she sells sea shells

shells in shells
stripes, whorls, pearl
natures formal patterns of perfection
mementos of beaches
held within an oyster shell with
its sharp edges and silky smooth lining

thursday's small stone on friday - ink

cobalt ink
whiskery string
homemade label
curved reflections in the bottle
tidy ridged cap
paintable paint

wednesday's stone on friday - fading memory

fax paper - remember that?
this paper is forgetting, fading fast
fortune photocopied precious words
from dying friend, too ill to speak
still eloquent on paper

tuesday's post on friday - new sketchbook

the blank new sketchbook
carnet d'esquisses more properly
gold letterpress on ridged card
the blue of cornflowers
precious gift from dear friends visit to Paris
it may wait my next visit there
too perfect to use

catch up orchid

 

paper porcelain petals

bisque brittle

a protruding mouth with

spiked curled bottom lip

and delicate red stripes like 

blood vessels in the eye

Belated stone

washed up from yesterday
smooth chalky surface
cold to the touch
underside less mottled
almost imperceptible arrow mark
if only it could speak

sunset

brief moments
ephemeral glory
as good a show as the Northern Lights
sky pale blue green
clouds crushed raspberry ice
ivy black
minutes later all gone

bark

the wild cherry tree's overcoat
smooth yet pock-marked
strong yet delicately marked
stripes defining the form
small twigs daring to extrude
brindle bark

spire

Standing sentinel over our home
delicate tracery, honey stone
spikes and knobbles with a
see-through fragility
home of rooks and pigeons
to the glory of someone's god

wet leaves

dripping, rotting
that big leaf was summer silver and green
now soft, wet brown, flooded winter
fish skeleton-like it has
blown up the hill
a long way from its branch

handmade

smooth, warm, tan leather
wrapped with soft, red thong
smelling of animal, pliable, supple
neatly stitched in yellow
fits in the palm of my hand
made by other hands

Flame

meditative tool, the light glowing down the candle,
black curved wick with red glow into fluttering flame
blue at the core. apricot flame
peace

glass bauble

A glass tear, hand blown in some inferno, now icy, green and luminous

Feather

Speckled, bars of brown on tan, fidgety marks either side of a strong, dark quill. Fluff changes to solid but not solid. Part the feather and it smoothes back into a single blade. Perfect design by nature.

Ammonite

symmetry, pattern making, like a tractor tyre
soft antiquity, spiral chalky beauty

Pill pack

Empty pill packet. Each blister crumpled like an old volcano. The broken foil twangs. Seven days, seven capsules, one blank to fit neatly on the rectangular pack. Expiry date 04/2015 but empty pack will not expire in landfill.

Hyacinth

Blooms blue to violet crunched over lime green leaves

Their pungent, sweet smell swells to the corners of the room

2014 Small Stones

From today, 1 January 2014, I will be repeating my previous Small Stones Challenge. I choose something to reflect upon and write a few words. Simple.