Thyme

Judging comment:

I'm always excited to see a new poem from Mel and she certainly didn't disappoint with this one. I liked the short first line; the fact it focused solely on last winter and then broke to the next verse shows how important that time was to her.

"Buried clockwork in my stomach." This is one of the reasons that I love Mel's work. She easily finds unique phrasing and plants it so effortlessly into her poems.

"You knew it would take patience for me to love you, " Favourite part of the poem. This suggests to me she has been hurt in the past and is careful to let her guard down and to love others easily. The spacing and breaks here work wonderfully and emphasise the patience needed.

I enjoyed the subtle mention of this person was in fact healing her, by placing herbs inside of her and thought it was a nice throwback to the earlier mention of the apple blossom being placed on her wounds. I thought that was, again, very nicely phrased and something different to what I usually see in this regard.

Love this.

Judging comment:

I'm always excited to see a new poem from Mel and she certainly didn't disappoint with this one. I liked the short first line; the fact it focused solely on last winter and then broke to the next verse shows how important that time was to her.

"Buried clockwork in my stomach." This is one of the reasons that I love Mel's work. She easily finds unique phrasing and plants it so effortlessly into her poems.

"You knew it would take patience for me to love you, " Favourite part of the poem. This suggests to me she has been hurt in the past and is careful to let her guard down and to love others easily. The spacing and breaks here work wonderfully and emphasise the patience needed.

I enjoyed the subtle mention of this person was in fact healing her, by placing herbs inside of her and thought it was a nice throwback to the earlier mention of the apple blossom being placed on her wounds. I thought that was, again, very nicely phrased and something different to what I usually see in this regard.

Love this.

Weekly Contest Judging comment:
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You are a GENIUS! And this poem went straight to my favorites even before I got a chance to write this comment. I think I read it so many times I could narrate it back. The idea of using a herb in the title as well as use it as a metaphor and a way to deliver your feelings is refreshing (just like the herb you chose). Yes, everything needs time to blossom, time to heal, and time to understand. And in those lines you wrote, I found elegance and beauty in the words, and the emotional part of it was so touching. Loved it beyond what words could describe.

I make very perfect spicy soup using thyme :)

Congratulations, Mel. This is very unique and distinguished.
Reading your poetry makes me smile, it reminds me of 4 Track demo aka "Jhon", you both got the same special sense of poetry and I'm glad you are still on this site.

Write on ~

This poem is very layered in meaning.

I looked up apple blossoms and found that it is a symbol for love, especially the heady intoxicating kind. Thyme is very complex, signifying health, healing, love, purification, and courage and increases psychic powers. The stomach represents developing thoughts and emotions, while marrow represents character and the power of the tree of light.

The amount of symbolism here is only the beginning, their interplay is much more.

The clock symbolizes not only the passage of time but situated in the stomach, where emotions are developed, also depicts an awakening. Rubbing the apple blossoms symbolizes the awakening of passionate love over time.
You do not say "cut the marrow from my bones" you say "cut the loss from the marrow." One cause of marrow loss is depression, for which the birth of love in time/thyme provides a cure. By cutting the loss of marrow he has helped you reconnect with the tree of light, i.e. the commonality of humanity, and he has strengthened your character, which shows the love is a positive force, not a smothering one. You are becoming a strong, independent woman.
Of course there is the pun on thyme making you homely (nesting urge) and time making you homely (aging). Personally, I think the aging process makes people more beautiful, not less.

Wonderful poem, short but concentrated. Deserves the win.