Month: June 2024

Quickening

On By Sunra RainzIn Art, music, Poetry, Writing6 Comments

© Barbara Sarvis

You stretch out in your new form
transmogrified
windborne elevation.

As the sun lays dying
bleeding cadmium evening
it sets your wings aflame.

Now you know flight
to swoop, to glide, to soar
airborne, aerial swift.

You are transfixed by your reflection
wide wingspan freedom, you 
are feathered fire

arcing, you bend space
with your shape-shifting self
rise up, arrow sweeping 

a freak of magic, knowing finally 
your heart is open, knowing fully
resurrection.

© N Nazir 2024

*My poem didn’t get make it for Rattle’s Ekphrastic Challenge so I thought I’d post it here instead. I’m not surprised as they can only pick two, Editor’s Choice and Artist’s Choice, out of a ton of entries (this one had 497). Plus, it’s only the third time I’ve submitted. How stunning is the artwork though?

*If you want to take part in the next Rattle Ekphrastic Challenge, the deadline is 30th June 2024.

*Shared for dVerse Open Link Night.

Cast Your Gaze Upon Me

On By Sunra RainzIn Art, Poetry, Writing22 Comments

Nkisi Power Figure, by the Kongo Peoples (Angola or Democratic Republic of the Congo) 19th century

Call me earth mother, godmother
holy totem for pregnant things,
lost waifs and sad clowns.

I can see into your soul
even when you turn away,
you cannot hide a thing from me.

I peel away your skin of masks
feel your pulsing wishes.  Call me
goddess of broken charms

charms you wanted broken.
Bring me offering of tree and leaf
of heartfelt grief, your ache 

on a plate of all-knowing fate.
Kiss my feet, wish again 
with heart, fullness untamed.

It’s okay to be a fool sometimes.
Even the clown craves lightness
to unlearn his sorry ways.

Even the fool would dance 
to the same beat if he wasn’t so alien 
from the only-dreamers.

Worship at my altar, tell me your secrets
and I’ll come to you in a dream 
and wipe away your tears.

I’ll take you where you need to go.
See?  You called and I came.
But first, a fair exchange.  Bring me 

bright coins, a sprig of juniper, tiny bird eggs 
and a fat fish eye, and I’ll bestow upon you 
your heart’s desire, should the gods

deem you worthy.  Kiss again my feet 
and be gone now, moon child.
In morning’s fire, it shall be done.

© N Nazir 2024

*My poem didn’t make it into the Ekphrastic Review for this challenge so I thought I’d post it here instead. The image for the next ekphrastic challenge is up, deadline 21st June.