I close my eyes as a young woman
massages in shampoo, gently rubs
my temples, smooths cream rinse —
scented with jasmine — from my brow,
and you are here with me again
that summer day under the waterfall.
– Sarah Russell
First published in Shot Glass Journal
Photo courtesy of waterfall.solaridas.com
For the “suggested narrative” prompt at Real Toads
Also for Poets United’s Poetry Pantry.
Sarah Russell Poetry 
Stunning, Sarah. You’ve captured so much in so little space. Such strong and moving emotion. Love it 🙂
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Thanks a lot, Ryan.
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Beautiful how you so smoothly transpose into the waterfall
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Thanks, Ivor. It’s easy to go into reverie while someone washes your hair.
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This is incredibly exquisite, Sarah! ❤️
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Thanks, Sanaa.
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and instantly transported –
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Thanks, Beth. If men only knew how romantic it is to have your hair washed……… 🙂
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This is beautifully evocative!
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Good! That was the intention, Kerry. Thanks.
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I love where you broke the first line, “I close my eyes as a young woman”. The punctuation be damned; this is the gist of this poem — “…as a young woman.” You’ve set us up — to metaphor it, “Here’s the wind-up, and there’s the pitch.” Masterfully done.
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Oh Charley, you’re such a man!… Thanks! 🙂
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My point is that the way that sentence broke leads us to a memory…. I won’t say “foreshadowing” more like “fore-shading,” and anticipatory device.
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Ah, and here I thought… Thanks, Charley!
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Well, your original comment applies as well. I passed the physical a while ago! 🙂
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Hmmm, read those lines again, and I really see what you meant about the fore-shading in the first line. Thanks. I don’t know when I do stuff like that. Of course, if I planned it, it would sound lame, wouldn’t it.
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Nah! I think somewhere in your brain you planned it. Always take the blame for genius: “Uh, yeah… that’s was my thought… sure.” 🙂
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The imagery is so real and you take the reader to an unexpected place in the end. Well done!
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Thanks, Jilly.
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Beautifully done, Sarah. Loved the twist of those final two lines – not where I was expecting it to go at all!
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Thanks so much, Robert.
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Ah sweet–love the Proustian shampoo–all so well evoked! Thanks for the story in the few details. k.
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Thanks so much for stopping by, Karin.
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Oh, Sarah! What a glorious glimpse. I can smell the jasmine…
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Me too, Magaly. 🙂
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I love the ending of this. I can smell the water cascading past…
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Thanks, Toni.
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Ah, and was it the scent of jasmine that took you there? Wonderful, isn’t it, how scents can transport us!
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OH, how I love this poem. It is one of those short poems which has so much to say. Indeed one’s mind wanders as one is visiting the beautician. I like where your mind traveled…bringing to mind a special person & a special time!
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It’s just the best when your mind can travel like that, isn’t it, Mary — like a stolen memory.
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Reblogged this on days of stone and commented:
Another wonderful poem from my good friend, Sarah.
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How some moments can transport one from one reality to another realm! Beautifully evocative!
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It’s lovely when those moments happen, isn’t it.
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How one thing reminds us of another and scent is a great trigger of memory… wonderfully written in such few words.
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Some of my favorite childhood memories are scents.
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Oh! I was right there in the chair and then magically transported to the waterfall. Wow! I so loved this!
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Thanks so much, Sherry.
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What a gentle and soothing poem
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Thanks, Jae.
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Some hairdresser you got there 😉
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More the memory than the hairdresser. Thanks, Paul.
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Amazing what one scent can do for us…transport us to another place and time…magical!
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Thank you, Donna.
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Ooo so comfortable.. Calming..
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Thanks so much, Feifei.
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Very romantic. You need to take a French lover. He will wash your hair:)
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It’s a pity more men don’t understand those subtleties. Mine does though. 🙂
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Ah, the magical powers of ‘scent’. It truly can carry you back in time. A lovely, wonderfully rendered poem. Splendid it was ‘gifted with wings’ (as I have come to think of publication) by Shot Glass Journal.
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“Gifted with wings…” Love it! Thanks, Wendy.
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Love it! Both the immediate experience and the memory evoked.
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Thank you, Rosemary.
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What an evocative stanza. Well done Sarah!
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Thanks, Jade!
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Ah, beautiful lines here Sarah..
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Thanks, Maria.
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I hope to be similarly transported on Wednesday! There is something so relaxing about having your hair washed. I always want to have it last longer. Lovely poem, Sarah.
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Thanks, Sherry. I get my hair cut tomorrow, with accompanying shampoo. Heaven! And yes, it never lasts long enough.
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Oh my goodness. I love this. So brilliant!!
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Thanks, Mandy!
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