29 Comments
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Jessica Bard's avatar

Beautiful Susie!

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Susie Middleton's avatar

Thanks Jess!

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appleton king's avatar

funny how the natural world brings us back to those who guided us to see its beauty in the first place

very nice

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Susie Middleton's avatar

Thank you appleton!

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Katie Bean's avatar

Beautiful. Thank you for sharing 🙏

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Susie Middleton's avatar

Thank you Katie!

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Phil Van kirk's avatar

Susie.

Your mix of metaphor, vulnerability, poignant memory and twilight glimmer.s in my head.

It's a moving tour through, youth, devotion, lemonade and yearning.

I am smiling, and happier for the tour, insight and honest reflection.

There is hope, structure and joy buried here.

thank you!

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Susie Middleton's avatar

Phil, I love how you saw all the possibilities - and the layers - here. For some reason, poetry just offers a path into complex emotions that traditional structures don't. Getting to choose which words matter is part of it I guess - so fun. Thank you for weighing in with your wise insight. Hope you are well and doing your art! Susie

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Kate Hubbell's avatar

Love this ✨

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Susie Middleton's avatar

❤️

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Eliza Peter's avatar

Perky 💖

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Susie Middleton's avatar

The apron!!!!

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West Carolina's avatar

You touched my soul with this. Thank you so much. 🙏

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Susie Middleton's avatar

Aw, I'm so glad! Thank you for letting me know.

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Brenda Carpenter's avatar

Fireflies are magical and mysterious just as you note. Seeing them today takes me back to cottage days as a kid in Ontario. My senses stirred, my feelings take flight — I enjoyed every word of your experience. Thank you for honoring the call to create and share ❤️

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Susie Middleton's avatar

Thank you Brenda, and I'm so glad you enjoyed this. Fireflies are such a pull to childhood, aren't they? I think because they are only around for a short amount of time in early summer that they naturally bring on nostalgia, like all seasonal occurrences. Nature is wild! Thank you for being here, Brenda.

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Kimberly Warner's avatar

Oh how tender Susie. The heart tug of longing, so immediate and tangible.

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Susie Middleton's avatar

It certainly felt that way, Kimberly - so strange!

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Stephanie's avatar

You painted such a beautiful and evocative picture with your words. Thank you for sharing with us 💫

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Susie Middleton's avatar

And thank you for reading, Stephanie!!

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Kirie Pedersen's avatar

What a powerful moving poem, Susie. Just what I needed to hear this morning when hoping that I, too, wouldn't be devoured by sleeplessness and regret, as your poem ends. The connection with your mother also moves me, because for me, mine is the inner power, the connection, the spirit I go to in the forest and always, really, for guidance. Your post this morning validates that and gives me hope. Thank you.

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Susie Middleton's avatar

Hi Kirie, I am so glad this resonated with you. Sometimes a poem can reach even wider than an essay as it leaves space for you to make it your own, no matter who has written it. Take care, Susie

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Dottie Turner Leatherwood's avatar

❤️

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Priscilla's avatar

I'll happily read your poetry anytime, any day!

It's like coming upon a beautiful garden of your words!

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Susie Middleton's avatar

Hi Priscilla! I love that idea of a garden of words - thank you! ❤️

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Kay Goldstein's avatar

You lay the words upon your altar, honoring your truth. Writing a poem is a sacred and devoted task. Thank you for sharing this. ❤️ K

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Susie Middleton's avatar

Maybe it was the geese who rearranged my brain cells this week - ha! So many choices on the path. Thank you as always for your observations and encouragement ❤️❤️

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Maria Rodale's avatar

Beautiful!

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Susie Middleton's avatar

thank you, Maria!

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