An Invite to the Imaginary Garden


Kerry and I found each other on IG-she was sharing poetry and beautiful sketches and I was doing a tarot challenge. As an artist and writer-tarot and oracle is an inexpensive way for me to express my sixth sense and collect beautiful images.  The art work captivates me and I do not read the cards traditionally.    I use my imagination and the imagery to express my thoughts.   Kerry invited me to do a poetry prompt over in the Imaginary Garden.  Thank you, Kerry-I am happy to visit the toads in the poetic pond~



Here is a favorite deck by children book illustrator, Nicoletta Ceccoli.  She has written and illustrated many children's books.  Her art has this daydream like quality.   I found her artwork on a blog-I don't remember where, but her images were surreal and I saw stories and poetry when I viewed them online.  I have used a few images here on my blog. 



"...the ghosts of our future are unpredictable and out of control." 

                                                                                        -Wendy Rose



Love's compass


Rose dug for treasure at the seashore
and found a toy solider on a silver horse
 under her pillow she tucked the tin toy
 shape shifting dreams of a changeling boy
turning into a cardinal with a shrill whistle voice. 
Her ribs knitted into a gown of red feathers
her heart a pin cushion like the 3 of Swords
She dreams of him and hears
an eerie wavering call from Elba Island. 


Dynamic thoughts of
her beautiful nightmare 
this Changeling boy with regal, grandiose dreams
she records the dreams on birch tree paper
with blotted ink and tears. 
His chess board mind and her intuitive voice
visit a gypsy who foretells 
 " A pawn will become queen. "

 Two life lines intersect
 like sea heather braided by 
the wind's inner knowing
as a girl her name was Rose now
Josephine who stills adores charms and signs 
once upon a time she carried her love for a man-boy
 like a salmon pink balloon. 
Napoleon and with his tender Rose and their thorns were 
bound by time's starry map
she craves sleep so,  she can visit him 
on the island of light 



 Tonight their past lives meet in a village
near a table of beads, saint pictures, and tiny mirrors.
They walk hand n' hand towards the sea 
her heart flutters like a nervous bird
he points towards the sunset, "Look for a green flash."
Out of the blue two lovers leap into another life-
and become salmons. 
Two feathers float side by side 
once they lived in tumultuous waters 
now we see two feathers drift in ripples of light
one from a red feathered gown the other a black throated loon. 


-Ella Wilson


"It is said that once you seen a green flash you will never go wrong in matters of the heart. This originates largely from Jules Verne’s 1882 novel “Le Rayon Vert” (The Green Ray). When something in nature is so rare and beautiful as a green flash, or better yet a brilliant green ray, humankind often attributes meaning and legends." -Heather Sickels




l of

Comments

That's beautiful.
Ella! So good to hear from you. Where have you been?
Margaret said…
Very dream-like; love the opening lines - my kids have found a few toys at the beach which have stayed in our summer pails for so many years... "Her ribs knitted into a gown of feathers" is so cool
Kerry O'Connor said…
This is so very beautiful, Ella. The poem is a work of art and love. I adore the way you have told this story of star-crossed lovers, especially all the fine details in each stanza;

shape shifting dreams of a changeling boy
turning into a cardinal
His chess board mind and her intuitive voice
she craves sleep so, she can visit him
on the island of light

I am glad this has a happy, unified ending, after all.

They walk hand n' hand towards the sea...
Sanaa Rizvi said…
My goodness this is incredibly gorgeous writing, Ella!❤️ I especially love; " Two feathers float side by side once they lived in tumultuous waters now we see two feathers drift in ripples of light one from a red feathered gown the other a black throated loon."❤️
Sherry Blue Sky said…
Ellie, it is so good to read you again. This reads like a dream, and your imagery is beautiful. Loved this! And enjoyed your prompt very much.
Fireblossom said…
Salmons! Love this, and loved the entire prompt. Wonderful stuff, Ella, and so nice to hear from you again via Toads!
Susie Clevenger said…
This is beautiful..It has a dreamlike quality to it. I have found different things on the beach, toys, clothing, costume jewelry, and wonder who left them, and where will they be when they remember. Thank you so much for the prompt.
Ella said…
Alex-I feel in a worm hole called downsizing. My husband bought a camper and wanted to sell our home and travel-not right away, but we needed to downsize. Augh.....Well, so, far it hasn't happened...so, I am returning back to what makes me smile~ Yes, still downsizing since now it is likely my mom might be moving in with us. Coaster ride....continues...lol
I went to visit you...blog looks great! I need to review what I have missed-you still rock Captain AC~ Thank you!

