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

Setting Suns and Rising Stars, by Margaret Ryan

9/23/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Warhol and Basquiat (detail), Galerie Bruno Bischofberger, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Setting Suns and Rising Stars
  

after photo of Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat sitting in front of Crocodile, 1984 

Like a binary star system they look back at us through time
One tightly wound, a mop of world-weary white hair 
The other’s a joker’s crown, legs akimbo, ready to take on the world 
The gator grins above the tableau as if it knows the score
Kente-cloth teeth and spaceship eyes
Its smile a buzzsaw of energy, a touch of tension
It looks down on this friendship of creative rivalry
Of counterpoint
Of generational jazz
Of whimsical riffing
Between icon and up-and-comer
On one side the EL SOL rises bright
Just beneath, scratched out, but not eradicated, NO SUN
As if words taken back don’t cut
Free-skiing down rib-eyed cliffs
Towards the unknown
Riding creativity’s fickle wave
Complementary soul mates
Purple (the colour of kings) a hybrid as well
There is much in the painting beneath its layers 
The torch being passed, one hand raised as if
A mock battle royale, a generational rumble -- Muy fao vs Hybrid
Dissing with love, a wink, and a nod
To the ultimate shared experiential cliché
Life is short -- and long,
The setting of suns, the rising of stars
A progression of glorious interruptions
 
Margaret Ryan


This poem was inspired by another photo of Warhol and Basquiat, sitting in front of their mutual work, Crocodile. Click here to view.

Margaret Ryan became interested in ekphrastic writing after taking an Ekphrastic Review workshop online and a university-sponsored art appreciation class.  Her flash fiction, “Window View” appeared in the The Ekphrastic Review John Bradley ekphrastic challenge. She lives in Florida where she writes and paints.
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