Aging like fine wine? poem by Rosemerry

(reposted from A Hundred Falling Veils)

Early morning sky with golden clouds like veils, and golden reflections of two ceiling lights. Photo: Rachel McAlpine
Sunrise in Mapua with clouds like veils. And reflected ceiling lights.

Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer’s poem is about aging and wine. Her humane, specific reflections push way beyond the cliche “aging like fine wine.”

Aging

The wine in the glass

remembers the long days in darkness

how it couldn’t breathe,

how it lost its scent of grape

and became more grapefruit,

more green pepper, more grass.

How it lost its harsh taste,

lost its astringence, and became

rounder, more smooth, more

wine. I, too, am changing

in these long days.

I, too, am converting what I’ve known

into what I will be.

I, too, am becoming something

I almost don’t recognize—

heady with transformation,

yet tethered by memory

of what it was like

to feel trapped,

what it was like

to steep in that darkness,

to have to learn to trust

whatever came next.

A Hundred Falling Veils is a blog I visit often. Poet Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer posts a poem there every day. I like their richness, their humanity in lines that are clear although often startling. The balance she strikes between pattern and surprise appeals to me. She pushes me just a little further every time, kindly.

8 thoughts on “Aging like fine wine? poem by Rosemerry

  1. LOVE the poem (and I don’t even drink wine!). It’s good to have friends who push you to be your best.:-)

  2. Dan Antion says:

    That’s a very good way to think about aging. Thanks for sharing it.

    1. Rachel McAlpine says:

      It starts with going deeper into an idea that we usually skate over the surface of. [Sentence ending with a preposition. Ed.]

  3. Elizabeth says:

    Occasionally she participates in on line poetry workshops too. I don’t know how the time zones would work for you, but they are very inspiring. Great prompts for poems.

    1. Rachel McAlpine says:

      So you know this wonderful poet! I love her work.

      1. Elizabeth says:

        I met here through another blog. She is great.

  4. Khushi_M says:

    Beautifully written …… Big fan 🙂

    1. Rachel McAlpine says:

      Ditto!

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