Reclaiming Heritage
I find my heart set off center in a clay vessel. The lid is open, a dash of crimson shadowed within. The clay is streaked tangerine where sugar has wept and formed crystalline trickles.
The vessel rests against a small sand dune near my feet. Let me languish in the shade of thought and hurl acorns into the ocean. The waves eat the splashes.
I eat coconut flesh. The milk softens my skin. I discover my reflection fragmented in a pool of foamy water that escaped from the ocean in a silver cup.
A sliver of myself washes back to shore. She followed my footprints in the sand. She followed the starfish in the sea.
She followed the acorns back to me.
Photo by Celine Ylmz
Dominic Alapat
What amazing writing! So sublime and elemental! The last three lines almost had me in a trance!
Infinite Living
OMG this is gorgeous!! I have missed your stunning poetry Jaya, glad to be back reading.
mentalnotes1
“She followed the starfish in the sea. She followed the acorns back to me”
These lines make my heart smile, thank you <3
Aspen Hite
FANTASTIC! My fave: A sliver of myself washes back to shore. She followed my footprints in the sand. She followed the starfish in the sea.
She followed the acorns back to me.
Such a beautiful ending! 💜
Penny
Wow, Jaya… this one definitely stirred up something in me, the imagery is so beautifully written.<3 Another amazing poem! Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us, can't wait to read more! x Penny / http://www.whatdidshetype.com
Lauren
This is a beautiful piece Jaya! Such powerful imagery. Thank you for sharing your poem Jaya! You are so talented!
Lauren x
Andrea Stephenson
Beautiful, shimmering imagery.
Donna Vitalie
Sp beautiful, your way with words, Jaya. You put them together in such unexpected and evocative ways. Your phrases been d me linger longer.
Jaya Avendel
Thanks a million, Donna!
navasolanature
Beautiful imagery and evokes unsettling feelings that may eventual be resolved.
Jaya Avendel
Thank you!
AP2
I had to read this a couple of time. Such a beautiful piece of poetry Jaya 🙏🙂
aimsysantics
Wow, so many visuals from this piece! Another lovely poem Jaya! Beautiful!
Aimsy xoxo
Raji (@journeyintofantasy)
A wonderful poem, Jaya! I loved the imagery and descriptions in this one!
Jenny in Neverland
Absolutely beautiful, Jaya. This was such a passionate and intense piece.
Kimberly @ HHF
Again another beautifully written piece. It made me feel a little sad. Like she has lost pieces of herself along the way and sometimes the waves will bring them back in just to take them back again. Stunning piece my friend.
Jaya Avendel
Thank you for sharing such a lovely read!
Lisa's Notebook
This is one of those pieces that you need to read several times because there’s so much to unpick. My favourite line is, “A sliver of myself washes back to shore.” From tiny acorns mighty oaks grow, thank you, Jaya 🙂
Jaya Avendel
Thank you for sharing your read, Lisa!
Jodie | That Happy Reader
I feel the passion and intensity in this piece. Beautiful! Thanks for sharing.
paeansunplugged
Such a sensory piece, it speaks yo all senses, awakening them to discover self.
Ingrid
Enchanting, Jaya! 💖
Eri Tz
This was another beautiful piece! This is exactly what I mean when I say that the words you choose have passion. They create such vivid images that make your mind travel. Enjoyed this 💜
Jaya Avendel
Thanks a million, Eri!
Loki
I had to read this through a couple of times. It’s beautiful.
Jaya Avendel
Thank you so much, Loki! Love that you found it layered enough to read again.
Michele Lee
Jaya, your phrases are absolutely delicious and delightful! The type of original writing that makes me revel in reading. 💗
Jaya Avendel
Your words sing in my heart, Michele, thank you!
Michele Lee
I am so glad! 😊 Thank you, Jaya. 🌼
nai
thank you for writing something so lovely, so profound. i feel like i’ve read something about myself, about my own heart, my own mind. thank you, truly
Jaya Avendel
I am beyond touched by this amazing connection you felt to these words! Thank you deeply for sharing.
Daphny Aqua
This is one beautiful antique piece Jaya.
Artist/Poet_JayMoraShihadeh
Let me languish in the shade of thought…oh boy… you got me with this, great imagery throughout this one-
Beautifully written :))
Rayo
Beautiful ❤️. Reminds me of finding our way back to ourselves.
Jaya Avendel
Thank you for reading, Rayo!
ReadAndReviewIt
This is such a captivating piece! I love the recurring imagery of water – it’s truly beautiful – and the personification of sugar. The line about the coconut flesh is so interesting too! Thank you so much for sharing such a beautiful piece x
Jaya Avendel
Thank you for sharing your lovely thoughts!
K.M. Allan
Beautiful ❤️.
Jeff Flesch
What a stunning write, Jaya. The language you create conjures the most brilliant imagery nestled within feelings that arise of finding our way back home. Finding our way back to ourself. Such a moving piece!
Jaya Avendel
What a lovely read, Jeff! Thank you.
Jeff Flesch
You’re welcome, Jaya! Always.
SelmaMartin
Goodness! Engrossingly lovely. XoXo
Ebitimi Creates
Well written, I like how you have described the unsettledness ‘heart set off center’ that may come with longing for self-identity or at least reclaiming a lost one. Then finding it again slowly ‘discover my reflection fragmented’. I resonate with this. Well done Jaya!
Unwanted Life
I feel compelled to state that everyone’s heart is actually off centre. Pedantic I know, but those kinds of things really bug me for some reason.
Another great piece by the way, very descriptive. “Let me languish in the shade of thought” reminds me of my advice that sometimes it’s better to just feel your negative feels and ride the out
Jaya Avendel
🤣 I learned something new today about the anatomy of the heart! Thank you for sharing that.
Cindy Georgakas
Your words in imagery are so captivating Jaya! 💖💖🌻love it!
Her Digital Coffee
What an incredible and descriptive piece filled with beautiful imagery! I love the descriptions of color and texture, such as the foamy water and footprints in the sand. The image is very fitting as well. Thank you for sharing!
Jaya Avendel
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
FN
Absolutely beautiful. Loved this .
Keep Calm & Drink Coffee
Jaya! I shiver because reading I had the feeling that you were talking about me: the heart off-center, the coconut pulp, a fragment that comes back to shore, following the footprints …
THANK YOU THANKS A THOUSAND TIMES THANKS for all the emotions you give me! <3
Jaya Avendel
Thank you, Claudia, for such a passionate response!!