Heitor dos Prazeres: Arrowhead Union High School- Special Ekphrastic Showcase

Samba de Roda, by Heitor dos Prazeres (Brazil) 1965

Editor's Note: 
The Ekphrastic Review is always pleased to publish the ekphrastic work of creative writing students at Arrowhead Union High School, thanks to an ongoing partnership with teachers Liz Jorgensen & Terri Carnell. It is wonderful and exciting to see the amazing talent and work of students invited into ekphrasis. 

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The Dance
 
The bright colours of dresses, 
Orange, blue, and green.
 Also the black or red stripes with a dark wash of blue jeans.
Everyones smiling, talking, laughing, everyones happy.
 
Everyone's dancing.
With the music playing in the back.
The instruments, drums, maracas, and the bells.
Making music to my ears.
 
But what makes me happy?
Is the sunset in the sky?
The blue closely blends in the yellow?
 
With a faint colour of orangish-pink.
A wash of colours over our heads.
Making us happier.

Amal Arabiyat

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On Samba de Roda, by Heitor dos Prazeres (Brazil) 1965
 
In the heart of Brazil, the rhythm sings,
Samba de Roda, where joy springs,
Painted by Prazeres in colours so bright
A festival of colors in the night.
 
The canvas dances with vibrant grace,
A swirl of movement, a lively space.
Drums and guitars, voices in tune,
Under the gaze of a glowing moon.
 
Women in dresses with flaring skirts,
Spin and twirl, their laughter spurts,
Men with hats, with claps and feed,
Join the circle, where hearts beat.
 
Feet stamp the earth, hands reach high, 
Eyes shine bright, beneath the sky.
The spirit of Brazil, captured here,
In Samba de Roda, without fear.
 
So let the colours dance and play,
In this scene where night meets day.
Feel the rhythm, hear the cheer,
In Samba de Roda, ever near.

Kiera Draeger
 
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The Rhythm of Joy 
 
People gather
spirits rise,
And dancing begins. 
Samba music flows through the air, 
dancing two beats to a bar. 
Hips automatically start swinging and feet start stepping.
The power samba does to someone. 
 
Colours burst like fireworks, 
And the celebration of summer has begun. 
Voices rise with laughter as the stories start flowing. 
Old and new tales about the tradition are shared, 
bringing all the generations together. 
 
Pure bliss, 
Capture the saul of samba.
Samba was the movement that was meant to be danced.
Young and elderly hold hands, 
hearts align,
as the culture finds its place in everyone’s heart. 

Mia Jones