Notes About The Poem

Few sighted readers can follow Braille. The envoi therefore resists spelling out the inscription, instead trusting the reader to infer that past conversations are etched into a liminal space—audible only through touch and memory.


The 3rd line is actually describing a real atmospheric phenomenon: cold air pooling in hollows at night, then rising as the sun warms the slopes. It’s counter intuitive because instead of warmth spreading, the ground-level air feels colder as it lifts. 


Favouring British grammar and punctuation rules.

MAI-Image-2.5-Flash

The Memorial Plaque in Braille

The sun shyly peeked over the hill
as the cold air made whispers audible
and dissipation began to rise from the dunes.

The morning breeze stirred flurries of sand from dunes
where shadows stubbornly clung to the face of the hill.
A susurrus from the copse barely audible.

Upon the bench in the lee of fickle dunes
the old brass plaque gleamed in rays cresting the hill:
an inscription of grief no longer audible.

Ridged hill of letters, promises audible among dunes.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2026

Poem

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Ray Avatar
September 23, 2026 at 1:18 PM
a calm walk reflecting on.....thank you
Richards Avatar
September 23, 2026 at 1:35 PM
Thanks, Tim
Richards Avatar
September 22, 2026 at 1:19 AM
⠠⠔ ⠇⠕⠧⠬ ⠍⠑⠍⠕⠍⠽ ⠪ ⠁⠇⠇ ⠮ ⠏⠕⠑⠞⠎ ⠱⠕ ⠦⠧ ⠛⠕⠝⠑ ⠝⠑⠿⠕⠗⠑⠲ In loving memory to all the poets who have gone before.
Hind Avatar
September 20, 2026 at 7:51 PM
absolutely beautiful, Suzette- a FAV; haunting that's traceable
Richards Avatar
September 20, 2026 at 10:02 PM
Thanks, Paige
Smith  Avatar
September 18, 2026 at 1:41 AM
A haunting, beautifully restrained tritina. The recurring hill, dunes, and audible create a tidal, tactile rhythm, while the braille plaque gives grief an intimate permanence beyond ordinary speech. The quiet coastal imagery and unresolved inscription make the ending especially poignant. ⠠⠃⠑⠁⠥⠞⠊⠋⠥⠇
Richards Avatar
September 18, 2026 at 2:23 AM
Wow! Thanks for including the script in Braille: "Beautiful", Alison. Your appraisal of my Tritina is encouraging as I have never attempted this form before.
Goldsmith Avatar
September 17, 2026 at 10:53 AM
Love both your wonderful write/picture....  Have a fun day writing away...........
Richards Avatar
September 17, 2026 at 11:15 AM
Thank you, Paula 😊
Rodgers Avatar
September 17, 2026 at 9:18 AM
Dear Suzette, I notice more Braille when I explore towns and beaches, and it is an intimate, tactile act, the fingertips must slow down, press close, and feel for shape. In doing so, touch acts as a bridge that resurrects sound. Tracing those raised dots doesn't just call up facts. It summons the cadence, warmth, and presence of "past conversations" back into the air. So tender, atmospheric, and deeply moving work, Suzette. Blessings, Daniel
Richards Avatar
September 17, 2026 at 11:14 AM
Thank you for reading and your thoughtful comments, Daniel. There is a whole world out there, if we are open to it. I did struggle to formulate my thoughts in the envoi, and eventually settled on the condensed version.
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