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Poetry | November 2010

She’s Seven

By Nicole Monaghan

She’s trying to stick
pomegranate seeds
in spaces
baby teeth left behind

She’s trying to look at
her own eyebrows
by looking up
really hard

She’s silliness embodied
curiosity’s employee
she’ll rescue
flicked creepy-crawlies
with no hope of credit

She’s delicate of heart
we walk on eggshells
her tears never far

She’s making mosaic art
by drawing pieces
of a girl’s face
on three Post-It Notes
an eye on one
an eye on another
a nose and mouth on the third

She’s one part her very own
one part him
one part me
that part made up of
so many pieces
from long ago
pieces that come back
like the memory of
a childhood friend
long-since contacted,
familiar, missed

That was
before I was tired
before I felt inadequate daily
before I wiped pomegranate juice
off the kitchen floor
really hard.

8 replies on “She’s Seven”

Nicole Monaghansays:
November 8, 2010 at 5:42 am

Please visit me at http://www.writenic.wordpress.com. If you’re reading Literary Mama, we surely have something in common.

Reply
Danielle Wakelysays:
November 9, 2010 at 5:11 am

So wonderful, my daughter is seven and I giggled at every line! Thanks for the early morning smile :)

Reply
Nicole Monaghansays:
November 9, 2010 at 1:43 pm

I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Danielle. Thanks for reading. I love that the images made you giggle–seven year olds are a riot, arn’t they?

Reply
The Crazy Baby Mamasays:
November 10, 2010 at 11:07 am

Oh, what a wonderful poem.

Poignant.

Powerful.

Well done.

Reply
Elisesays:
November 11, 2010 at 9:05 am

Brilliant and beautiful. I’ve got one at home just like her.

Reply
Nicole Monaghansays:
November 14, 2010 at 12:06 pm

Crazy Baby Mama, thank you. What wondeful words you’ve chosen to describe my poem.

Elise, thank you for reading. You made me smile–the thought of you having one at home just like her. :)

Reply
Amysays:
November 17, 2010 at 4:27 am

Nicole, I just read this as I sit across the room from my toothless seven-year-old who made a picture out of lines last night. You captured this time so beautifully. Thank you. I am going to print it and save it in my “treasures.” (“treasures” being another thing my seven year old taught me)

Reply
Nicole Monaghansays:
November 18, 2010 at 7:23 pm

Amy, I’m truly touched to have a piece of mine saved in your “treasures.” And I love that your sever year old taught you about treasures. Don’t they all, really?

Reply

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