Thursday, October 12, 2023

Petrichor; or, The Smell of Wet Earth

not-quite Journaling, 60

“They watch me to see what kind of woman I’ll be. A bad woman. The kind of woman that don’t let herself get taken so easily. A feisty woman. A woman of machetes and undiluted rum. A woman with painful stories and the bravery to claim them.” ~ MLM

10/2/2023: Like in the quote, the poems in Melania Luisa Marte’s collection sing (and roar) thoughts of roots, defiance, community, and a well-loved self.

 

To feel magic,
stick your fingers in the dirt.
To craft magic,
plant a well-loved seed.
To see magic,
care for each sprout and watch it
grow into fruit--
the harvest of your work is always
a taste of real magic.

10/4/2023: I’ve harvested the last of this year’s tomatoes. All right, almost the last… since there are a few left in my Charlie Brown tomato tree.

 

Gift me
the smell of wet earth,
the chaos and strange of rain
untouched,
a devastating moment
alone.

 - for Poets and Storytellers United--Friday Writings #98: Earth, Air, Fire, Water.


15 comments:

  1. I just dug potatoes, like to do it with my bare hands, and smiled the whole time. Now I'm thinking it is like magic that the earth can produce food like that. Every seed is a magic bean.

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  2. oh indeed magic I love your tomatoes I hope we get a good harvest as well this year as they are unaffordable these days. Love that little poem

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  3. Love the blackout poem (devatating moment alone!!!) and that quote...woman of machetes and undiluted rum...oh yes!!!

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  4. Lovely moments, so well expressed. And I love the look of those fresh tomatoes!

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  5. I liked your presentation of magic plant growing. I also liked your guiding intro to your.poem, from a seed into a bunch of delicious fruit.
    Also, the woman's description in your mood setting piece, the woman reminded me of "M", a senior in our typing class (I was a junior) who explained in the lab one day "I'm never getting married, and I'm raising my girls not to either. That summer she became pregnant. Turned out the father was a young man who grove a cement batch truck for the construction company where I also work as my summer job. Later I read in the paper that the two were had a wedding.
    ..

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  6. A seed IS magic and has its entire story written within it. I love the idea of tasting that magic!

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  7. Is Melania Luisa Marte your alter ego? The parallels seem obvious!

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  8. A poem that touches the senses (and soul)

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  9. I'm planting more and more flowers...maybe time for more fruit.

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  10. The potency of a seed, A life force giving life to a miniscule green leaf...now what can be more magical than that?......Rall

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  11. The tomatoes look wonderful.
    I enjoyed the poem.

    All the best Jan
    https://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.com/

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  12. Feeling, crafting and seeing magic off creativity. Give me the smell of wet earth.....I am inhaling deeply. So rejuvenating to be one with the elements. I love the tomatoes.

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  13. Your words hold seeds of another kind of magic :-) Loved the red tomatoes photo versus the old, dry plant remains...

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  14. Another keeper image for our fridge!!! Just purchased 'Plantains & Our Becoming' from Barnes & Noble, cannot wait to dive in.

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  15. the fruits of your labor are enticing. Love the name of that book.

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