The Ides of October #poem #poetry #poetry collection

author, book, Gabriela Marie Milton, poetry, poetry collection 1 Minute

 

I paid for all the happiness that was bestowed upon us by the Ides of October.
I used to feel the presence of the child all around me.
A woman said I should pick a piece of slough cast by a snake and wear it against my skin.
I did it.
Flushed as a young peach every sunset became a resurrection.
Roses wrapped around my waist and later in June the child was born.

 

A new October sets our pictures on the Spanish chest.
Emotions animate your cheeks.
Every night above the trees the moon nurses the stars.
When I see cocoons of the larvae, I think silk as soft as the hair of the child.
When I say I love you, I think death as the harbinger of birth.
Your lips tremble and your voice flattens.
I know you love me.
With nude fingers the Ides of October betroth us again.

[Ides as the 15th day in March, May, July, and October according to the Roman calendar]

 

My poetry collection Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings is available on Amazon here .
Passions featured in San Francisco Book Review
Passions featured in Manhattan Book Review.

image:  Maria Okolnichnikova; Shutterstock; [link]

@Gabriela Marie Milton

Share

Published by Gabriela Marie Milton

Gabriela Marie Milton #1 Amazon Best-Selling Author, 2019 Author of the Year at Spillwords Press NYC; internationally published poet; poetry collections Woman: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis Pres, July 27, 2021); Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis Press, April, 2020)

Published

178 thoughts on “The Ides of October #poem #poetry #poetry collection”

    1. Thank you so much Nimay. That’s so sweet of you to say. I am truly humbled by your words.
      xoxo
      Gabriela

      Reply

    1. Thank you from the bottom of my heart from your beautiful comment. It made my morning brighter. Enjoy the rest of your day. Stay inspired.
      xoxo
      Gabriela

      Reply

  3. Beautiful with wonderful imagery. October is a magical month. The moon a Venus are close this morning.

    Reply

    1. Thank you Timothy. I will not contradict you when it comes to October 😉 Are the moons of Venus close really? How magical.

      Reply

      3. At 6:40 am when I stepped out and looked at the moon and Venus, Venus was 30º above the horizon at 102ºE. The moon was at 38º above the horizon at 100ºE. The moon was lined up above Venus.

        Tomorrow morning Venus should be close to the same position (Venus rises two minutes later ever day) at 6:40 am, but the moon will be 25º above the horizon at 97ºE. They will been a little closer tomorrow morning, but the moon will be below Venus instead of above it.

      4. Timothy, thank you so much. I am getting up tomorrow morning to see the celestial dance.

    1. Cindy, your words are so beautiful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Have a peaceful and inspiring day.
      xoxo

      Reply

    1. Thank you so much Ingrid. IT means a lot to me you liked it.
      Love and hugs to you sweetheart.
      xoxox

      Reply

    1. Nikita, my most sincere thanks for your beautiful comment. Please know I am very grateful for your support 🌹

      Reply

  17. A fascinating piece my friend. So smooth and joyful.
    There’s a wonderful sense of calm in the poem that nurses the readers, perhaps like the moon that nurses the stars.

    “Every night above the trees the moon nurses the stars.”

    So so beautiful. A warm feeling envelops us reading this. Sometimes your words go straight for the heart, but these slowly penetrate into our skin. Deeper and deeper, until we realise what they want us to feel. Happy, hopeful, serendipitous, warm, thrilled and of course loved.
    Stunning if not less.

    Reply

    1. Shanyu, my dear friend, thank you so much for your beautiful words. They feel like silk. They are divine. I am glad the sense of calm reached you.
      “Sometimes your words go straight for the heart, but these slowly penetrate into our skin. Deeper and deeper, until we realise what they want us to feel.” Profound. Thank you from my heart for being here for me. Thank you for your words that humbled me. Sending you plenty of LOVE.
      Take care my dear friend.

      Reply

    1. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, dear. Your words brought sunshine in this dark morning,
      xoxoxo

      Reply

    1. Aw.. Punam, thank you so much. You touch my heart all the time.
      Still watching your marathon. Beautiful poetry!!!! You are wonderful.

