Welcome to Poetry Friday!
One of my guilty little pleasures is hand crafted, scented soaps. I almost always choose a few bars to bring home when I’m visiting a new town or shopping in a new location. The names, the scents, the colors all delight me, so I make my choices based on any or all of the above.
I especially look forward to starting a new bar. It’s fun and a little mysterious to look through my stash, read the names, and choose the one that speaks the loudest. This week, I found one I had purchased last summer – Ocean City Sunrise. It did not disappoint.
Why I Love Scented Soaps
The label read
Ocean City Sunrise.
Under the wrapper, a block of two-tone gold
scenting of summer
greeted me.
I stepped into the shower,
let the lather drift down,
transporting me to a moon-cooled beach
where a sliver of light
rose, coloring the sky
pink and yellow and blue…
the perfect start to my day.
Draft, 2025RoseCappelli
I hope you had a good start to your day, too. If you’re at NCTE, have a wonderful time soaking up all the kid lit goodness! I used to attend all the time but haven’t been back in a while. Next year it’s in Philadelphia, just a train ride away for me, so I may not have an excuse to stay away. If you’re looking for a panel moderator or collaborator, I’d love to help out.
Janice at Salt City Verse has the roundup today. Be sure to stop by for lots of poetry goodness.
Imagine the Possibilities 
Love how you transport us with a simple bar of soap — especially at the line break “sliver of light/rose, coloring” –And YOU are there …
🙂
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Thanks, Patricia.
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It’s the little things, for sure! I used to save the soap from a favorite hotel, and the scent would take me back there immediately.
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Smell is my strongest association to memories.
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I LOVE your soap poem, especially the “moon-cooled beach.” Also love the photo! You are inspiring me to think of every bar of soap having their own story! My former boss stayed with us this summer and he gave us fabulous Caswell-Massey soaps, one of which was George Washington’s favorite!! Thanks so much, Rose!
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Rose, What a great idea for a poem! Scented soap! I enjoy buying these treasures too and I always check them out, no matter where I travel. They make great gifts too, if you know the person loves something that smells wonderful and can transport them to a faraway place or memory! I love that you sometimes pick based on the soap’s name – I’m like that with paint colors! We are freshening up some of the rooms at the cabin and as usual, I picked colors/names I liked. Thanks for sharing your soap poem!
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Isn’t it funny how we end up collecting these little things that make us happy? For me, it’s paper! I have way too much paper collected from places I’ve visited, friends, libraries and book shops. I love paper the way this poem shows a love for soaps. Gosh, you really got me to connect, there. Well played.
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Thanks, Linda!
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I’m a full-fledged member of the soap club! I love how you’ve taken that membership to the next level with your poem in praise of soap. It’s just lovely–especially that moon-cooled beach!
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Rose, I love how you transported “me to a moon cooled beach
where a sliver of light
rose, coloring the sky
pink and yellow and blue…” from your scented bar of soap. Good imagination! I like to gift people scented soaps. Thank you for your inspiration.
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Rose, this is my second attempt. My first comment disappeared to I don’t know where. Hopefully, this one comes through. I love how you transport your readers “to a moon cooled beach/where a sliver of light/rose, coloring the sky/pink and yellow and blue…” from your scented soap. Good imagination! Thank you for your inspiration. I like to buy family and friends scented soaps.
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Thanks Gail. Looks like your first comment did go through! Word Press likes to play tricks sometimes.
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Delightful soap poem– I feel transported too!
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I love “moon-cooled beach,” Rose. It’s amazing how scent evokes such powerful memories or feelings.
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I love hearing about people’s favorite things to collect 🙂 Thanks for sharing yours with us, Rose. I’m with Karen– “moon-cooled beach” is a wonderful image.
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Thanks, Tabatha.
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