the pen trembled in her hand
silent herald of words
she never wanted to send
ink met parchment, line after line
vowels seemed to shimmer
hesitant to take their proper place
consonants wavered, reluctant
to solidify the impending farewell
she inhaled deeply as
letters, seemingly possessed, lifted
twisted, turned, danced
an "A" floated past her face
she reached out instinctively
it slipped through her grasp
joining the rest in this rebellious ballet
"E” spun out of reach, “T” playfully twirled
before vanishing into the ether
“Y” somersaulted carefree and wild
a gentle breeze caught the liberated letters
carried them through an open window
where they scattered
like dandelion seeds into the night
unfinished ~ the letter would never reach him
~ she could not let him go
That image made an impression on you Helen, and now you’ve made one on me! I love that you started with the trembling pen, which set the scene so well, and you evoked emotion in the lines:
ReplyDelete‘vowels seemed to shimmer
hesitant to take their proper place
consonants wavered, reluctant
to solidify an impending farewell’.
I also love the simile: ’they scattered like dandelion seeds into the night’
Helen, you mesmerize me with your enchanting experience, inspired by Catrin's art. My scalp is tingling at it.
ReplyDeleteThat's a complicated sentiment - pouring one's heart out into the letter that won't be mailed, so its letters are carried off on the night breeze. You nailed it.
ReplyDeleteTHAT was a superb twist at the end...your previous very funny...could not comment there..
ReplyDeleteDearest Helen,
ReplyDeleteThat is an excellent poem! “Y” somersaulted carefree and wild and that's why she could not let him go...
Hugs,
Mariette
Bravo Helen - the passion of writing with your heart enchantingly captured here... Truly Lovely...
ReplyDeleteThere is a Giaconda like ambiguity to the woman's expression in the painting and you have found yet another interpretation and spun a believable tale out of it - which of us has not once faced such a loss, unwillingly...
ReplyDeleteI love what you did with the image - wonderful!
ReplyDeletea gentle breeze caught the liberated letters
ReplyDeletecarried them through an open window
where they scattered
like dandelion seeds into the night... Oh, so beautiful
What a beautifully written fun poem, Helen.
ReplyDeleteI love the letter play. W is like water. M is like mountain.
ReplyDeleteExcellent painting!!
ReplyDeleteYour poem is amazing.
Because in my work we deal a lot with letters,
sometimes I write poems or do a play, e.g. for children to understand diphthong vowels I really liked your poem!
The bright vowels, the oscillating consonants,
the way the letter is sent...
Thank you very much!
I love your interpretation of this painting! The "rebellious ballet" of letters escaping and then the big telling at the end of the story - wonderful, Helen!
ReplyDeleteWow. Such a wonderful and poignant poem. A great poem on many levels.
ReplyDeleteA gorgeous ekphrastic, Helen. Beautifully done.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorites of yours.☺️
ReplyDelete