reader in the layered world of your deep emotions, which you express in the most poetic style... as always your used of metaphor and adjectives are spot on.. Best of luck in the contest..
Login to Reply
Date: 7/14/2024 8:48:00 PM
Looks like you finally did this one. I'm sure it will be a hit, Ink. So many beautiful colors of clothing to paint your own beauty from within and without. My favorite part: a perfectly imperfect mess. Cluttered cadence too. So much like me!
Login to Reply
Date: 7/14/2024 12:43:00 AM
This is simply awesome as a poem. But its obvious tone of melancholy is distressing. "Will fate ever stitch frayed fabric of woes? I wear my grief in silken lilac, concealing the sleepless nights beneath cinnamon eyes, veiling the buckled scars beneath tanned skin, reluctant to voice the corseted angst..." Dear Empress, I feel your angst.Definitely a good tailor can stitch even a frayed fabric to make it wearable. Hope something better awaits you. One day you'll be dressed in glamorous garments like a queen. "I strive alone, crooning chaos in cluttered cadence," Who knows a beautiful symphony won't rise from you! While staying in awe of your great penmanship, this dark poetry has left me sad. Your alliterations and metaphors stand out and never escape admirable notice.
Login to Reply
Empress Avatar
Ink Empress
Date: 7/14/2024 6:13:00 AM
Your empathy and compassion touches my soul, Cosmically youv felt my thoughts and left such a sincere comment, im grateful truly! I need to definitely clean out my closet and get rid of bad memories. Thank you for reading appreciate you always
Date: 7/13/2024 9:50:00 PM
This closet full of clothes for any occasion reverberate with me as I squeeze a few hangers apart to make room for more. Fashion certainly describes a type. I love this one. Good luck with the contest.
Login to Reply
Empress Avatar
Ink Empress
Date: 7/14/2024 6:17:00 AM
Thank you dear kind hilda, i appreciate your thoughtful comments always. Grateful
Date: 7/13/2024 3:00:00 PM
Okay. Great craft for this contest. Well, Done Great Ink. "brimming with mismatched memories and messy memoirs perfumed with limitless weariness, buttoned with burgundy betrayals, tangled in unwashable restlessness." I wouldn't sleep well if I didn't point out this wonderful pair and alliterations. The vivid emphasis were amazing. I could only be in awe of your wordsmithtiness.
Login to Reply
Empress Avatar
Ink Empress
Date: 7/14/2024 6:21:00 AM
You are so sweet dear tonye. And i remain forever in debt to your kindness, truly! Thank you so much for reading all my poems and for so wholeheartedly commenting. You should kno, i read them and they make me feel heard and seen thank you again
Date: 7/13/2024 2:44:00 PM
OMG Empess! A core confession that you ppaint of yourself with such honestt that i too become nearly prostrate w/humility…And altogether stroked before us w/such a magnificence…that i am to quit my poet-ing henceforth. I shall weave the daisies in your tiara as i i as a dabbler after this…awed by this Fav. Love U …
Login to Reply
Empress Avatar
Ink Empress
Date: 7/14/2024 6:22:00 AM
Dear sally, you are so sweet and kind thank you so much for being ao generous and for your fave too, i appreciate your poetic presence always truly
Date: 7/13/2024 2:41:00 PM
OMG Empess! A core confession that you ppaint of yourself with such honestt that i too become nearly prostrate w/humility…And altogether stroked before us w/such a magnificence…that i am to quit my poet-ing henceforth. I shall weave the daisies in your tiara as i i as a dabbler after this…awed by this Fav. Love U …
Login to Reply
Date: 7/13/2024 1:10:00 PM
Your poetic prowess never fails to awe me Empress. Another spectacular penning. WOW, so much to unpack here, I’ve read it three times and have been amazed three different ways! I particularly enjoyed, “I thread beads of bruised dreams…….” That one hit me. Best of luck on the contest dear
Login to Reply
Empress Avatar
Ink Empress
Date: 7/14/2024 6:23:00 AM
Dear edward, thank you so much for reading this three times and for also thinking it is good enough. I appreciate your kind and generous support always
Date: 7/13/2024 11:34:00 AM
I enjoyed reading your wonderful "masterpiece" of a write/story. Great Ending... Many lines I love, "I wear my grief in silken lilac"~"I thread beads of bruised dreams"~" I strive alone, crooning chaos"~~Good Luck~~Have a blessed day/weekend writing away................
Login to Reply
Empress Avatar
Ink Empress
Date: 7/14/2024 6:26:00 AM
Thank you sweet paula for being so kind and supportive appreciate your poetic presence always truly
Date: 7/13/2024 6:08:00 AM
A mirror never reveals fallen secrets sewn with soulful sequins.. oooo the dramaaaa!!! sakura moon glows, mimicking the sullen silhouette of this ink-less skin, the way u create such beauty papi!! prisoner to polyester promises, mismatched memories and messy memoirs..Dayum them alliterations!!! veiling the buckled scars beneath tanned skin,reluctant to voice the corseted angst...my goodness! I am the essence of sunless spheres.. ur delicious mind!!! The way u weave elegance in such finesse! Breathtaking
Login to Reply
Empress Avatar
Ink Empress
Date: 7/14/2024 6:27:00 AM
Ah papi u are so funny thank you for this enthusiastic comment incan hear you saying that
Date: 7/13/2024 5:51:00 AM
Awesome inky. I'd love to see you in traditional dress, honey sage hair flowing freely, maybe with a tiara for a sense of the regal. The way you write colors is always amazing. And I like the way you used your closet to reflect differing moods. I hope you have a great weekend
Login to Reply
Woody Avatar
Tom Woody
Date: 7/14/2024 9:27:00 AM
Would love to see it
Empress Avatar
Ink Empress
Date: 7/14/2024 6:29:00 AM
Dear tomsz, i actually have a picture of me in maldivian traditional dress, that was taken in a local island when i went there to conduct a workshop on IO psychology and mental health at workplace
Date: 7/13/2024 5:45:00 AM
Reflections of "polyester promises brimming with mismatched memories with hues of haze and blackness the dwell deeper than obsidian tears", Very nicely penned
Login to Reply
Empress Avatar
Ink Empress
Date: 7/14/2024 6:29:00 AM
Always a pleasure to hear from you dear joseph. Thank you so much
Date: 7/13/2024 4:50:00 AM
So many great alliterations. Another masterpiece.
Login to Reply
Empress Avatar
Ink Empress
Date: 7/14/2024 6:29:00 AM
Thank you too kind dahlin

Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry