Still Life with Bottles and Fruit – A Poem

Alexej von Jawlensky was an expressionist. Expressionist artists strive “to convey their inner emotions and thoughts via their works, frequently using distorted forms, vibrant colors, and vigorous brushstrokes to establish their own visual language.” – Sparks Gallery

You may not believe it, but I didn’t research the artist before writing the poem below. It’s interesting to me that my gut response was about expressionism.

Still Life with Bottles and Fruit

You invited me to see with life-eyes,
Paused brush, knife, mid-Prussian blue effect,
To feel force in bowls, bottles, and apples,
That breath, hand, brushstrokes can resurrect.

©elsp 2025

More of my ekphrastic poetry here. An explainer of ekphrastic poetry here. And more on the toddaid form here.