“Lastly, she pictured to herself how this same little sister of hers would, in the after-time, be herself a grown woman; and how she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and loving heart of her childhood: and how she would gather about her other little children, and make their eyes bright and eager with many a strange tale, perhaps even with the dream of Wonderland of long ago: and how she would feel with all their simple sorrows, and find a pleasure in all their simple joys, remembering her own child-life, and the happy summer days.”
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carol
and to wonder is everything
like water to the earth
nourishing you, levitating you
beyond what “is”
high above cinders of the past
into worlds where stars pop
as you poke at the sky
clouds sashay in colours you’ve
never seen but somehow
you know well
spirit animals appear
swirling, embracing
speaking your truth
joy is the flight path
of dandelion fuzz
the gleam of dragonfly wings
sorrows, unknown
slip deep into sunsets
dawn becomes another gift
another day to wonder
So happy to be hosting this week’s Poetics at dVerse Poets Pub, where we are using the “last lines” of books to spark our poetic muse. You are welcome to join us at 3 p.m. EST.
Image credit: pixabay.com
mishunderstood 
Transcendent – as if you’ve taken us on a mystical ride.
Wonderful choice, Mish! It’s been a while since I read Alice in Wonderland; I have the annotated version, with background and explanatory notes. I love where the last lines have taken you – we have both written about wonder! I especially like the phrase ‘levitating you beyond what “is”’.
This is wonderful, and how nice when you can keep that joy throughout life… to be able to keep that childhood joy,,, maybe it’s what we need.
Loving ‘high above cinders of the past’.
I love “Alice” – so strange and…wonderful, I guess. I love your imagery, and you’ve reminded me that it’s good to pause and take pleasure in everyday magic. Can’t be reminded of that too often.
This is another ‘wonder’ ful poem. It’s a quality we strive for, like innocence. Hard to get back once you’ve lost it.
I love the passage from the book, from which you were inspired to weave joy from.
Between the sashaying clouds and the twirling spirit animals…. I’m uplifted by this poem!
I wonder about people who don’t wonder. I think they just must be wandering aimlessly. I love your poem. So if in Wonderland is one of my many favorites
They say that our sense of wonder comes from our inner child. I believe poets stay in touch with their inner youth more than most others; thank God–a lovely ride.
Love this so much. LOVE Alice. I choose a word to focus on each year, and a few years ago it was “wonder.”
Nice lines: “sorrows, unknown
slip deep into sunsets”
“and to wonder is everything
like water to the earth”
Ah yes indeed
Much✏love
Lovely. a poem of hope and wonder. Love the quote.
I enjoyed this poem, my inner child needs to come out and play a bit more. Each day is a gift and we need to remember to enjoy the beauty around us.
dawn becomes another gift
another day to wonder
I love ‘joy is the flight path of dandelion fuzz’! So lovely Mish.
“clouds sashay in colours”
“joy is the flight path”
and finally
“dawn becomes another gift
another day to wonder”
You’ve taken us to a wonderland of delight. Love this one!
“Dawn becomes another gift”…something to be remembered each day … the gift of another.
kaykuala
A sensitive and sentimental person can well remember the childhood wonders to be relived through time. Not just nostalgic but satisfying. How nice Mish!
Hank
I Iike comparing wonder to water – as a necessity for the enjoyment of life. This is such a light poem – yet strong enough to bear the weight of sentiment without ever becoming cloying or cute. It’s a very difficult thing to pull off and you do it with elegance and grace. Best of all your vision rises above those ‘cinders of the past’. I do not find this poem nostalgic – for me it’s a wake-up call.