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Vanilla Is

“Little boxes on the hillside; Little boxes made of ticky tacky
Little boxes on the hillside; Little boxes all the same” 
from first verse of “Little Boxes” by Malvina Reynolds

Vanilla Is . . .

the typical white picket fence
surrounding the front yard of a ticky tack house

It’s a sunless sky
waiting for a rainbow to embrace it

It’s an ordinary bird’s egg
before the burst of life emerges from it

It’s a pie without the fruit;
a cake with no frosting

It’s the color of eyes grown dull
longing for a glimpse of romance

It’s my skin untouched by summer -
still breathing winter’s snow

It’s the quickly fading fragrance of inexpensive cologne
as Tabu's more sensuous scent lingers on and on

It’s a milky white-washed soul
of unexceptional interest

It’s a lackluster longing
for nothing in particular

As I see it, vanilla is
                    the epitome 
                                of monotony
Copyright © | Year Posted 2023

Poem

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Kerr Avatar
April 15, 2026 at 3:22 AM
A master class in magnificent writing, Andrea. Your work has originality, imagery, and narrative. Oh, by the way, congratulations on your win, Howard
Dietrich Avatar
April 15, 2026 at 2:06 PM
Thanks . I had fun with this one
Agustin Avatar
September 18, 2023 at 4:53 AM
Wow! Congratulations. Thanks for sharing your vanilla thoughts. Belated joyous birthday to you... God bless you.
Horne Avatar
September 16, 2023 at 2:26 PM
glad to see this was a win - but not surprised at all. Hope you have a great time at the reunion x
Ashley Avatar
September 16, 2023 at 10:04 AM
Dear Andrea, your imagery and metaphors are striking and cascade down the poetic page in graceful strides to the grand finale "As I see it, vanilla is/the epitome/of monotony". Stunning, is what "Vanilla Is"! Congratulations for your excellent win in Charlotte's contest. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan
Fowler Avatar
September 16, 2023 at 7:45 AM
My favorite lines Andrea: "It’s my skin untouched by summer - still breathing winter’s snow" but each "is" a delight to read. Congratulations! :)
Empress Avatar
September 16, 2023 at 5:15 AM
A very well deserved win this is, beautiful and so creative. Congratulations
Puddifoot Avatar
September 16, 2023 at 5:05 AM
andrea, look at you, thinking outside the 'ticky tacky box'! lol and it paid off..these sort of list type poems are very popular currently, and this one has some nice imagery - "my skin untouched by summer/still breathing winter's snow" - i like that a lot'; i also like "epitome of monotony" - congrats on your win in my contest! :)
Dietrich Avatar
September 16, 2023 at 11:00 PM
Thanks so much. I feel so inferior to free verse writers like yourself who come up with creative imagery, so to get a Win in one of your contests is a great honor for me.
Croft Avatar
September 11, 2023 at 4:08 PM
What a beautiful poem! Enjoyed reading!
Empress Avatar
September 11, 2023 at 8:00 AM
“Its a sunless sky waiting for a rainbow to embrace it” that line is so beautiful, and so many brilliant lines in this poem. I love how seamlessly your poem flows. In such poetic elegance
Dietrich Avatar
September 11, 2023 at 3:43 PM
thank you!
Jayasankar Avatar
September 11, 2023 at 7:15 AM
This is very creative Ria, about vanilla in List form. Lots of imagery and metaphors. "sunless sky waiting for a rainbow to embrace it", beautiful. Best wishes in the contest. Hugs...~ Ani
Dietrich Avatar
September 11, 2023 at 3:32 PM
thanks, sweet friend. I wish I could have come up with more spectacular images than the few i did, but glad you like this.
Pandit Avatar
September 11, 2023 at 5:23 AM
t’s a milky white-washed soul of unexceptional interest It’s a lackluster longing for nothing in particular As I see it, vanilla is the epitome of monotony--brilliant metaphors, Andrea. Splendidly described.
Dietrich Avatar
September 11, 2023 at 3:31 PM
thanks so much, Vijay.
Buhagiar Avatar
September 11, 2023 at 2:59 AM
Seems Vanilla is not high on your list of purchases. Still a fine poem with lots of imagery. Hugs.
Dietrich Avatar
September 11, 2023 at 3:32 PM
No, never!
Rolland Avatar
September 10, 2023 at 7:22 PM
so delicious images, andrea, i loved the construction of the poem, the sweet variations fo colors and flavors until the punchline, a wonderful penning
Bowring Avatar
September 10, 2023 at 1:52 PM
This is a beautiful, well written poem Andrea. Love the lines,It’s the colour of eyes grown dull longing for a glimpse of romance’, ‘ It’s my skin untouched by summer- still breathing winter’s snow’, Gloriously poetic! Great concluding lines. Really enjoyed it today. Thank you. :)
Dietrich Avatar
September 11, 2023 at 3:33 PM
thanks so much.
Rodrigues Avatar
September 10, 2023 at 12:23 PM
I love: as Tabu's more sensuous scent lingers on and on
Dietrich Avatar
September 11, 2023 at 3:33 PM
I really love Tabu. Chantilly too
Hawley Avatar
September 10, 2023 at 11:17 AM
Based on that list and those items my husband is, or sometimes can be vanilla. I suppose those you are describing simplicity.
Dietrich Avatar
September 10, 2023 at 12:38 PM
you got one of those too, huh?
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