The Flower Carrier

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 artwork. This Ekphrastic poem is based on a painting by Diego Rivera entitled The Flower Carrier.  

The Flower Carrier

I underestimated the weight of my beautiful burden

When I started my walk into town.

I kissed my wife good-bye and headed for the city,

I was a mile from the market when I fell down.

A sweet-smelling aroma filled my nose,

The fragrance of the flowers I no longer enjoy.

A floral pretty for a rich man’s table,

I’ve picked these flowers since I was a boy.

Now they have become a bilious weight.

That is slowly breaking my back.

Bringing me to my worn-out knees,

I fell in the middle of the road.

Maria takes pity on my plight,

She helps me lift my load.

I stager on with my beautiful burden,

And sell it for pennies when I get to town.  

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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