the green thumb turned blue

the green thumb turned blue

I never had rose colored glasses

mine were dandelion colored

and made the sun's glare worse

also weeded my dreams

of perfectly manicured lawns of love

grew skepticism

instead of beauty

I found some love among the clover

but four-leaf clovers

are as timid and shy

as those who have had those 

rose-colored affairs

dyed mourning black

and long to emerge again

in that garden of hopeless temptation

when no one is there to tend it.

May 27, 2022

erin-cilberto

Reviews

[Fran Marie]

love like flowers doesn't
always blossom to their full
potential and beauty..
hard to achieve that perfect
manicured lawn and garden
great metaphors used within
grew skepticism
instead of beauty
your writings never disappoint

Nice work

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you always, Fran, you are supportive and encouraging...keeps my pen going.
j.

[andrew mitchell]

It's a jungle out there. And you have to nurture love or the weeds will take over. you need rose coloured glasses to re enforce your beliefs for its a competitive garden out there with the usual pests. How beauty attracts the wrong kind.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes it does attract the wrong kind.
j.

[Lisasview]

The whole concept of your poem dear Jacob is oh so wonderful.
The use of gardens and glasses is great
Behind your lines is pain and sadness..
The line "rose-colored affairs
dyed mourning black."
The use of mourning here is so perfect.
I just reread it to my husband..and we both felt chills,
Living life with different glasses is such an interesting thought..
I am reminded of a movie I saw a long time ago.. trying to recall the name..It was a story by Arthur Miller...The movie starred Laura Dern and William B. Macy
and, was banned for quite some time.. It had to do with how glasses can change what people think of you..
Fabulous movie..
Lisa, thinking back...

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I am trying to think of what movie that was...I will do some research...
I so appreciate your kind words...geez, I must be depressing to read!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

The movie is Called "Focus"
I need to look that one up...I have not seen it....but I like pretty much anything with Laura Dern in it....she is a terrific actress.

[Lisasview]

This is way before she had work done to her face... and Macy is so amazing..
I do think you will enjoy it..
You will see why the story ~ play was banned for a long time once you see the movie or read the commentary.
No, your poems are not depressing just extremely realistic..
Lisa

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

Especially loved third last verse.
Enjoyed your write
Great metaphors
Loved it

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Julie,
j.

[Patricia Wedel]

Wow! my front Yard is overtaken in moments of Dandelion Blues. The Gardener mows over them, but that seems to reseed them. We cannot afford to take out the entire Lawn and replace it with "fresh Kentucky blue grass". Alas, I have many tall Ceramic Pots with Rich Earth supplemented with aged manure that Cows contributed. In our Circle of homes within a Circle of Homes built in 1988, all the electricity is underground, so we cannot rototil a garden or dig deeply. Our home was the Model Home in 1988 as you enter the Circle within a Circle. It all makes me very Dizzy. The perfect Venue to write Poetry if you are somewhat Mad. We were told when we moved here four years ago that the Owner went Bankrupt building the "Golden Pond" development, and he committed Suicide. The Pond itself has since dried up. It would make a good Novel, but I write Poetry. We have a "haunted house" next to us. Your poem is very Melancholy. gently, Pat

[jacob erin-cilberto]

If you wrote a novel, I would be the first to read it, Pat...
but I know what you mean...I write poetry too...novels were always too long for my attention span.
thank you for sharing this about your garden..and Yard...even your stories are so poetic.
I am envious of your ablitiy to do that.
j..

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Jacob… sometimes in every day Life..I cause people to Laugh… that is my favorite thing to do… it is a Medicine to laugh and I am pursuing my “Doctorate” edged in Gold.
You have a “Gift” of Kindness that enriches each of us. Our golden years are blessed with Inspiration if only We Believe in each other. My daughter lEdie (named after my Mother Edith) has a Tracker on her Smart Phone and she knows exactly where I am at all times. She calls me in the Phone and says, “Mom, why are you at Tractor Supply again?” I tell her because I would like to be a Farmer and I look at all the Baby Chicks and Ducks and Pretend That I live on a Farm. Life is a Charm. tenderly, Pat

[Gee]

You write as though your whole adult life has been a series of "nearly" relationships Jacob, as though you are the perfect friend and nearly perfect boyfriend.
I can imagine you sitting banging away on the typewriter whilst your lady busies herself with things that ladies find to do to look busy :))
Hope you are well my friend

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Oh, no, far far from perfect...just a flawed poet banging away....with my cat as company.
Thank you for your words, Gee...but yes, a lot of nearly.
j.

[William Michael Reeves]

This an awful thought, but I thought of blue balls after I read this. And wondered if you garden? You tend to garden a lot in your poetry. Luckily true love is easier to find than a four leaf clover.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

in my dreams and in my poetry, but I have no green thumb at all.

[Einstein Noodle]

it's hard and rocky soil when love treats us so .. we all put our "shades" on in youthful ignorance .. blinded and stumbling ... there is tragedy in your poem .. i am one who looks for the happy ending .. alas i see none :( //without tending surely it will wither and die :(((
E.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

your reply to the poem is better than the poem itself...thank you, E,
j.

[Einstein Noodle]

well .. thank you graciously jacob ... but aaaa ... i don't think so. :))))))))

[Chris Shaw]

Amazing metaphors here J. The green thumb turned blue. A perfect title too. Yes like the garden not everything grows to satisfaction. Romances can die off too before they bloom. They need nurture as much as the garden, but nurture doesn't always mean success. You get your disappointments, there are no guarantees. Really like this one J.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yep, no guarantees...thank you, Chris, for your words,
j.