There were thorns involved
and so with careful fingers 
the firm, deep purple berries
were pulled off stalks,
held in palms,
and eaten.

It reminded her of birds 
when they delicately land
on thorn bushes.
Tiny toes splayed,
balancing the sharp mountains
in between skin.

Blackberry picking was a slow, methodical process, one that could last hours
if let alone.  

And she was alone;
reaching with night-stained fingers, 
for another jewel 
draping towards the ground,
adding it to the collection of savored
things from summer afternoons.

Cool ponds,
tiny caterpillars,
dirty calloused feet. 

They were simple and achievable 
and are the things she remembers 
20 years from now. 

Blackberry picking 
in early August. 



 

(Response to the challenge Titles: Create a poem using only the titles of books near you. Write it in seven minutes.)

I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN,
THE THRONE OF FIRE,
20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA.

NAVIGATING EARLY
THE BURNING MAZE,
VISITORS
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH.

PATHFINDER:
The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail
The Cucumber King
The Lost Track of Time
The Running Dream.

Under the Egg,
THE SERPENT’S SHADOW,
A PART OF THE SKY,
THE BOOK OF DUST:

The MYSTIC TRAVELOGUES.

counting by 7s,
Mary Oliver’s Devotions
ECHO
THE HIDDEN ORACLE.

#sos18

Freedom, I used to think,
was long hair billowing
behind me in the wind
split ends and bed head and braids
down my back.

I used to mourn when
the girls I knew with long beautiful hair—
red, mostly, like tendrils of fire—
cut it all off.
Who would shed their phoenix feathers?

Now the hair which I took such care
to grow out, always growing out,
weighs upon my neck
strangles me when I lay it on my pillow,
little coils of rope, still wet.

I think I know those girls-turned-women
for I, too, thirst for an unfamiliar freedom—
one where the wind strokes my shoulders
instead of toying with dead cells—
a new kind of confidence, power, beauty.

When before have I wanted to shed the past?
 

Check out this week's YWP NEWSLETTER, edited by several amazing (anonymous) Community Leaders. Exceptional writing, photos and YWP news designed to celebrate your work.
Featured photo (mythicalquill)

Enjoy all the newsletters here!
 

Our partner, RETN (Regional Educational Television Network), filmed the first two events in the series featuring Muslim Girls Making Change. See them here: Hawa Adam & Balkisa Abdikadir; and Lena Ginawi & Kiran Waqar.