If you can bear with me, I'm going to write my first ekphrasis (learn more HERE).
A close-up of a part of Eliza Naranjo Morse's painting Tools, Talisman and Treasures (2024) in the Blanton Museum of Art (Austin, TX)
Of course your pens and pencils are in a glass,
so that you can easily see what's there,
so you can grab the exact tool you need.
A jumble of choices, yet each with their specific job, ready to be useful.
"How can we help?"
But what if the pens and the pencils aren't tools, but talisman?
They are magic, indeed; sketching your ideas in notebooks or backs of envelopes, moving so fast, don't let the ideas flitter away.
They hold the power:
moving your hand across the paper, across the canvas,
stroking up and down, side to side,
changing the mood by changing the colors,
inviting us to wonder or laugh, to cry or gasp.
But what if the pens and the pencils aren't talisman, but treasures?
Precious as gold, sharpened to an exacting point, but rarely leaving the safety of the glass.
You can see, but don't touch or they'll lose their value.
You can see, but don't touch or they'll lose their potential.
Tools. Talisman. Treasure.
Do you decide? Or do we?
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After a long day of retreating, I was able to sneak in a short visit to the Blanton Museum and spend time with this beautiful painting, and its fabulous title stuck with me - how would Morse categorize each of the items in the painting (it's a huge piece, shelves of knick-knacks!)? It also made me think of my own beloved jar of writing utensils.
I love both the painting and your poem. The bold colors of the painting suggest use and playfulness. You capture these ideas w/ your poems. The question response structure is perfect, and of course the artist decides what the implements are and how they are used. So good. On another note, years ago in a grad seminar of classical lit, I read the romance Daphnes and Chloe. The entire text is based on a painting, and I loved it so much that I fell in love with ekphrasis. Barb Edler (Sitting Behind the Eight Ball) writes wonderful ekphrastic poetry. I think she won a contest once. P.S. I messed up my comment and needed to revise; hence the delete. Sorry!
ReplyDeletePens and pencils are talismans and treasures, making magic. What a beautiful image and sentiment in the poem.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing a new type of poem with me! This is a lovely read.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely adore writing ekphrasis poetry. Check out the Rattle Poetry website. They offer a monthly ekphrasis writing challenge. Also, I love your poem. Your use of questioning and repetition adds such a provocative layer to your poem.
ReplyDeleteA lovely poem of interesting and engaging thoughts. I'd say those pens and pencils are a little of each - tools, talismans, and treasures, all.
ReplyDeleteI think you did a wonderful job with your first ekphrasis! I really like the way you sectioned the poem with the title keywords, making for an imaginative outline. Nice to see another writer from Austin!
ReplyDeleteI love your poem!
ReplyDeleteKO here from #SOL25 What a great piece here -- a wonderful poem!
ReplyDeleteI love that this is as much a response to the title as it is to the painting--a nice reminder of the importance of titles. It's also a cool way to think about the way we use writing utensils. Thank you for sharing your poem with us.
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