Monday, August 27, 2012

Not Yet a Bust

Big Room, 1948, Andrew Wyeth


 Not Yet a Bust
©2012 Susan Noyes Anderson

In the end, we left the room quite empty.
Cold, save for the errant ray
of day-old sun that filtered past the pane.

The brighter beams were gone or graying now.
Reprised in dust and shadow,
a sinking nod to joys that once had been.

But all was never lost, could not be lost.
Soft hints of sweetness lingered on the walls.
Distilled from cracks and faded spots of color,
where love and tears and memory remained.

I left a tray of fruit upon the table.
Summoned our childish voices once again.

∞§∞

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25 comments:

Grandma Honey said...

I wish I had this poem 5 years ago when we were selling my childhood home. I understand it perfectly.

Unknown said...

I think I will feel this way about JDaniel's room.

Berowne said...

Beautiful writing...

Tess Kincaid said...

Beautifully poignant...

Brian Miller said...

i am glad all joy was not lost....and that perhaps childlikeness can sweep back into it....smiles.

21 Wits said...

I think I found my grandmother's house just one more time, from your words. Thanking you from the bottom of my heart!

MadSnapper said...

really beautiful, I like it a lot. thanks for stopping by.

Cheryl said...

Absolutely stunning piece of writing for this photo.

Laurie Kolp said...

Beautiful... classy.

Unknown said...

I've moved over 40 times in my life and still...there are places like this that you've described...that will always feel this way.

Darlene said...


Great words for a great picture. This was a particularly poignant post.

ninotaziz said...

At this particular juncture in my life, this is so touching.

Unknown said...

I love your play on words in the title.... "Not Yet a Bust".... as in the bust of Beethoven sitting in the window, or the sculpting of Wyeth. Was that intentional? It's funny. The rest of the poem harkens back to those halcyon moments of life... treasures! Thanks for sharing your brilliance Sue. =D

karen said...

This was beautiful. Bittersweet, but beautiful. There's nothing quite as sad as leaving an empty house you've spent many happy years in. Gets to me every time I've done it.

Daydreamer said...

For me, the suns rays and fruit saved the emptiness of the room room being a sad scene. You captured the life still there even though it is vacant.

jabblog said...

I like this very much - beautiful.

Grace said...

I specially like the third stanza...all is never lost ~ The last line is specially poignant ~

Leovi said...

Beautiful and melancholy poem that fits perfectly into the picture.

izzy said...

Not just childish voices- soft hints of sweetness can out shine everything else!
thanks-

Silent Otto said...

I never read any of the other comments before commenting, but " besutiful" was the first word that appeared in my mind so thankyou for bringing a little beauty to my life, Sue

Lyn said...

What a melancholy place...and yet as you say, sweetness within..life.
Very touching...

Unknown said...

sorry. I had a bad error.

Do you write poems based on artwork? This is fantastic.

LeAnn said...

Sue, just lovely. Very poignant and I have felt feelings like this before in treasured family homes.
Blessings and hugs!

Caroline said...

This perfect, Sue. And one of your best, I think. You use words in a way I wish I could. Just absolutely beautiful.

I also love Andrew Wyeth. I have one of his books and always enjoy looking through it.

:)

Lucy Westenra said...

Well written piece. No thanks for the elevator music,