The Ekphrastic Review
  • The Ekphrastic Review
  • The Ekphrastic Challenges
    • Challenge Archives
  • Ebooks
  • Prizes
  • Book Shelf
    • Ekphrastic Book Shelf
    • Contributors' Book Shelf
    • TERcets Podcast
  • Workshops
  • Give
  • Submit
  • Contact
  • About/Masthead

Persona Non Grata, by Debbie Peters

2/16/2023

0 Comments

 

Persona Non Grata

inspired by Zonder titel, by Robert Zandvliet (Netherlands) 1996
https://www.stedelijk.nl/en/collection/1655-robert-zandvliet-zonder-titel 

The Girl surely had a name in her day, but as often happens to stories that travel from place to place over time details have been lost or changed and she is now known simply as  "The Girl Without a Shadow."

As the story goes, the Girl never noticed her shadow was missing until one night in bed when she couldn’t make shadow puppets on the wall. She played for hours, but no shadows would appear. When the Girl told her mother, the mother said. “Don’t worry, Girl, I know a trick no one else knows, not even father. All you have to do is pretend you have a shadow and one will appear. In time you won’t even know you're pretending.”

The Girl tried to make a pretend shadow, but everything failed. The mother couldn’t understand why the pretense wasn’t working for the Girl—it had always worked for her—and when she realized it was all she had to give, the mother became undone. The father blamed the Girl for the mother’s demise and took to hitting her just like he'd hit the mother. 

Then one fine day the Girl ran away. No one knows where she went, but many claim to have seen her skipping down a sunny path, turning frequently to smile at her shadow following close behind.
​

When parents today make shadow puppets with their children before they go to sleep, few know of its significance beyond mere play. Even fewer know of the faded plaque nailed to a tree near the house where they say the Girl once lived: "To every girl without a shadow—the journey to finding your true self starts here."

Debbie Peters

Debbie Peters is a retired attorney, living in New York City. She dedicates her work to her beloved Gerson Lesser with whom she joyfully wandered through art museums for 37 years.

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    The Ekphrastic Review
    Picture
    Current Prompt
    COOKIES/PRIVACY
    This site uses cookies to deliver your best navigation experience this time and next. Continuing here means you consent to cookies. Thank you.
    Join us on Facebook:
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture



    ​
    ​Archives
    ​

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    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 

  • The Ekphrastic Review
  • The Ekphrastic Challenges
    • Challenge Archives
  • Ebooks
  • Prizes
  • Book Shelf
    • Ekphrastic Book Shelf
    • Contributors' Book Shelf
    • TERcets Podcast
  • Workshops
  • Give
  • Submit
  • Contact
  • About/Masthead