Here is another poem from my ekphrastic class. Not going to say much about this one, but do let me know what you think about it.
First the original art:

This is a still life by Renato Gattuso titled, “Still Life with Skull and Lamp.”
Here is my version of the scene:

The hand is Heather’s art model hand that she sometimes uses when painting. Here I used it in place of a skull. I was aiming to mimic the color in the original with quilting fabrics.
Tea After Renato Gattuso’s “Still Life with Skull and Lamp” Those days in the hills. Hot afternoons looking for a bit of shade. Orange sunsets that faded into stars. Bright blue crisp dawns. We’d boil water over a small cook fire. Goats would climb on the cliffs and lambs bleat for their mothers. My market basket. I go on Thursdays. When we had sheep, I would knit, now I just sit remembering. The days before we found the skull, before I put his memory in a cage, before I had to go to market to buy wool.
I really enjoyed the poem, Andrew. I honestly think it’s of high quality. And I do love your original art set-up. Nicely done!
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Thank you.
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You anticipated my question about the “hand”, Andrew. There could be a whole post about that item alone. Everything else in your still life collection blurred when I saw it. Except those Pepperidge Farm cookies, of course.
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I should note that the cookies never made it back to the kitchen …
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I love the imagery that your poem evokes. Very thoughtful. Thank you for sharing it with us. 🙂
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Thank you – the imagery is central to how I think about a poem.
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I particularly like those last two stanzas, Andrew.
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Thank you!
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Wow, Andrew! Lovely imagery. And a novel in a few lines. Agree with the word “poignant” to describe this. Kudos!
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Thank you – I think a poem works best when it builds a strong image in the reader’s mind.
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Yes. And you’ve very effectively done just that!
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Thank you!
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Oh, wow. Very cool! I love your poetic interpretation, and your homemade still life!
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I saw a story in this picture the first time I saw it.
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Wonderful poem, Andrew!
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Thank you!
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I’m intrigued by this entire exercise.
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me too. 😉
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I can see you are inspired by your move. Very nice.
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So far this move and retirement is working out.
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A very poignant poem with a story behind it that we can make up to fit our own circumstances. Two swallows do not make a summer, as we say, but the evidence so far is that the Ekphrastik Krew have improved your poetry by leaps and bounds.
(And no, I’m not saying it was terrible before, far from it, but the improvement, for me, is quite marked.)
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I did learn a lot from that class.
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This is very poignant, Andrew. Lovely!
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Thank you!
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Nicely done
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Thank you.
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Love it!
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Thank you!
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