Today’s challenge is to write an Ekphrasis poem. An ekphrastic poem is a vivid description of a scene or, more commonly, a work of art. Through the imaginative act of narrating and reflecting on the “action” of a painting or sculpture, the poet may amplify and expand its meaning. A notable example is “Ode on a Grecian Urn,” in which the poet John Keats speculates on the identity of the lovers who appear to dance and play music, simultaneously frozen in time and in perpetual motion. The piece of art chosen is the Centaur’s kiss by George Leonnec as depicted below:
Often have I walked past this painting,
each time, seeing a unique aspect and ratio.
I can only guess at the artist’s intention,
vacillate in the depths of my observation.
In moment’s when I feel suffocation
has throttled the air from my lungs,
when worry, worms through my brain,
this is salve for my bleeding wounds.
I am transported in time and place
where Wind was Caution’s favorite child,
where judgment’s gavel did not fall,
Imagination borrowed extended wings.
The freedom of spirit I see before me,
galloping completely untethered,
without fear of danger, risk or cost,
is the reverie that frequently absorbs me.
I smell the sweet scent of romance
as it’s violet fragrance floats in the air.
Passion wins the race with no shame
though reason remains in the game.
On bleak days I see a different portrait.
I hear the gossip and feel the bigotry,
of those who do not understand
that we’re all half animal, half woman and man.
That sometimes our base instincts prevail,
when we’re meant to be who we must be,
where love governs all things, regardless
of race, colour, nationality, gender or creed.
Without understanding the full context,
this is a single frame, isolated from the next.
Wow! Chevvy! What an interesting challenge! This piece is so beautiful ly presented! It just left imaginations long after the piece is done! Great work, thanks for starting off my day with such a beautiful feeling! Regards, Kamunde
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I’m very glad to see you this morning though you came up as someone:-) Thank you for appreciating my response to the. Of course I took my chances and left it to the flow of my mind. I’m looking forward to the sad bird flying and a happy one swooping in – do you accept my challenge? All the best Kamunde:-)
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Hmm, you’ve turned art critic here?! You’ve definitely put in more perspectives than I could see and very well, at that!
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Good morning Kunal. I have to say that the mind can be like an elastic rubber band it you allow. I sometimes wonder where all this comes from when I’ve written a piece. I find I write best in the morning when ideas have percolated. Hope your Saturday is sweet and it is always great to see you:-)
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Hi Chev! Mornings are best for me, too. Before the rest of the world and family wake up! Have a great weekend!
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Thank you -you too!
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I wondered if you had spotted the various images in the centaur (the body of the horse) My perspectives were based on the overall picture but if you look closely, you should see the head of a man above the front legs, then the front legs holding a woman and where the centaur’s stomach is, there is a woman’s face. At the back of the horse, there is the beak of a bird,there is a mouse in the white space,a baby’s head from the shoulder of the centaur. I missed most of this – check it out,you might see other things:-)
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Sure, will do!
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No pressure,just thought it would be fun. The artist was a cartoonist so who knows what he hid in that picture ?:-)
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