April sunshine has given me the courage to take on the challenge of writing Ekphrastic poems. I have never attempted to translate the emotion from paintings, drawings, sculptures, or other visual works of art into words. The challenge will require me to dig deep to tap into the passions such works of art create inside a person. Most of what I write will be speculative. There will be times when I will place myself into the mind of the artist. Still other times, I will express the emotions I experience gazing at the work of art. If I get creative, I might even tell the story from an element within the work of art. This Ekphrastic poem is based on a painting by Pablo Picasso entitled The Old Guitarist.
The Old Guitarist
I gazed on him playing his guitar
Blind eyes closed to the wicked world
Hands mangled by age and fingers unfurled.
He did not perceive me standing there
If he noticed I don’t think he would care.
Engrossed in the sound of silent music,
I found his fate terribly tragic.
To strum with arthritic fingers
The harsh melody that lingers
Long after the song ends.
There is a sad story to be told
The artists brush strokes sorrowful and bold
The painter chose shades of blue
To capture poverties tones and hue
And the happiness of the old guitarist as he played.
Who is Molly Shea?
Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh. To read more of her short stories and adventures, click here.
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