Hello, beautiful readers! Colleen Chesebro has presented us with another Ekphrastic photo prompt for the #TankaTuesday Weekly Poetry Challenge. This week's painting is Russian Dancers by Edgar Degas. You can learn more about the artist here. Colleen and Selma were intentional in picking this painting, and you can read about their reasons here.
When I look at this painting, I see joy, lightheartedness, and fun. I absolutely LOVE to dance. I am an extroverted introvert and don't like to have too much attention on me. When I get on a dance floor, everything else disappears and I just lose myself to the music. For me, there is an electric energy flirting with a caress of peace when I dance, so I wanted to focus on that. At the same time, these women are dressed so differently that it reminds me that although we are different, we are all one.
So, here is what I came up with. I chose to go with a new form created by David [ben Alexander] from The Skeptic's Kaddish. He calls it the Oseh Shalom, and you can learn more about it here. It consists of 5 lines with a 7/9/6/3/4 syllabic pattern, ends with the word Amen, and is written about peace. So, here is what I created:
we dress with various flair
and dance to a myriad of beats
but our oneness shines through
embrace peace
and love - Amen
A good prayer, Yvette. Underneath the outer coverings we put on, we are all the same.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kerfe! If only society could be blind to outer appearances, our world would be a kinder place. Thanks for stopping by. :-)
DeleteHow lovely to use a pattern for peace for your verse.
ReplyDeleteA good prayer indeed. :D
Thank you, Jules! I'm glad you like it. :-)
DeleteWhat a gorgeous piece of poetry with a wonderful message. Well done, Yvette!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jan! That means a lot to me. :-)
DeleteYou've created a poem prayer and I LOVE it. Beautiful, Yvette. 💗
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gwen! David created a beautiful format for this. :-)
DeleteLovely poem, Yvette. I was especially drawn to the line: "but our oneness shines through." I pray for that these days. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteSo do I, Diana! Thanks for sharing that with me today. :-)
DeleteThanks, Colleen! David's form just felt right for this picture. I'm glad you liked it. :-)
ReplyDeleteI love this Yvette! It shows our outer difference but the sameness of what we all wish for inside. xo
ReplyDeleteThanks, Denise! I'm happy you enjoyed it. :-)
DeleteWow, Yvette, I am so honored that you used my form - and so beautifully too!
ReplyDeleteYou've breathed soul into it...
Yours,
David [ben Alexander]
Aw, thank you, David! It means a lot to me that I did right by you and your form. :-)
DeleteAmen to this, yes. Amen - آمين - Omin - אמן - аминь - амінь - アーメン - 阿门- verily, truly, let it be so.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Selma! I appreciate you adding power to my prayer poem. :-)
DeleteLove this!
ReplyDelete