The Ekphrastic Review
  • Ekphrastic Journal
  • About
  • Writers
  • Give
    • Merch
  • Book Shelf
    • Ekphrastic Book Shelf
    • Contributors' Book Shelf
  • Ebooks
  • Submit
  • Prizes
  • Ekphrastic Writing Challenges
  • Contact
  • TERcets Podcast

Smith’s Gate, Umatilla Indian Reservation, by Judith Kelly Quaempts

7/10/2018

1 Comment

 
Picture
Smith's Gate, by Peter S. Quaempts (Yakama Nation/USA). 1978.
Smith’s Gate, Umatilla Indian Reservation
​

A pale moon rises over the hills.
The last of the sun bathes them in gold.
An azure sky spreads its wings.
The whole scene glows.
 
One falls into this painted world,
into hills deep folds seamed with pine.
Time has no meaning here, only the light,
light that fills every space and spills
from the canvas, light that entices
the viewer to step into the painting,
become yellow ochre, raw sienna,
a ghost in that ghost of a moon.


Judith Kelly Quaempts

Judith Kelly Quaempts lives and writes in rural eastern Oregon. Her short stories and poetry can be found online and in print, most recently in The Poeming Pigeon, Diane Lockward's, Crafty Poet II, Ariel Chart, Young Ravens Literary Review, and Paragon. She has published two novels.

The late Yakama Nation artist Peter S. Quaempts' paintings are in private collections, as well as collections of the Oregon State Dept of Employment in Pendleton, Oregon, and Tamastslikt Cultural Center on the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Mission, Oregon.   
1 Comment
Cezarija Abartis
7/10/2018 02:15:03 pm

What a beautiful painting! What a beautiful poem! And that stunning last line!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    The Ekphrastic Review
    Picture

    ​​Find a writer, artist, or poem, etc. by searching here:
    PLEASE SUPPORT US
    Join us on FB and Twitter!
    Picture



    ​
    ​Archives
    ​

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015

    Lorette C. Luzajic theekphrasticreview@gmail.com 

  • Ekphrastic Journal
  • About
  • Writers
  • Give
    • Merch
  • Book Shelf
    • Ekphrastic Book Shelf
    • Contributors' Book Shelf
  • Ebooks
  • Submit
  • Prizes
  • Ekphrastic Writing Challenges
  • Contact
  • TERcets Podcast