Thursday, July 26, 2012

Feeling Ekphrastic

Mixing Art Thursday and Poetry Friday to make some ekphrasis today.

Here's an artwork and a poem that was inspired by it:

A Carnival Evening, 1886
by Henri Rousseau

After the Feats of Wonder
by Tabatha Yeatts

From hidden places, the owls sing out
to gift us with this night,
the owls and the generous moonlight
that pours across the ground to guide us home.

Concealed under the night's song
is the soft sound of our feet walking
contented step by contented step.

I am full and quiet, glowing and whole.
My hand slides through the crook of your arm
as the breeze slips through the tall, thin branches.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Links:

* More ekphrastic poems

* Artists for Literacy has a sample curriculum for their Ekphrasis Project

* Another curriculum (this one is by Lynn Marsico)

* Notes on Ekphrasis by Alfred Corn

Bibliophile has this week's Poetry Friday round-up at Life is Better with Books.

12 comments:

Liz Steinglass said...

Thank you for the poem and the word ekphrasis. My favorite line is "I am full and quiet, glowing and whole."

laurasalas said...

This is so still and gorgeous, Tabatha. I don't know how it maintains that stillness when there's clearly motion going on--of both owls and people! But it does. The idea of the owls gifting us with the night is my fav. part, plus

My hand slides through the crook of your arm
as the breeze slips through the tall, thin branches.

Robyn Hood Black said...

Oh, this is SO lovely! How wonderful to think of owls gifting us with night. Thanks for sharing. (Fun fact: I just learned that Rousseau never actually left France, though he painted so many exotic scenes. I never knew that!)

Katya said...

The poem and the painting are both so beautiful... Like Liz, I really love the line "I am full and quiet, glowing and whole." I know that feeling of being full and quiet and whole -- I get it sometimes sitting by the ocean or by a mountain stream.

Pop said...

Excellent poem, Tabatha.

I studied the picture for a while to conjure up a scenario or two, then I read your poem. Your interpretation won hand's down. :-)

Author Amok said...

There is something cooling about that image. I love how you end with the tall, thin branches in your poem -- there's a sense of walking tall, of pride, in being connected to another person and at the same time feeling connected to nature. Beautiful.

Retta said...

LOVE Henri Rousseau, and this painting is particularly full of "mood". Your poem captured it perfectly!

My favorite part was:
I am full and quiet, glowing and whole.
My hand slides through the crook of your arm...

Beautiful, simply beautiful.

Karin Fisher-Golton said...

What a lovely poem. It filled my heart. I especially loved "contented step by contented step." It took me right to memories of sweet summer nights.

Violet N. said...

How lovely is this! It's both sensuous and comforting. I love soft footfalls, and the hand sliding "through the crook of your arm."

Linda B said...

I missed today because I've been off the internet since yesterday, finally on about a half hour ago. This is beautiful Tabatha. I love the romance of it, and this "I am full and quiet, glowing and whole." So satisfying.

Betsy Hubbard said...

This has all kinds of wonderful bits. I especially love the image of moonlight pouring.

Mary Lee said...

So much to love about this post -- the painting: the moon, the couple walking, where they came from and where they are going; your poem; the link to more ekphrastic poems...

Thanks!