Sleeping Beauty

Another beautifully thought out and constructed poem, Saff! Love the link between the girl's "body washed by the sea" and the "cleansing of her soul". The description of what is assumed to be a deliberate decision to take her life privately, without fuss, also leaves the unsaid possibility that this could be more to ensure there was no-one to stop her, or have her change her mind, rather than a wish to be alone. Your use of language and vocabulary and your linking of ideas, real and ethereal, is superb. I love the last verse - saying goodbye through her poetry, which you very eloquently write as her 'distinguishing mark', or legacy, which I assume enables her to tell her story through her poetry after she is gone. Does she have a need to leave something behind? I am assuming this is about your young friend, but I don't know if she wrote poetry or not? If it isn't, then the whole poem is more disturbing because I only know one female poetry writer! This is where a knowledge of context is an important addition to poetry for a reader. You are very good at context deception and subtlety in your writing; avoiding giving too much away in relation to context but slipping in something small that then worries the readers who know you!!

Saffie
I hope this poem is not too literal, genuinely.
Aside from that, the dark, sad and wonderfully written imagery here is excellent.
Well done and do take care,
Ben

Wow!! touching. Well written.

Your poem reminded me of a poem i had to study in class:
"The Bridge of Sighs" By Thomas Hood.