The Nymph Will Not Wilt, Poem 3: A Woman Who Ages
Fantasy poetry project
This is the third poem in a fantastical poetry series called ‘The Nymph Will Not Wilt’. It features a mythical nymph-like figure who embodies all the beautiful aspects of nature. Her charm is something that’s admired for its youthfulness and vitality, but as all things touched by time, she, too, will have to face the idea of mortality.
If you have followed this project so far, I really hope you’ve enjoyed it. Next week I will publish the fourth and final poem in this series. If you haven’t read it yet:
Start with the first poem here:
The Nymph Will Not Wilt, Poem 3: A Woman Who Ages / Zeta Ferrer
Cruel were the seasons –
It’s thirty summers’ pass
and now she’s a woman.
In a field of red
spider lilies unfurled
like her exposed heart.
She picks at it until it’s tender,
each fingertip, an irritating touch.
She hates the flower
that with its vibrant bloom
announces her fall.
The trees rustle concerned
over the upcoming cold
while she fades; no longer a girl –
she’s a woman now.
Her succulence of persimmons
turning bitter-sweet.
Bite after bite, who will
gather her fruit?
Hungry eyes craving
better lushness elsewhere.
Forcefully hidden
for rot is consuming her
while she remains alive.
Every move she senses
the skeletal inside beneath
the shriveling bark.
Is she no longer beautiful?
That must be a lie.
In the dark, she runs
to the murky water.
Whose eyes are those
staring back at her?
No longer a girl,
she’s a woman now –
a woman who ages.
Entangled in time,
white webs woven
into her hair in silver strands.
Fate wants her strong,
her deep-reaching roots
to grow away from the gazes
that will unearth her.
She is a woman now,
it’s not imperative to wilt, Fate says.
From seed she should grow into stalk,
into plant, into flower –
the colours of which
she can start to admire.
A beauty beyond youth,
mysteriously tempting.
She takes the first step, herself
she is curious to discover.
Thank you for reading 💛
Ink Marks & Paper Clumps is only possible through the generosity and excitement of others. Consider supporting by liking, subscribing or leaving a comment if you enjoyed my work.
You can also support my efforts directly through a Ko-fi subscription or a one-time donation.
“In a field of red
spider lilies unfurled
like her exposed heart.”
Such a beautiful image