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

Tea with Sisyphus, by Denise Keenaghan

10/19/2020

1 Comment

 
Picture
Sisyphus, by Titian (Italy) 1548

Tea with Sisyphus
 
Sisyphus and I had tea one gray morning 
at the bottom of his hill.
 
he liked the low tang of black bergamot.
(I preferred the bounce and blast of green mint.)
 
he wore little but a business casual chiton
and a bent smile.
 
his skin stretched over his barge-blown shoulders
like a canvas of sails
fleshed out by ice scudding on wind.
 
he placed his boulder in the cradle 
between collar and blade,
that space thrumming with sweat and breath.
 
not one muscle blenched
when he picked up his sandwich 
and teacup
with one free smooth red-brown hand.
 
peculiar--
how he would not put that rock down in the sand,
and how that bent smile siphoned 
a threnody of tea-flushed moans.
 
funny--
we both chewed cleanly round the crust,
but he guzzled the meat--
and left behind
(at the bottom of that hill)
his sandwich bones.

Denise Keenaghan

Denise Keenaghan is an English Literature teacher and poet originally from Austin, but currently living in Houston, Texas. Her work has been published in the St. Edward’s University literary magazine, The Sorin Oak Review (formerly The Aesthetic Voice) and in the University of St. Thomas of Houston’s Laurels literary journal. She is the recipient of the St. Edward’s University Ellen Garwood Poetry Award as an undergraduate student. She completed her MLA in Literature, and her thesis was recommended for publication. She and her husband have raised three creative and artistic sons, and she is currently working on a poetry compilation dedicated to the power of the female synesthetic voice.
1 Comment
Carole Mertz
10/22/2020 08:05:08 am

This poem, because of the skill and imagination of its author, leaves so much to the imagination of the reader. It tantalizes me, makes me think forward into what will be. Life, such a struggle, and your poem catches it with a teacup! Thank you

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
    ​

    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