Ella said…
Margaret-Thank you! I love treasure hunts at the seashore! I grew up in a sea captain's summer home by the Penobscot Bay-lots of magical finds and stories~
It is fun for the kids to keep their finds-You are a fun Mom~

Ella said…
Kerry-Thank you! I kinda got lost in researching this couples path. They really did both find new love, but never got over their union! So, to honor that I decided to go into the reincarnation realm, but still wanted to add some child-like associations. I just watched a few videos about a boy who had strong details of his previous life and was inspired by this boy in Scotland. I did add salmons to loop it back to youth and the frailties of their misguided yet fated lives together. I needed a happy ending-lol~
I read that Rose as a young girl was told by a Voodoo Priestess she would be queen someday. This would explain Josephine's obsession with fortune telling and Marie Lenormand.

Ella said…
Sanaa-I wanted their to be calm waters after so much heartache in both of their lives. It was nice to add that element~ Thank you!

Sherry-Thank you! I had fun playing with the idea of these two lost souls finally being in calm waters. I think the loon totem goes into pay attention to your dreams-so, I decided to go there~

Fireblossom-Tee,hee Salmons! I wanted a childhood associate as they were again reborn-so, I thought that would be funny! Thank you, Fireblossom it was fun and I loved that you pulled your own cards~ Thanks again, Queen of Fireblossom-I mean Wands~

Susie-I know it is crazy sometimes the things we find! My mom, daughter, and I found a bunch of shoes. My mom told my daughter they were the little mermaids. My daughter bought the story hook, line, and sinker~ All of those fragments are other people's stories! Thanks for writing to my prompt! I will have to go back and read all of the poems again! Thank you~
'Two life lines intersect
like sea heather braided by
the wind's inner knowing'

I love the language here, and the image I see.

All dreamlike poetry with some of the fantastical.
Ella said…
Purplepeninportlant-Thank you, so much! I love the symbolism in the cards. This deck is really dreamy-so, I find it a great aid to write with~ Thanks for dropping by~
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robkistner said…
Wow! Magical, mythical, and mysterious dream you have conjured. I was immefiately drawn in and carried right through the work. What a joy this was to read. This has been an incredible prompt Ella. I absolutely love visual prompts, and your vignettes were so stimulating. Truth is, each card is wholly engaging. Each one of the single cards would be s powerful stand alone visual prompt. You should publish a prompt site and just use a couple cards a week as prompts - like one Monday and one Thursday. I would be contributing to each every one. Anyway, thank you for hosting this prompt and love your writing here.
L. Diane Wolfe said…
Hi Ella! You haven't posted in so long. I still have those pretty butterflies and other items you sent years ago decorating my office.
Ella said…
Rob-Thank you, so much! I use to do poetry prompts for both Poets United and the Imaginary Garden, but my art and writing started getting published and something had to give. Awe, you make me smile....I miss blogging and writing poetry. I must find a way back to it..even if only once a week! I will consider that idea-thank you, so much!!

L. Diane-A lot of crazy in my life~ My husband wants to move and I am on the fence. So, there has been a lot of struggle going through things. Then there was talk of my mother moving in-it has been a roller coaster. Awe, thank you Diane! I found a doily the other day that you gave me...I used most of them, but had a few left. I thought of you~ I miss blogging- I hope to attempt it again and try to find my way back to me. In all the chaos I have been writing for Bella Grace magazine and getting published-so, maybe my blog will be a sacred space to share what I am doing to find calm. I know it has been awhile~ I will visit you, soon~ Thank you!
M said…
what a marvelous story, Ella ~