“where the storm-clouds swallow,
And the sound of your oar-blades, falling hollow”
The fishermen are all at sea, gone
for days where they keep a home
on the wild white waters.
Leaving with eyes fixed
a last tug of land - house, garden
and waving wives, distant as dots.
Only laundered shirts on lines
and bright wool jumpers still gesticulate
gaily coloured, like Tibetan flags, prayers
carried fresh and salty in an offshore wind
drying tears and washing.
Grace is hosting open link night and since I missed Melissa’s Poetics prompt on Tuesday I’m linking here instead, whereby our poetry is ekphrastic and inspired by a choice of Egon Schiele landscapes. This is his ‘Houses with Laundry (Suburb II) (1914’). Title and epigraph from Rudyard Kipling’s “Harp song of the Dane women”
A gorgeous ekphrastic poem, Laura! ❤️❤️ The image of “drying tears and washing,” tugs at my heart.. sigh!
many thanks Sanaa – the sea does this to me!
This piece is so vivid, Laura 👍
thank you – the vividness of Schiele
You’re most welcome ☺️
This is so timely after seeing those Tibet floods. Prayers for those Tibetan flags.
indeed Grace – written before the floods
Love what you did with this picture, the well known parting in a new light.
many thanks – the row of rowboats set this poem in motion
An evocative poem, Laura, deeply moving and timely. I love the alliterative phrase ‘wild white waters’, the ‘last tug of land’, and the simile ‘gesticulating like Tibetan flags, prayers carried fresh and salty in an offshore wind’.
thanks for appreciating so much, Kim
As ever, a pleasure, Laura.
I love how this artwork inspired you to give us a poetic glimpse into the lives of the “inhabitants” here. Enjoyed this much, Laura~
thank you Jennifer (I wish I could reciprocate but I struggle with substack)
Love how the winds dry the tears and the laundry. Also laundry as Tibetan flags ❤
thank you Lisa – the first impression I had when seeing this artwork
You’re very welcome.
I love every line of this, Laura, and I did not know that painting of Egon Schiele, though I do like other landscapes of his and it has served you well…
many thanks Andrew – I’ve been to Schiele exhibitions but did not know of his landscapes until Melissa’s Tuesday prompt – and was particularly struck with the pathos of this one
That last line is a killer.
thank you – last lines are so important 😉
Very nice! I loved the flow of this poem! 💛
flow is something I try hard with so I appreciate your appreciation
Simply lovely. We both used a seafarer as our inspiration! 🙂
thanks Freya but I was struck by the impact of your latest one
Thank you, Laura.
i love the sea so much… That last line was kicker…
many thanks
A very creative take on the painting, Laura.
thanks Dwight – it was very inspirational
I enjoyed it as well. You are welcome.
Just like prayers…wonderful image. (K)
many thanks Kerfe
Living, breathing images!
very nice comment – thank you
A gorgeous ekphrastic, Laura. You transported me to that shore, the waving wives.
thank you Helen for being transported into this artwork
I’m enchanted, and especially struck by the contrast between being at sea on the “wild white waters” while the most mundane of images from home, those clothes on the line, wave gaily like beacons of everything they are leaving behind.
very nicely put Kim
Prayers carried, a wonderful thought and fits the scene both then and the world now.
thank you Paul – the world always needs our prayers
Absolutely Laura