All the inversions: friday night and I set a
memory on a skin of spilt beer, feet touching
feet, head two body lengths away, unseen,
suddenly truth is a connection between soles.
Every morning for twenty years, mama took
three buses to work. The radius of childhood,
measured by wheel on wheel on a clouded film
of yesterday’s rain. Which wheel is real when
we talk of the past? Later, putting me to sleep,
the night reflected in her tears: two formless
skies collapsing into one. A false singularity.
Darkness, a perfect mirror of darkness.
Image by Omid Armin (Picture prompt provided by Visual Verse)
First published on Visual Verse (Vol 07, Chapter 4)
Finally sent something out this year and am glad it found a home. Visual Verse has great picture prompts and I love ekphrastic poetry but it also pulls together a gorgeous contributor page ! Just realized I’ve had 14 poems published there!
THOUGHT PURGE 
nothing like a mother’s love.
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I love the three buses and radius of childhood and the turning of the wheel.
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Thank you, Colleen.
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A reminder of the hidden struggles that many people face every day. Such sadness in the reflections.
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Thanks so much!
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I love the way this tells so much by providing only glimpses.
I’m not fond of writing ekphrastic poetry myself, perhaps because I take the process too literally. I see that your ekphrastic poems can stand alone without the source image.
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Thanks Rosemary… yes, I think it works if you step back and respond not to the image but to the feeling it evokes… if that makes sense… you have such a grip on detail and minutiae of the moment, so you can easily conjure up some beauties!
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I really like the closing line. It left me wondering about what darkness might see when it sees itself in the mirror. So much can be hidden–and kept safe–in the dark.
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Thanks so much, magaly!
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So much to be said of motherhood. I love the wheel reference. You’ve used it so well.
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Thanks so much, Beverly.
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You did justice to this ekphrastic poem. The memories it pulled are powerful and the imagery of your mum- heroic.
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Thank you, Vivian. Fictional – but it was the first thought that came to mind!
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Oh, a connection between soles can both reveal and conceal at the same time. Your poetry is a gift, I’m happy to hear this one found another home. Congrats! And as for ekphrastic poetry, I’ve started experimenting with it more, nowadays. I’ve been visiting museums for inspiration. We’ll see what comes of it. 😀
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Thank you, Khaya. Visiting museums is perfect. Maybe you can write in front of the piece you like and see where it takes you!! Would love to see the poem that emerges! Now that you say it, I’m going to try that too 😀
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A most powerful write, Rajani! I especially like; “on wheel on a clouded film of yesterday’s rain.”💝
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Thank you, Sanaa.
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The last lin adds so much emphasis to the entire poem. Nice
Happy Sunday Rajani
(✿◠‿◠)
much love
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Thanks so much, Gillena.
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This could be a poem about the memories we carry with us… they make us carry on despite the fact that they are sometimes a burden too. Love the darkness being a mirror for darkness, memories are stronger when we only have darkness as company.
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Thank you, Bjorn.
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Sadly so often a requirement, isn’t it? great words.
keyudos
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Thank you, Anthony.
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I read your poem on Visual Verse, Rajani, and we are in such good company, with Jane and Misky and several other names I know quite well. All the poems are of a high quality, and I love yours. I like the wordplay in the title and the way you extended in the poem, the shift from Friday night, ‘skin of spilt beer, feet touching / feet’ to a mother who had to take three buses to work. I especially love the image of:
‘The radius of childhood,
measured by wheel on wheel on a clouded film
of yesterday’s rain’
and the knowing and sadness of the final lines – the reality of motherhood.
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Thanks so much, Kim and yes, such terrific company. Was so glad to read all three poems! I think this month the quality at VV was exceptional- that prompt brought out so many angles and feelings.
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I saw yours… mine didn’t make it in 😦 but I will try again. I did post it on my blog – the image of the lady in the water puddle. I wish we could comment on Visual Verse…
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Oh would love to read it, Margaret. Do share the link please!
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Keep trying, Margaret. The sooner you submit something, the more chance you have of getting in. This month’s image is a strange one!
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Strange indeed!
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I managed to write ine, Rajani, but it was a bit half-hearted. I couldn’t get inspired.
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Ditto. Will be interesting to see the different responses! 🙂
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I’m going to be off-line next week, but I’ll have my Kindle with me – not that I’ll have much time as I’ll be spending all Lucas’s waking hours with him!
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Enjoy your family time and bday celebrations!
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Thanks Rajani! 🙂
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The memory of your mother working so hard all those years reminds me of mine, walking to work on painful legs full of varicose veins……an amazing legacy of strength, mothers doing what needs doing to raise their children.
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Thank you, Sherry. It’s only a fictional response to the prompt, but hats off to women everywhere who defied the odds to make things happen for themselves and their families. Most of them unsung heroes. You must be so proud of your mother. Indeed, a legacy of such strength.
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