This poem in my ekphrastic series is inspired not by one art source, but by two. Both works of art — a painting, and a short story — were completed within a decade of each other. More on the short…
poetry
Visiting Renoir – A Poem
How could you look at this stunning Renoir and not want to reach out and eat those fruit? This work was painted at the country house of Renoir’s patron, Paul Berard, and is one of two that feature the same…
The Philosophers’ Meal – A Poem
Can you imagine the conversation at this dinner table? Well, I tried to. Another in my ekphrastic poetry series. My of my ekphrastic poetry here. More on free verse here. The Enlightenment At the Thursday night dinner of philosophers,it was…
An Easter Haiku
I don’t know what it was about this boy’s face that caught my eye. Or maybe it was the apple on the floor? The half-eaten cake? That gesture which seems to declare, “Mine!”. I just tried to have fun with…
Still Life with Ham – A Poem
I love the challenge of ekphrastic poetry, responding to works of art with words. This is the start of a series of poetry posts, some more serious than others, in which I engage on food-related themes. I ensure all the…
The Winter Pear
Whiskey, wine and well-crafted writing all take time to develop. Recently, I was discussing my fiction writing process with my daughter. My stories, I told her, sometimes took years to develop. The layering process that gives the story richness, depth,…
A Lunch Room For The Heart
There are people who go through life with seemingly no illness, or problems, or even concern about other people. Everything is easily shrugged off. Perhaps, they live in the body, and not the head and heart? Then there are people…
My Mother’s Garden – A Poem
The movies would have us believe that childhood is a series of adorable and wacky Home Alone moments. That’s why it’s the movies. It’s fantasy. The reality is usually simpler, and less spectacularly Christmasy. Looking back now, I never realised…
Oranges and Sunsets Poems
Posting these purely for the love of oranges and sunsets. Brought to you by the colour orange. Oranges Come buy my fine oranges, sauce for your veal,And charming, when squeezed in a pot of brown ale;Well roasted, with sugar and…
Jelly Shots and A Poem
I’ve only made these once, and every time I see this photo, I’m reminded of Covid lockdowns. These red, white and blue jelly shots were a novelty treat, enjoyed in September, 2021, to mark a football match. Our city was…
The Old Apple Tree
Growing up, we had chickens, two apple trees, a pear tree, a mandarine tree, a lemon tree, onions, capsicums, carrots, an almond tree, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, corn … there was always something my mother was harvesting. She was a…
More [Cowbell] Strawberries
After writing about the strawberry yoghurt trifle, I went hunting for more strawberries. Found this lovely nature poem. My Strawberry O marvel, fruit of fruits, I pauseTo reckon thee. I ask what causeSet free so much of red from heatsAt…
