Fragile Seeds

Blowball l, 1943 by M.C Escher



We are fragile seeds
resting on a dying bloom
waiting for God’s breath
to send us to eternity.

With harried eyes
we stare at one
another seeing
our division by
race and faith
forgetting our
existence is
joined to the
same death star.

Violence 
has grayed 
our world
into burnt
 ashes.
Yet somewhere
within our failure
there are
 tiny seeds
fertile with
 the hope
our children 
will be the
 blossoms of
 peace.



©Susie Clevenger 2013
Ekphrasis is the graphic, often dramatic,
 description of a visual work of art. 
 Kerry at Real Toads challenged 
us to write an Ekphrasis using
the art of M.C. Escher.



Comments

Hannah said…
Yes, fertile with the hope indeed. This is spectacular, Susie...such a poignant important message you've delivered and I love that you employ the shape of the dandelion stem. Well done!!
Helen said…
I love the strength of your words in this poem .. I saw Les Miserables recently. Your poem echos the story.
Kerry O'Connor said…
Yes, Susie, what you say is so true. I love the way you have expressed these ideas - they relate so well to the picture you chose.
Uplifting, delightful and original. Love the way each of us is going into a different direction with this prompt.
LLM Calling said…
sometimes I feel so ready for God's breath to send me, but then he tells me what he needs from.me. thanks for that uplift this morning
hedgewitch said…
I loved that pic--and its mirror image in white--you've really spoken to the dark side of life/death it represents, but by making the possibilities and connections of all the living, changing moving parts(seeds) the focus, you breathe both realism and hope into it. Very well written, Susie. Enjoyed it much.
Anonymous said…
Absolutely beautiful. :<)
Susan said…
OwWOOO! Applause and a lot of Joy!
You had it in a nutshell in the opening stanza so I feared the rest--but you fooled me by taking the story to new depths and heights. What a great novel this would make--or an anime! Beautiful imagery, extended metaphor, of a bloom burnt to ashes with maybe seeds, maybe God holds its breath.
Fireblossom said…
The shape of your poem, with the image at the top, mimics the (literal) subject itself! I love that.
Sherry Blue Sky said…
Fantastic writing! Especially love that we are fragile seeds resting on a dying bloom....just waiting to be blown away. Beautiful, kiddo.
Unknown said…
Great shape you created here, Susie, to mimic Escher's piece. And your words carry us through a full circle of emotions, ending on a note of hope. I always like that!
Peggy said…
The first stanza seemed a finished poem and then you took it further. I liked the hopeful ending too!
what a beautiful interpretation of the image ~ we must always hang onto hope.

Kay L. Davies said…
Each stanza would be good as a stand-alone poem. Together, they are wonderful, Susie.
K
Mr. Mcgranor said…
Let it be
only
the peace
among Protestants;
but the sword
to all others.
For a carnal
one-worldism, will do
no good,
for man,
nor God.