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
Brilliant! Images the colors of a lifetime are splattered among your words. Majestic.
Thank you so much Nimay. That’s so sweet of you to say. I am truly humbled by your words.
xoxo
Gabriela
That’s wonderful and i’am just got carried away by your words ! 👍🤝
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
Beautiful with wonderful imagery. October is a magical month. The moon a Venus are close this morning.
Thank you Timothy. I will not contradict you when it comes to October 😉 Are the moons of Venus close really? How magical.
The moon and Venus were lined up pretty closely this morning.
WOW! Thank you for letting me know.
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.
Timothy, thank you so much. I am getting up tomorrow morning to see the celestial dance.
You can got to https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/usa choose your city or nearest city and see when the moon rises in your local.
I will. Thank you so much!. Hugs to everyone.
The sweetness of this poem was so tender to read and a lovely start to my day!!! So beautiful!
Thanks Gabriella ❤️ Cindy
Cindy, your words are so beautiful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Have a peaceful and inspiring day.
xoxo
I’m glad they hit your heart. Big love and hugs! ❤️ 🤗 Cindy
xoxoxo…
❤️❤️❤️
Just beautiful, Gabriela: I love the maternal mysticism of it!
Thank you so much Ingrid. IT means a lot to me you liked it.
Love and hugs to you sweetheart.
xoxox
Man, but that is one happy looking baby! 🙂
Sure he is 🙂
Beautiful– as always
Thank you so much Annette.
xoxo
So much beauty ❤️
Thank you so much my dear.
Sending you love and hugs.
I love the mystical feel of this poem, Gabriela. It feels ancient and full of feminine power. Beautiful, my friend.
Aw.. Diana, I am humbled by your words. Thank you so much.
Love and hugs to you.
Wow, this poem is so tender. Just Amazing piece 💗💖🤗.
Thank you so much sweetheart. It means so much to me you liked it 🌹❤️🌹❤️
My Sincere pleasure my dear 😇❤️.
🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
Quite stunning use of language. Bitter sweet.
Nikita, my most sincere thanks for your beautiful comment. Please know I am very grateful for your support 🌹
So beautiful – I read this poem many times.
Thank you so much. I am most grateful to you.
xoxo
Wonderful Ides.Image are most lovely,dear G!!
Thank you Aruna. Sending you hugs.
You are most welcome.much love and big hugs❤Dear G!!
Thank you dear 🌹
🌺🌻🌹💕💕💕
🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
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.
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.
So beautiful! I love the line “A new October sets its picture upon the Spanish chest”. It brings earthly details to an abstract poem. Well done! xoxo
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, dear. Your words brought sunshine in this dark morning,
xoxoxo
Glad I could. We all need a little sunshine sometimes. 🙂 xoxo
🌹🥰
Very fascinating write, Gabriela! Your imagery very intriguing. ❤️🌷
Aw.. Punam, thank you so much. You touch my heart all the time.
Still watching your marathon. Beautiful poetry!!!! You are wonderful.
My pleasure, dear and thank you so much. Know that your support means a lot. ❤️🌷🤗
🙏❤️🌹
Fabulous last lines.
Yassy, my beutiful Queen of Poetry. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
xoxoxo…… and flowers!
Welcome 🙏🏼🤗❤️
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Your words as well as the painting glow with the colors and feeling of October.
Java, thank you so much for your beautiful comment.
Eloquent with splendid imagery and tantalizing personification. Well done, dear poetess! 🌹
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.
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
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.
Deeply beautiful poetry.
Thank you so much Nico. Peace and blessings to you.
And also to you G! Have a great week. 🙂🌏
Thank you Nico 🙏
Le nice.
Thank you 🙂
You are welcome.
🙂
🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂
Beautiful piece Gabriela. 💕 The depth of this poem is so close to my heart! You are an amazing poet!
Aw… I am humbled by your words. My most sincere thanks. Sending love.
xoxoxoxo
Gab, you’re getting better and better. Seriously, this is so good.
