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Summer Sonnet: River-Woman

Awakened! I returned a stream in Spring
to flow and grow on nature’s snowmelt milk.
I came to be of earth and sky (...a fling;),
my sire a winter storm. Like liquid silk 

emerging, I was born; a water-child.
Between two banks I nestled with my dreams
and bloomed a gAnGLy creek ‘til solstice. Wild
I played— not meek but sleek. I crested  s-e-a-m-s,

a juvenile with ~snaky-curves~ and —==>speed.
Mid June rebellion, ripples bared, I’d run
as sweet as rum and swelled with rain, (a)greed;
the gasoline with which my wish was spun…

       by August dusk, a river-woman reigned!
Oh, stars— those  s.t.u.d.s— did r!se [as if ordained].

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Ricky Muse Date: 8/21/2025 9:14:00 AM Nice poem Susan. Aesthetic to say the least. I dig the line "Between two banks I nestled with my dreams". Thanks for sharing.................peace! Login to Reply Susan Ashley Date: 8/23/2025 7:13:00 AM Dear Ricky, my inspiring poet friend, it's wonderful to see you! Thank you for sharing in this summer sonnet with me where creative punctuation was encouraged and fun to incorporate. I'm so glad to know that you dug the 'dreams' line, it's gratifying to know what resonated with you. Warmest wishes, my dear poet friend.. ~Susan

Michael Coy Date: 8/11/2025 12:54:00 PM Susan, The very least I could do was to answer your excellent review with a few humble observations. First, I LOVE the games you play with orthography – parentheses, hyphens, seemingly random capitalisation, and so forth. Next, your extended river-nymph metaphor is a sheer joy. I am maybe missing by a mile, but my guess is, you’re a fan of Gerard Manley Hopkins. Water is the universe, the universe is water – exquisite! Login to Reply Susan Ashley Date: 8/16/2025 8:20:00 PM Dear Michael, your gracious visit is receiving with my truest appreciation. I’m so glad you enjoyed my poem especially the loose use of orthography. The ‘creative punctuation’ was an option offered in the contest by the sponsor and I fully embraced the experimentation.. in the end I enjoyed using punctuation in this way and will probably use it in the future. Thank you for you inspiring comments. I’m honored to be sure. Yes I am a fan of Hopkins and his splendid poems The Windhover and Pied Beauty as well as his wonderful use of hyphens and expressive language. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

CayCay Jennings Date: 7/25/2025 11:28:00 PM You've got meter and playful spackling running about, bold letters, dashes, parens, even studs and other w/o end. It's a poem riot. What fun you must have had creating this masterpiece. I have assigned myself challenges most of my life and I may take a long time with them, but I love the conquering, know you do, too (it's what we breathe and need, gets us high.) This put a smile on my face. I had a good time with this poem and none of the rioters hurt me. CayCay Login to Reply Susan Ashley Date: 7/30/2025 10:54:00 AM Dear CayCay, it's wonderful to see you on my poem's page and amongst the many pages of PS again! I'm so glad to know that this poem put a smile on your face. Yes the creative punctuation was a fun contest challenge. I didn't know what to do with it at first, but then I started to experiment with it and I was amazed at how creative use of punctuation could animate the words in a different way. Your thoughtful comments put a smile on my face, my dear poet friend... and happy that none of the rioters hurt you :)) Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Richard Lamoureux Date: 7/19/2025 2:47:00 PM This is really well expressed. I suspect if will do well in the contest. Login to Reply Susan Ashley Date: 7/20/2025 9:46:00 AM Dear Richard, thank you for your uplifting words and for having faith in my poem. Your gracious visit and kindness is most appreciated. Warmest wishes, my poet friend.. ~Susan

