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

Storyville Metamorphoses, by Kate Ravin

11/25/2021

3 Comments

 
Picture
Storyville Portrait, by E.J. Bellocq (USA) c. 1912

Storyville Metamorphoses 

In E.J. Bellocq’s faded flash of time
A woman curves across a straight-backed seat.
A mantle, dripping fringe, enfolds her frame.
Her zebra hose are gartered. Still, a neat
 
White wedge of unobstructed thigh,
Pale as her hollowed underarm is dark,
Remains to captivate your roving eye 
And hint the human nature of her work. 
 
An elbow, bent, supports her heavy head,  
Connecting her to all her treasured things:
Carved table, nymph or goddess caught in lead, 
Silver clock, tiny rockers tipped with wings. 
 
And though the moment here appears to stop, 
The clock’s hands fixed, forever pointing up, 
 
See how the rooted objects writhe toward change:       
The table legs twist taut as if they could 
Bore up to bud in open air. The strange
Statue swirls, Daphne changing flesh for wood, 
 
The little feathered rockers tense for flight    
To the grave of Laveau, their Voodoo queen, 
Chafing until the depths of red-lit night  
When they can swarm, then wing away unseen. 
 
And the woman, at rest from evening wiles,
Turns toward her own deliverance, and smiles.  
 
Kate Ravin

Kate Ravin, a freelance writer, lives in Atlanta, Georgia. She has served as poetry editor at XS magazine, a subsidiary of South Florida’s Sun-Sentinel newspaper, and been published in The Lyric magazine and The Road Not Taken: The Journal of Formal Poetry.
3 Comments
Robin Harding
11/25/2021 04:09:37 pm

What an evocative and sensual poem. Brilliant use of references- particularly striking was the Daphne transformation image. I adore the phrase "evening wiles". Just stunning!

Reply
David Bellemare Gosselin link
11/27/2021 02:35:09 pm

This is really very nice!

There is a lot of fine craft, but there are also some very compelling ironies. A lot of creative tension is being generated by how you play off the contrast between the different elements in the scene.

Well done!

I look forward to seeing more of your stuff, whether Ekphrastic or not.

Best,

David

Reply
Kate Ravin
2/17/2022 02:59:36 pm

Dear David, I'm sorry not to have seen your generous response until now. Yo'u've absoutely made my day. Thank you so much. I've found some of your work on the Society of Classical Poets site and enjoyed it as well. Nice to find another formalist in this free verse world.

All the best,

Kate

Reply

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