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The Poet's Wife

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Published 12th August 2022

Photos by gR taken in 2022 at Dunham Massey National Trust, Cheshire, UK.

the seat where he would sit lay down a path and in a place that sheltered him from all the summer heat and pain. a scent infused with echoes from the rose with thorns beside him had him rewriting his poem once again. he never found the right words to reflect his deep true feelings for the loss of such a short and happy life. instead he placed the verses incomplete amongst the petals of the yellow rose so-called the poet's wife.

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Ink Empress

Date: 10/24/2024 11:45:00 PM

Dear Gary, this is so soul touching and moving how you’ve written this poem, when words fail, when theres so much left unsaid and unspoken, and so much can be felt , as love is way deeper than any metaphor or rhyme, youv made readers too feel and realize that, as they read, im sure, its never easy letting go and losing the one closest to our heart, i really loved the line “ a scent infused with echoes from the rose with thorns beside him” ah made me feel alot! And love the yellow rose and title too! Thank you for sharing! Sending you light always

Gary Radice
Date: 10/25/2024 5:07:00 AM

Thank you! :) It was the rose garden at Dunham Massey in Cheshire, UK that helped write this and of course the yellow rose called The Poet’s Wife that Ann and I both spotted. I aimed to write a poem placing emphasis on the ‘what has not been said’ rather than the ‘what has been said’ - I’m glad you liked it Inky. Cheers - Gary

Linda Alice Fowler

Date: 2/8/2023 11:15:00 AM

Back with huge congrats for this stunning work Gary! :)

Gary Radice
Date: 2/9/2023 4:48:00 AM

Thanks so much Linda! Cheers - Gary

Fj Thomas

Date: 1/8/2023 1:47:00 PM

Ayy Gary you're squeezing my heart. This is beautiful in its sorrow.

Gary Radice
Date: 1/9/2023 2:38:00 AM

Thanks FJ. The poem actually wrote itself as I was walking around the rose garden in Cheshire, UK with my family. Ironically, the words came easier to me than they did for the poet in the poem. :) Cheers - Gary

Peter Rees

Date: 10/5/2022 4:44:00 AM

I have a Poet’s Wife blooming happily in my garden, but It’s never been associated with the emotions expressed so well and succinctly in this delightful poem. I shall never look at it in quite the same way again,Gary.

Gary Radice
Date: 10/5/2022 5:49:00 AM

Thanks Peter. My wife is more a gardener than I am but she hadn't heard of the name of this particular rose before. It's had me looking at other rose names since. Great to here you have a Poet's Wife in your garden. :) Cheers - Gary

Terry Flood

Date: 9/21/2022 4:52:00 AM

Smashing poem, Gary. I’d never heard of ‘The Poet’s Wife’ but now I’ve seen it, I want one.

Gary Radice
Date: 9/21/2022 5:11:00 AM

Terry, LOL A wife or a rose? Cheers - Gary

Beryl Edmonds

Date: 9/19/2022 5:13:00 AM

A beautiful poem Gary, I didn’t know there was a rose named ‘The Poet’s Wife’ how wonderful is that… Belle

Gary Radice
Date: 9/19/2022 2:09:00 PM

Thanks Belle. It was a case of the rose writing the poem. Cheers - Gary

Bill Baker

Date: 9/10/2022 4:05:00 PM

Very poetic, Gary. I felt the deep respect for the rose and the sencere desire to convey the beauty of the rose. Your metaphor of wife was excellent. A poet friend in Texas, Bill

Bill Baker
Date: 9/11/2022 5:22:00 PM

Avery nice long sentence at that, Gary. Cheers, Bill

Gary Radice
Date: 9/11/2022 4:08:00 AM

Thanks Bill. I envisaged the poet sitting on his seat, trying to think of a line, looking towards the rose, looking back down at his work, crossing out words and adding some and then giving up but leaving his thoughts next to the rose as he could not find the words to describe his love and feelings of loss for his late wife. - How's that for a long sentence? :) Cheers - Gary

John Watt

Date: 8/29/2022 3:05:00 PM

"a scent infused with echoes from the rose with thorns beside him"... these words in particular jumped out at me as I perused this one a few times and lingered in the moment, imagining the scene. As Linda commented, very evocative. You took a moment from your life, and a surprising flower name to create this lovely and slightly melancholy vignette of the imagined poet longing for another day with his late wife. How many times have we tried but been unable to find "the right words". Once again, immaculate rhythms and charming imagery. Cheers ~ John