Sam Kauffman Date: 7/18/2025 11:28:00 AM My Dearest Rhyme Time Friend, you always take me to new heights with your poetry! Love your experiments with punctuation - definitely a measure of your immense creativity! And, the image of a river as infant, child and then woman is so creative - so fresh - only you could take me on a journey with her through her seasons and stages of life. I love "a juvenile with snaky curves!" Just made me smile. Your river lives! Sending you blessings flowing on living waters, sweet poetry sis! Login to Reply Susan Ashley Date: 7/20/2025 9:53:00 AM My Dearest Rhyme Time Friend, I relish scaling new poetic heights with you!:) I'm so glad you enjoyed my experimental punctuation.. it was a really wonderful contest challenge. Thank you for taking the journey with me as the stream grew from a water-child to a river-woman, reaching her full potential, changing and growing with the passing seasons of spring and summer. Your comments are as beautiful as they are treasured, and your gracious visit made me smile, my sweet poetry sis. Your golden presence brightens my poem's page so wonderfully. Warmest wishes sent on ripples of joy.. ~Susan

Rowena Velasco Date: 7/18/2025 4:24:00 AM Your words flow as beautifully as the river you describe, Susan. The vivid imagery and rhythm capture the wild, evolving spirit of nature—and life—so well. A truly lyrical journey! Login to Reply Susan Ashley Date: 7/20/2025 9:29:00 AM Dear Rowena, I'm thrilled that you felt my poem to be a lyrical journey! Your comments are beautiful and heartwarming and fill me with appreciation for your poetic presence. Thank you for gracing my poem with your light and insight. Warmest wishes, my poet friend.. ~Susan

Bill Baker Date: 7/17/2025 5:50:00 PM Your creativity abounds in this fine Sonnet, Susan. I always enjoy a well-written Sonnet. Thanks for sharing this one with us today, my friend. A poet friend in Texas, Bill Login to Reply Susan Ashley Date: 7/19/2025 10:01:00 AM Dear Bill, my poet friend in Texas, I'm thrilled that you found my sonnet creative and enjoyable.. that's just what I was going for! :) Thank you for your wonderful visit and inspiring words. They are treasured along with your friendship. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Paige Hind Date: 7/17/2025 12:30:00 PM Gosh, wow - I'm speechless. Your metaphors are really so truly original - and I so admire you for that. Amazing. Login to Reply Susan Ashley Date: 7/19/2025 8:32:00 AM Dear Paige, your wonderful response to my poem fills me with joy and gratitude. Thank you for your touching words. I'm both humbled and honored.. and heart-warmed too. I'm so happy to know you enjoyed my poem. Warmest wishes, my sweet poet friend.. ~Susan

Charlotte Puddifoot Date: 7/17/2025 7:23:00 AM extraordinary contemporary sonnet, i absolutely love it! are you a water sign by any chance? Login to Reply Susan Ashley Date: 7/19/2025 8:28:00 AM Dear Charlotte, I relish that you "absolutely love" my poem! Thank you for your uplifting comments, they are treasured. Since I'm a Libra, I'm an Air sign.. but judging by most of my poetry, you could think I am a water sign... though I do write about the wind pretty often too but maybe not as much as water.. hehe! I'm as long-winded as a winding river, that's for sure, lol! Warmest wishes, my inspiring poet friend.. ~Susan

Tom Woody Date: 7/17/2025 7:12:00 AM A new Suze! How you managed to maintain perfect iambic meter with this quirky, oddly punctuated write (perfect for the theme) I'll never know. It just highlights your extraordinary poetic skill. And of course, the water reference was a must. Very nice Login to Reply Susan Ashley Date: 7/19/2025 8:21:00 AM Dear Tom, of course, water would take center stage, lol! Thank you for noticing my meter. I've worked very hard to learn about different meters and it's such a satisfying joy when it all falls into rhythm in the right way. I actually wrote this poem sans punctuation first and then played around with it 'til I felt that the punctuation enhanced the poem (..hopefully, it does). Thank you for your visit and heartwarming comments. Warmest wishes, my poet friend.. ~Suze