The 10th Annual Poetry Invitational at SJMA

Santa Clara Poet Laureate Mike McGee invited some poets to write ekphrastic poems based on the exhibits of San Jose Museum of Art. Ekphrasis is the vivid, often dramatic, verbal description of a visual work of art, either real or imagined.

My piece was based on ’History of Science II’ by Catherine Wagner in the Gibson gallery.

Take a moment to look at the chromogenic print.

For a more immersive experience, please visit the San Jose Museum of Art.

The library of souls

——————————

This is me-

All my emotions sorted into shelves

Then labeled and archived.

One shelf is for my mother-

Who learned early in life

That the only way a woman could live with dignity

Was by earning her own living.

Her face burned in the summer sun 

When she walked home from the school she taught in

So she could save money and buy us fruits.

Another shelf is for my father- 

Who was stabbed 27 times and left for dead 

By his best friend of 27 years.

Here you can see the memories of my sister- 

Whose existence I don’t acknowledge anymore.

Because I don’t want to explain 

Why I have not spoken to her in years.

The covalent bonds of friendship

Have kept me sane through the years.

Otherwise, 

I’d have fallen apart a long time ago.

And right here 

Is me organizing my thoughts-

All those solitary moments 

I spend overthinking.

Then neatly page mark and 

Color code them in my journals.

But the most complicated relationship 

I have is with myself -

Love, Hate, Love, Hate, Hate, Love

What if I am not good enough?

What if I don’t deserve happiness

For something I might have done

A long time ago?

Then I say to myself-

You are doing the best you can 

In all possible circumstances.

Love, Hate, Love, Hate, Love, Love

Now, take a step back.

Look beyond the wooden frame 

Of this curio cabinet.

(This curio cabinet)

There are thousands of stories just like mine 

(In the corners, can you see?)

Yours and yours and yours.

An atheneum of human stories,

This is a library of souls.

Writing workshop exercise: Describe a painting

Today, I attended a workshop by Lita Kurth and we had a fun exercise when we had to pick a painting of our choice an describe it.  I think the term associated with it is 'Ekphrasis' ( adjectival form 'ekphrastic') which is a vivid, often dramatic, verbal description of a visual work of art, either real or imagined.

Here is what I chose and what I had to say about it :

Her hair was like flames licking her face and her emerald eyes still like a lake in the mountains on an overcast day. Her lips full and painted brick red. She wore a baggy, mint-green sweater, a woolen cap, and distressed blue jeans. She crossed her arms like she was hugging herself, seeking the comfort she did not find elsewhere. She wanted to remain invisible but she was so conspicuous because of her sadness. It radiated from her like a halo. It did not repel me, it attracted me like a moth is drawn to a candle.  I felt that if I get too close I might singe myself. Is it possible to be attracted and be intimidated at the same time?

I think she is scared of her own thoughts, she seldom speaks. But nonverbal cues say a lot about what she is feeling: raised eyebrows is an interrogation mark, dilated pupils signify surprise and parted lips means that she is receptive to the person she’s talking to.

Beneath her tattoos are buried the marks of abuse. A gift from her mother suffering from drug-induced hallucinations. She was sure she had given birth to the spawn of the Devil. Why else would all her lowlife boyfriends want her daughter instead? The little bitch!

She could’ve given up on life and be dragged into a world of drug abuse and prostitution like her mother. Instead, she educated herself and learn to make music. She spoke through the notes on her violin. 🎻