      Reply

    1. Yassy, my beutiful Queen of Poetry. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
      xoxoxo…… and flowers!

      Reply

    1. Brad, my dearest poet” “splendid”; “tantalizing” Thank you so much. I will keep your beautiful words close to my soul. And thank you for the rose. It smells divine. I am sending a bouquet your way.

      Reply

  23. I am moved to tears with this one, Gabriela. The images you paint and the emotions you evoke are tremendous. Brilliant write!! Your genius is very present here with this post. Goosebumps! xo

    Reply

    1. Amy, my dearest, thank you so much. Touching your soul means the world to me. I am so grateful we found each other. Have a beautiful day my dear filled with love, peace, and inspiration.

      Reply

  29. Oh! What sweetness!!! Before I read Your beautiful poem here, I have to tell You I just read Your poem ‘The Blue City’. I absolutely LOVE it!!! Gasped and am still smiling so big!!! Just gorgeous!!! Ok. now scrolling back up:

    Gosh, Gabriela. This poem slayed me. And then some. Crying. Fell in love with this crazy beauiful line:

    “Every night above the trees the moon nurses the stars.”

    But truly….ALL of it…..sigh…..Thank You. ❤️❤️❤️

    Reply

    1. Katy, my dearest, your love and your enthusiasm bring so much happiness in my life. You are not only the Queen of Romance. You are the Queen of Enthusiasm. I gather your every word, your every feeling, your every tear and I put them in a beautiful chest so I can talk to them anytime I feel down. After that I can fly.
      THANK YOU KATY.
      SENDING YOU LOVE.

      Reply

      1. Oh wow!!! That’s crazy beautiful!!! I LOVE that! Ah. Thank YOU, lovely Gabriela!!! The smile You just gifted may well set up camp all day!!! Sending so much Love right back Your way!!! 🤗❤️😊!

      2. Thank you so much my fabulous Katy. You are an angel. Sending smiles, love and laughter to my Queen of Romance. .
        xoxoxo

      3. My absolute pleasure, beautiful Gabriela!!! Sending You SOOO much Love and laughter as well!!! And You just gifted another smile/laugh at “Queen of Romance.” Crazy sweet! 🤗❤️😊

      4. Katy, you are a sweetheart ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

  30. Oh Button, I agree with sweet Katy this poem is so beautiful, you have to fall in love with every single line. It feels so promising, hopeful, full of wonder and a baby.

    “Flushed as a young peach every sunset became a resurrection”. “Roses wrapped around my waist and later in June the child was born.” Such dreamy lines and so invigorating.

    I have read it over and over and it makes me happy. The ending is so perfect, to a splendidly written piece of poetry and I too, love the art work as well.

    Sending love and hugs dearest Button,
    (J) honeybun

    Reply

    1. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, my dearest honeybun. I am thrilled you enjoyed the piece. You are such a wonderful and talented friend.
      Love you
      G (Button)

      Reply

      3. Will do! You too, if you are pulling all nighters, I hope they are for fun or “research for your next poem.” hehe Have an amazing weekend seriously my dearest Button. Love Joni

      4. You too dear sweet Button. My mother would have squeezed your cheeks and told you how beautiful you were if she were here. She was an amazingly gifted writer too. Love you sweetie.
        🤗💕❤️💖Honeybun

      5. Oh, thank you honeybun. I am humbled you mentioned your mother.
        “She was an amazingly gifted writer too.” So is her daughter! Did she write poetry?
        Love you
        Have a blessed night
        G (Button)

      6. Thank you for asking dearest Button. My mother wrote stories. I believe she had such a gift. Thank you for your tender words. I so wish my mom would have had a better upbringing and more happiness. She might have accomplished all kinds of things. Sending you much love my treasured friend.
        Yours,
        Honeybun 😘🤗💕❤️

      7. “I so wish my mom would have had a better upbringing and more happiness. She might have accomplished all kinds of things”
        Honeybun I do not know what to say here. You brought tears in my eyes.
        Love and blessings.
        G(Button)

  31. Such a tender, beautiful, lovely & lively poem….I think, I’ve read it some time back….but it doesn’t matter….coz it can be read several times….the feeling….the touch of this poem is so delicate….exquisite ❤️

    Reply

    1. My dearest Navin, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your beautiful words. You always touch my heart with your comments. Sending you flowers and plenty of love.
      May you have a lovely weekend.
      Yours
      G.

