Tuesday, June 11, 2013

The Door Swings Open

Charleston door

©2013 Susan Noyes Anderson

It was Charleston in the fall,
no other bodies there to bend
the energy, just you and me (us...we),
begetting child-free memories to own. 

The hotel reeked of history
and old rugs, water weeping from
the walls, halls filigreed in shades
of ochre, overlaid with stains of brown.

Our bed, four-postered, coverlet of lace,
commode beside, was dignified
by carved vitrine; replete with nicks, knickknacks,
dust tracks and violets––the velvet ones, with tales to tell.

It drew us into sweetness, thick
as warm molasses corked in clay  
jugs, fading red to pink, the stink of slave
market graced now by art and flowers.
                                                                                                             
We walked for hours.

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23 comments:

Terra said...

You wove a pretty and nostalgic picture here.

yaya said...

Makes me want to take a trip there...very lovely.

Jinksy said...

There's a whole novel held within these lines... well done.

Brian Miller said...

oh i bet you did....its a wonderful place...full of history...some not pretty but...def a romantic place as well...smiles...hope you had fun...

jen said...

Nicks knickknacks dust tracks.
Love that.

Unknown said...

There are dust tracks all over my knicknacks! Nice poem!

Anonymous said...

This so rich and vivid I love it!

Helen said...

Your poem is incredibly lovely ....

karen said...

You make me want to go there. I could actually smell the mustiness of the old room. So many stories it could tell...

alpinekleins said...

. . . warm molasses corked in clay . . . sounds heavenly!

Kristin

Unknown said...

Charleston is such an amazing city. I love how your wove its history through this poem.

21 Wits said...

Yes, you certainly opened the door to a true Charleston visit! Simply wonderful.

Silent Otto said...

What a world you uncovered here, Sue

hyperCRYPTICal said...

Lovely, lovely, lovely!
Anna :o]

~T~ said...

I love Charleston! Of course, the only time we went to a B&B there, we had a baby in tow...

LeAnn said...

What a beautiful love poem; just lovely.
Blessings and hugs!

Friko said...

What a lovely walk down Memory Lane.
Quite touching for old romantics like me.

Little Nell said...

Sue, I've read this several times and immersed myself in the scene you've painted so well with your well-crafted poem.

Leovi said...

A lovely memory, very nice poem!

Helena said...

What a gracious step back in time.

kaykuala said...

It drew us into sweetness, thick as warm molasses corked in clay jugs, fading red to pink, the stink of slave market graced now by art and flowers.

Memories are to be treasured what more having experienced them through travels. Some constraints but the nostalgia more than compensates! Nicely Sue!

Hank

jabblog said...

I can smell that reek of history and feel the faded velvet - very sensuous poem. Delicious!

Unknown said...

Now I want to go there!