the room is triptych
a distortion of the manifesto:
space, silos, substance
there is no roof
nor ceiling, only sky & clouds
are our constants
whatever lies beyond
the dark blue skyline is anyone's
guess
spin your story & see
where this takes you-
imagine: there is no wall
or cabinets to display photos
or keepsakes, yet
every absence holds shape
of what can be
every unopened door stirs & tears
of what may be
you are told
this room has two doors-
but what you see is not just two doors
the openings are everywhere
also the ground is unlevelled, moving
under your feet, folding & unfolding-
you roll over
get egg wash all over your face
& unroll again & again
this ground is not a vanishing point-
the room is under study
for you see so many possibilities
and in this moment, you are
both light & darkness
both ending & beginning
Kay Sage, entitled, My Room Has Two Doors (1939)
Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - OpenLinkNight. The image is for the optional prompt but I also used some words from our Tuesday's Poetics, In Our Words, hosted by Melissa Lemay.
Join us when the pub doors open at 3pm EST. Thanks for your visits and comments.
Love how you managed to capture the surrealism of the picture, it can be seen both as very confusing, but also a place of many possibilities.
ReplyDeletebut what you see is not just two doors
the openings are everywhere
also the ground is unlevelled, moving
under your feet, folding & unfolding
and with the moving ground there is also a sense of urgency.
I love this comment - the moving ground connoting a sense of urgency. I feel this now with our newly elected government (Canada).
Delete"every absence holds shape
ReplyDeleteof what can be "
you spun such a surreal story Grace - a joy to read
"every absence holds shape / of what can be"
ReplyDeleteThis line works well with the shadows coming from the right, out of frame and left to the viewers imagination.
A unique ekphrastic poem, Grace, and I like the combination with Melissa’s prompt. I love the opening lines, the thought of ‘only sky & clouds’ as ‘our constants’, and every absence holding ‘shape of what can be’. The repetition of ‘the room is under study’ is very effective.
ReplyDeleteLove your take on the artwork. The moving ground is felt globally I think.
ReplyDeleteSurreal feel with so many possibilities yet many constraints
ReplyDeleteIt's so surreal (words and painting), but I love how it feels grounded and hopeful at the end.
ReplyDeleteI love not only the title but the whole interpretation in your poem, especially the final stanza.
ReplyDeleteThe beauty of a great ekphrastic poem is that it enhances the viewing of the picture with at least one interpretation of its meaning. I love yours. This surrealist image is disquieting, challenging the way our brain makes sense of things at a glance but when you look at it more, those assumptions don't hold and you render this perfectly, Grace...
ReplyDelete"Guess," "imagine": a fine invitation to quest for meanings, singular or plural or whatever. That's the call to abstraction: "every absence holds shape / of what can be / every unopened door stirs & tears / of what may be." Lively response to the challenge.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful interpretation of the picture, Grace!
ReplyDeleteDwight
DeleteI love how you used the egg image. Very clever. For some reason, this put me in mind of John Lennon's "Imagine".
ReplyDeleteGrace, your poem is gorgeous! My favorite chill producing line ~~
ReplyDelete"whatever lies beyond the dark blue skyline is anyone's guess spin your story & see where this takes you" ~~ the ultimate flight of fancy I think. Thank you for leaving me a comment.
A surreal and beautiful poem , Grace. Elegant and eloquent...JIM
ReplyDeleteI know that room. We've met.
ReplyDeleteComing at it cold I didn't get to the picture until the end - then it all made sense. Great interpretation of the picture.
ReplyDeleteA kind of quantum physics dream!
ReplyDeleteA delightful poem, Grace! I tried to write to the image and only got egg all over my face...
ReplyDeleteYou captured the surreality of the artwork so beautifully, Grace. Love your interpretation of it.
ReplyDelete