      Reply

      1. You’re very welcome, my dearest G….what can I say….perhaps I’ll repeat….that I’m so much in love with your poetry….I know you know it already….much love to you & you too have a lovely & peaceful weekend ❤️✨

      2. My dearest Navin. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Have a splendid weekend and much love to you too.
        xoxo

  35. Pingback: The Ides of October #poem #poetry #poetry collection – Zubi Elite Writing

    1. Thank you so much Sarika. You are a sweetheart 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

      Reply
  42. Pingback: The Ides of October #poem #poetry #poetry collection – Título del sitio web

  44. Wonderfully written. Appreciate the efforts you put in your poetry. Each word hits right in the heart. Great work! ❤

    Reply
  46. Pingback: The Ides of October #poem #poetry #poetry collection – nelsy

  49. Ho pagato per tutta la felicità che ci è stata concessa dalle Idi di ottobre.
    Sentivo la presenza del bambino tutto intorno a me.
    Una donna ha detto che avrei dovuto scegliere un pezzo di melma lanciato da un serpente e indossarlo sulla pelle.
    L’ho fatto.
    Arrossata come una giovane pesca, ogni tramonto diventava una risurrezione.
    Le rose si avvolsero intorno alla mia vita e più tardi a giugno nacque il bambino.

    Un nuovo ottobre pone le nostre foto sul petto spagnolo.
    Le emozioni animano le tue guance.
    Ogni notte sopra gli alberi la luna nutre le stelle.
    Quando vedo i bozzoli delle larve, penso che la seta sia morbida come i capelli del bambino.
    Quando dico che ti amo, penso che la morte sia il presagio della nascita.
    Le tue labbra tremano e la tua voce si appiattisce.
    Io so che mi ami.
    Con le dita nude le Idi di ottobre ci fidanzano di nuovo.

    [Idi come il 15 ° giorno di marzo, maggio, luglio e ottobre secondo il calendario romano]

    what a beautiful poem!

    Reply

  50. Flavio, grazie dal profondo del cuore per la traduzione della mia poesia. Mi ha fatto molto felice.
    Saluto dall’America.
    Gabriela

    Reply

  63. “When I say I love you, I think death as the harbinger of birth.” — This floored me. This is exactly what I felt when I had my second child, after losing my father. Thank you for sharing your exquisite mind’s eye.

    Reply

    1. Dear Sam, thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. A similar thing happened in my family too. So I am with you.
      May you have a wonderful 2021.

      Reply

  64. It’s beautiful. My favorite verse is “Flushed as a young peach every sunset became a resurrection.”

    There’s almost a mythological tone in the poem, the way you figure the character almost like she’s the Virgin Mary. I know you’re not alluding to mythology. There’s no reason for me to believe you’re drawing from mythology, so the absence of allusion—though drawing on ancient stories perhaps through sub consciousness—is interesting. It’s filled with symbolism absent of weighty tradition. And not to mention emotion. The feeling I get reading that line is absolutely stunning.

    You deserve to have your books read and sold. I’m glad to see someone is making it in the world of poetry. 🙂

    Reply

    1. My most sincere thanks for your wonderful comment. I am grateful and humbled beyond words. You made my day beautiful.
      Thank you again
      Gabriela

      Reply

      1. Your welcome. I analyzed it on my blog. I’m afraid I got the poem wrong in interpretation, however, it seems to be about the melancholy of single motherhood. Am I right?

      2. Thank you so much again. Your interpretation is king. Yes, until the finale when things seem to turn around 🌹

      4. Thank you. It means a lot to me. I saw your post. I tried to leave a comment and to follow you but it did not work. Can I ask you a favor? Could you please “like” one of my posts? I want to see if I can go from there to your site and follow you.

      6. I suspected something was up. Thank you for confirming it for me.

        I’m glad to know that your situation turns around. That’s why I’d like to purchase your book, so I can see the whole story.

    1. It is working now. I was able to do it after you liked my post. However, please make sure you have a following button. I was not able to see it. 🤗

      Reply
  66. Pingback: The Ides of October #poem #poetry #poetry collection – rating alhssady

Leave a Reply to short-prose-fictionCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.