Sunshine over Shap
Last embers of summer smoulder
Leaves linger lazily
Brittle against the breeze.
Once upon an autumn sunrise
We hung our lives out on the washing line
Pegged our pain and memories side by side
Peeled back the layers revealed the years of anguish
Aired the past and put it out to dry.
The gentle winds of autumn swept away the tears we shed
We both knew who we were and we collected all our worth
And meaning in one basket of crumpled washing.
We folded and sorted it and stuffed it back in the drawers
So no-one else could see.
Brittle against the breeze
Leaves linger lazily.
Last embers of summer smoulder
Sunshine over Shap.
©Alison Jean Hankinson
This is my contribution to Open Link Night at d’Verse.
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Hues of Hankinson 
I’ll wager that a few folk will be wondering who, what or where is Shap 😉 Loved this. The washing line of memory is full of such emotive language.
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Thank you. As you know it is a very important landmark is Shap- it has its own weather system… and is very critical to travel plans when visiting Dad in the winter-time.
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Pass by regularly on my travels South from here.
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I love the tenderness in the lines:
‘Once upon an autumn sunrise
We hung our lives out on the washing line
Pegged our pain and memories side by side’
and
‘…we collected all our worth
And meaning in one basket of crumpled washing.
We folded and sorted it and stuffed it back in the drawers
So no-one else could see’.
I used to do the same with my nan and my mum. Lovely memories, Alison.
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This is so tender and sweet… most of all I love the alliteration in your refrain.
Brittle against the breeze
Leaves linger lazily.
Last embers of summer smoulder
Sunshine over Shap.
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Such a lovely poem Alison. the memories never fade. I love the lines about hanging out clothes on the line and opening up to each other, the autumn winds blowing tears away. It is all so tender.
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many thanks. XXX
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Brittle against the breeze
Leaves linger lazily.
Last embers of summer smoulder
Sunshine over Shap.
Lovely alliteration here 🙂
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Thank you. XX
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I read this 3 times. Going for 4 now. Well done!
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Thank you. X
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Who would think that a poem could be written with the metaphor of laundry that illustrates a relationship so wonderfully. No, it doesn’t seem that all was easy and perfect between the two of you but you managed in your own way. I love your poem…bittersweet.
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The analogy of the clothesline is so effective, and the poem so touching. I’d love to see the sunshine over Shap!
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Lovely bittersweet lines.
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This is lovely!!
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Poignant and melancholic with such tender emotions underlying each line. I love how you use the laundry scene is such a powerful metaphoric way.
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Thank you. I still miss my mum.
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I think we always will. My mom died a year ago this month.
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Much love to you. XXXX
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FOlded Sheets then of
Love A Mother’s smell
left scent
iN
Unconditional way…
Smiles my friend.. i lost
my smell from a virus
of a cold sometime ago..
And my Mother about a
Month before that gone by..
And it came back a little after
months and nothing really smells
the same.. what is left as after any
loss is a potential for memories
of what once is real
as emotions senses
then..
come now
your poem
brought back
a memory of that
Scent Real of Love my
Friend.. no one can put
a Price on a ‘poem’ like this..
as it’s true when we write Poetry
we can truly bring back heart spirit
and
Soul
More
aLiVe NoW
in others as
Distant as the
ForcE oF LoVE NoW..
beYonD iNfiNiTY thiS reaLiTY NoW..:)
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Much love to you my friend. XX
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Thanks and
Love to
You..
My FriEnd..:)
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