Gary Radice
Date: 8/30/2022 12:21:00 PM

Once again John your comments describe my poetry better than I ever could. :) Thank you! Cheers - Gary

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 8/26/2022 8:19:00 AM

Love this one, Gary. A fave. Also a soupmail to you regarding the questions you asked me at my love poem

Gary Radice
Date: 8/27/2022 1:26:00 AM

Thanks Andrea. It took a few rewrites from myself this one so thanks for the fave. Much appreciated. Cheers - Gary

Kim Rodrigues

Date: 8/24/2022 5:52:00 AM

An incomplete…life…one too short, that means so much to the poet. Love that the yellow rose was called the poet’s wife.

Gary Radice
Date: 8/24/2022 3:05:00 PM

Thank you Kim. It was a bit of luck spying the name of the rose as the ideas flowed for a poem based on its name as soon as I saw it. Cheers - Gary

Clive Blake

Date: 8/21/2022 11:14:00 PM

Hi Gary, A very nice poem, which I enjoyed reading, great work ... ~ Clive :)

Gary Radice
Date: 8/22/2022 2:26:00 AM

Hi Clive. Thanks for the visit, read and your comments. Much appreciated. Cheers - Gary

Bill Baker

Date: 8/20/2022 5:00:00 PM

Excellent descriptions and metaphors, Gary. I enjoyed the read. Bill

Gary Radice
Date: 8/21/2022 4:53:00 AM

Thanks Bill. I enjoyed reading your comments. :) Have a nice weekend and read you soon. Cheers - Gary

Brian Sambourne

Date: 8/20/2022 8:57:00 AM

Such moving metaphors for loss: the yellow rose, incomplete verses, one's love departed. A fine write, Gary. Sincere good wishes, Brian

Gary Radice
Date: 8/21/2022 4:51:00 AM

Thank you Brian. I appreciate your valued visit, comments and ongoing encouragement. Cheers - Gary

Andrew John

Date: 8/16/2022 4:34:00 AM

Colours, scents, feelings. Nice poem, Gary.

Gary Radice
Date: 8/16/2022 8:50:00 AM

Thanks Andrew. Much appreciated. I'm currently away from my Poetry desk for a few days but will catch up with readings when I get back.Cheers - Gary

Linda Alice Fowler

Date: 8/15/2022 6:28:00 AM

Soft and sweet Gary. Very evocative. Nicely penned! Linda

Gary Radice
Date: 8/15/2022 10:39:00 AM

Thank you Linda. I appreciate your visit, read and comments. Cheers - Gary

Sara Kendrick

Date: 8/15/2022 3:44:00 AM

Ahh!! Filled with emotion. I enjoyed reading this one today. Thanks for your visit to my blog. I have done some updates. Sara

Gary Radice
Date: 8/15/2022 10:40:00 AM

Thanks Sara. I hope all goes well for your son. I'm glad he finally got an MRI scan. Cheers - Gary

Christopher Flaherty

Date: 8/14/2022 4:24:00 PM

Some things in life Gary Word's can not do justice or be found in order to describe a certain feeling or sentiment

Gary Radice
Date: 8/14/2022 11:23:00 PM

So true Christopher. In this poem I've envisaged a guy trying to work through loss using poetry as a catharsis of sorts..yet sadly he's not even at that stage yet. Thanks for your visit and thoughts. Cheers - Gary

Jenna Logan

Date: 8/13/2022 4:09:00 AM

Gary, your words touched me as if I had been pricked by the thorn of your yellow rose.

Gary Radice
Date: 8/13/2022 7:35:00 AM

Thank you Jenna. Just reading what you said there I wish I'd brought a thorn into the words of the poem somewhere. An idea missed. Nevermind :) Read you soon. Cheers - Gary EDIT (22/8/22) I've included the idea of thorns into the second stanza Jenna. Thanks for the prompt.

Harry Horsman

Date: 8/12/2022 7:07:00 AM

Oh, wow, so much sentiment here, Gary, yes i believe you have managed to get the message through, so much emotion, too much at this stage, to put into words. Time will tell I wonder. Harry

Gary Radice
Date: 8/12/2022 7:40:00 AM

Thank you Harry. This fictional poem was inspired by a walk through a rose garden at a National Trust property my wife and I visited a few weeks back. I caught sight of a rose named 'The Poet's Wife' and felt I had to write a poem about it. Cheers - Gary EDIT: RIP Harry If you are listening up there, thank you for all your support.