Bo, you made my day. Thank you. Please take good care of you.
xoxo
Good. (I will.)
Very beautiful ❤
Thank you so much.
xoxo
You’re very welcome
xoxo
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. ❤️❤️❤️
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.
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!!! 🤗❤️😊!
Thank you so much my fabulous Katy. You are an angel. Sending smiles, love and laughter to my Queen of Romance. .
xoxoxo
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! 🤗❤️😊
Katy, you are a sweetheart ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I have my moments!!!! 🤣❤️🤗!
You have much more than that 💝💝💝💝💝💝💝
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
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)
You are most welcome. It was a divine piece.
Love 😘🤗💕❤️🦋Joni
Thank you so much honeybun. Have a beautiful weekend.
xoxo
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
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
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)
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 😘🤗💕❤️
“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)
Thank you my tender hearted friend. I did not mean to make you cry beautiful Button.
Love,
Honeybun 💕❤️😘
You are so very welcome beautiful Button. It was my pleasure to read you. love you too, honeybun
xoxoxo…
Xoxoxo 😘
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 ❤️
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.
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 ❤️✨
My dearest Navin. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Have a splendid weekend and much love to you too.
xoxo
My pleasure dearest Gabriela 🌹 ❤️
🌹❤️🌹❤️
Wonderful❤️
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Amazing imagery, extremely captivating 😍
Really? Aw.. you are so sweet. Thank you very much.
xoxo
Amazing poem 😊 I love October too! ❤️
Thank you my dearest Shirley. Your kindness made my morning.
Love
Gabriela
I agree with your poem and also what everyone is saying about it.
Thank you. That’s so kind.
Wow!! So wonderfully put
Thank you my dear 🌹🌹🌹
I salute you 👍
The Ides of October has surely bestowed it’s magic on the lovers. It has brought them into union. Such a lovely poem.
Thank you from the bottom of my heat hon 🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
Wow.. this is just beautiful 💓… Gabriella…loved it..
Thank you so much Sarika. You are a sweetheart 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
It was my absolute pleasure dear ❤️
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Amazing ❤
Thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️
Nicely done.
Thank you. I am thrilled you think so 🌸
Wonderfully written. Appreciate the efforts you put in your poetry. Each word hits right in the heart. Great work! ❤
Thank you so much Ray. I am humbled by your words.
Your words are pure:)
Thank you so much Devika. It means a lot.
xoxo
Great work 👍 genius
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Nicely penned.
My most sincere thanks.
xoxo
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!
Flavio, grazie dal profondo del cuore per la traduzione della mia poesia. Mi ha fatto molto felice.
Saluto dall’America.
Gabriela
I loved this piece of writing! 🙂
You are sweet. Thank you,
This is so pure, I love it!
Thank you so much 🌸
Brilliant and moving
Thank you 🌹
Such a sensitive and moving poem. Thanks for sharing
Thank you for reading and thank you for your beautiful comment 🌹
Terrific observation here – that’s the key. You paint some wonderful pictures here.
Ian, I am humbled by your praise. Thank you.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
🙏🙏🙏🙏
Beautiful!
Thank you. That’s so sweet of you.
Beautiful!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
This shows the power in life represented by the child.
Indeed. Thank you very much for your comment.
I love this. Beautiful.
Thank you so much 🤗
Wow I love this!
Please visit my page too. 😍
Thank you dear. I will do it as soon as I can.
xoxo
This was blissful. Words were just so rightly placed.
Thank you so much.
xoxo
“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.
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.
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. 🙂
My most sincere thanks for your wonderful comment. I am grateful and humbled beyond words. You made my day beautiful.
Thank you again
Gabriela
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?
Thank you so much again. Your interpretation is king. Yes, until the finale when things seem to turn around 🌹
Great! Will probably purchase your book. Good stuff.
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.
Sure.
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.
i liked it, like you said. I knew something was wrong with my blog. Thank you for confirming it.
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. 🤗