Vincent van Gogh, Starry Night Over the Rhone
Is it all
a dark dance? Fools laugh
from a vast
emptiness—
hearts or brain? I remember
stars’ light lingers long–
time’s magic
seen after it’s gone–
heart’s-fire,
black-erased,
loss and embraced balanced, moon-
aches and pink roses
beneath a blue sky–
both ifs existing
in time and
in dreams, we
soar through diamond-sprayed skies, sing
with stars. Shine, reborn.
My message from the Oracle in a Shadorma sequence, also for Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday challenge.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Beautiful accompaniment to the painting – or is it the other way round?
It was the other way around. I wrote the poem first. 😀 But thank you!
You usually do – then you find a most apt illustration.
Aww–thank you!
I had the same question as Derrick!
Poem, then painting. 😀
I tend to be the other way around. 🙂
Well, I write ekphrastic poems/stories, too. But, usually when I visit the Oracle, I write the poem, and then find an image to go with it. My Monday musings are often a combination, sort of mixed up in my mind, photos and words. 😏
Thank you for the additional context, Merril! I am always interested in other writers’ process.
So lovely Merril. And the art is perfect. I wrote a shadorma trio as well!
Thank you very much, Linda! Yes, I just read yours, and it was lovely. I commented that it’s funny we had many similar words.
Beautiful, Merril. The painting reminded me of some of your lovely photographs.
Thanks you–and wow, Jill!
I love that last stanza. I just want to slide right into it with no one noticing I’ve left the place where I’m supposed to be.
Awww–I love that! Thank you, Liz!
You’re welcome, Merril!
Oh my! I love this so much: “loss and embraced balanced, moon-aches and pink roses..” Excellent words from the oracle. ❤
Thank you so much, Colleen! ❤️
I liked reading each one as separate poem. They are intense.
Thank you very much. I think I started out more intense, but lightened up–it often happens as I write.
You make even darkness seem to glow. (K)
What a lovely comment! Thank you, Kerfe.
I’m with Liz. The whole poem was beautiful but that last stanza made me sigh.
Wonderful.
Aww–thank you so much, Dale!
🥰
😘
Sorry, I’m very behind. Have second daughter staying over the weekend and she will go back to Bordeaux with the youngest, so it’s our last few days with her before she goes back to college.
I think the sense of our poems touch. The questioning what it’s all for, and is life really all fun and games for a few. We need to remember that the soaring among the stars is what we used to dream of and hang onto it.
Nothing to be sorry about! I’m always behind on reading. 😀 That’s lovely that you can see your daughter. Our all the schools back to normal? There’s so much going on about schools opening here. Yes, you are right about the questioning and remembering.
The second and third daughters think they have had the Covid. It’s just the cost of the train ticket that keeps them from visiting more often.
Nobody knows exactly what’s going to happen about the schools especially as the young ones are going down with the virus now that they’ve decided they have earned time off for good behaviour. The youngest is going to be there for the theoretical start of classes, however they decide to organise them.
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Your Shadorma sequence is amazing! And it’s the perfect complement to the artwork. Bravo! ❤
That is so kind. Thank you very much, Vashti!
It’s always a pleasure, and it’s the truth. 100%
😘
I love these two lines:
“loss and embraced balanced, moon-
aches and pink roses”
Thank you so much! 😀