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

Villanelle on a Pennsylvania Dutch Landscape, by Ben Weakley

5/12/2019

2 Comments

 
Picture
Pennsylvania Dutch Farm, photograph by Ben Weakley (USA) 2017.

Villanelle on a Pennsylvania Dutch Landscape

Naked branches praise the winter sky divine,
just as light echoes against blank spaces –
the empty canvas tells us something more than lines.
 
Bolts of black lightning come apart like frayed twine
In fractal patterns across heaven’s traces.
Naked branches praise the winter sky divine.
 
We tell the children their work is unrefined
before crayon fills their pages,
but their empty canvas tells us something more than lines.
 
Once you told me about your saddest times:
Sundays in spring when blooming leaves fill the spaces
where naked branches once praised winter sky.
 
Outside, in the sun’s final hour, sublime
light strokes long shadows across weary faces.
The empty canvas tells us something more than lines.
 
We drive home past green valleys, fruit budding on vines,
pastel dresses hung to dry. My mind retraces
blank spaces: naked branches where winter sky’s
empty canvas tells us something more than lines.

Ben Weakley

Ben Weakley lives in Tennessee with his wife and children. He writes poetry and enjoys hiking in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 
2 Comments
Alarie Tennille link
5/17/2019 05:02:53 pm

I'm glad you're getting a much needed rest.

Reply
Alarie Tennille link
5/17/2019 05:05:26 pm

My apologies. My comment about rest was meant for Lorette Luzajic's closing submissions post.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    The Ekphrastic Review
    Picture

    ​​Find a writer, artist, or poem, etc. by searching here:
    PLEASE SUPPORT US
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture



    ​
    ​Archives
    ​

    February 2021
    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
  • Give
    • Merch
  • Book Shelf
    • Ekphrastic Book Shelf
    • Contributors' Book Shelf
  • Ebooks
  • Submit
  • Prizes
  • Ekphrastic Writing Challenges
    • Challenge Archives
  • TERcets Podcast
  • Writers
  • Contact