It's Still Life

poetry and prose

Ekphrastic Poetry Challenge #15

The Commonality of Layers

The rain that binds was medicine,
acid burnt and limping beige.
Memories pressed between.

Cut and cropped like lacy
wings prised off butterflies.
A cult of layers for a girl

who caught a butterfly
in her hands. Held it tight, right
near her ear.

But when she couldn’t
hear it breathe,
she assumed it dead,

‘though its wings still beat
hard within her heart.

Written for Ekphrastic Poetry Challenge #15, Image by Nick Reeves “An Uncommon Vision” shared with dVerse Poets and @Experimentsinfc #APoemADay on Twitter © Misky 2021

Misky

Feb 4, 2021

ekphrastic, Poetry

30 responses to “Ekphrastic Poetry Challenge #15”

Ingrid

Feb 4, 2021 at 11:40 am

Thank you for your entry, Misky: I enjoyed your response to the challenge!

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1. Misky
  
  Feb 4, 2021 at 12:19 pm
  
  Thanks, Ingrid.
  
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Liyona

Feb 4, 2021 at 2:15 pm

Love this poem! I really love how the image inspired your piece 🙂

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1. Misky
  
  Feb 4, 2021 at 2:33 pm
  
  Thank you so very much! I appreciate your taking the time to read it.
  
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Tricia Sankey

Feb 4, 2021 at 6:33 pm

Beautiful imagery! 🦋

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1. Misky
  
  Feb 4, 2021 at 9:28 pm
  
  Thanks 😊
  
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lillian

Feb 4, 2021 at 10:16 pm

This is a beautiful response to the image! The collage — commonality of layers —
To me it looks like it could be an etching in part…those colors….a singeing….and limping beige.
I am enthralled by the expression on the girl’s face here and to me, reading your poem twice, it can very well be the look of wonder, awe, intense listening while holding the butterfly up to her ear?
“Cut and cropped like lacy
wings prised off butterflies.” yes — this is also what the image “feels”.

Just a beautiful job relating to the image.

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1. Misky
  
  Feb 4, 2021 at 10:59 pm
  
  Thanks, Lillian. Your critique means a lot to me.
  
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sanaarizvi

Feb 4, 2021 at 10:42 pm

My goodness this is absolutely phenomenal, Misky! 💝 The poem with its arresting imagery can be interpreted in more ways than one. I particularly love; “Cut and cropped like lacy wings prised off butterflies. A cult of layers for a girl,” to me there are dark undertones to this which speak of pain and (perhaps repressed memories) that being said, I guess that is the beauty of poetry isn’t it? We unlock so much in so few words 🙂

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1. Misky
  
  Feb 4, 2021 at 10:56 pm
  
  Thank you, Sanaa.
  
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navasolanature

Feb 4, 2021 at 10:43 pm

Oh I love the beating wings, hard in her heart. Such fragility and strength in this.

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1. Misky
  
  Feb 4, 2021 at 10:57 pm
  
  Thank you!
  
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scotthastiepoet

Feb 4, 2021 at 11:14 pm

This is great Misky – the image has released a lot in you I think and helped produce a powerful and confidently shaped write. Great stuff! in fact quite inspiring – it’s an excercise I might well try myself now – thank you…

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1. Misky
  
  Feb 5, 2021 at 12:23 am
  
  Thank you very much!
  
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Ken / rivrvlogr

Feb 4, 2021 at 11:53 pm

This is what I love about ekphrastic poetry. It (this especially) often offers a new way of perceiving a work of art.

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1. Misky
  
  Feb 4, 2021 at 11:56 pm
  
  Thank you!
  
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msjadeli

Feb 5, 2021 at 12:44 am

Listening close to the stir of butterfly wings stands out here for me. Your poem goes well with the image.

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1. Misky
  
  Feb 5, 2021 at 5:39 pm
  
  Thanks so much! ❤️
  
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  1. msjadeli
    
    Feb 5, 2021 at 5:43 pm
    
    You’re very welcome.
    
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msjadeli

Feb 5, 2021 at 12:45 am

to = for

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Helen Dehner

Feb 5, 2021 at 4:29 am

A gorgeous ekphrastic poem …

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1. Misky
  
  Feb 5, 2021 at 5:38 pm
  
  Thanks.
  
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kim881

Feb 5, 2021 at 7:53 am

A wonderful. delicate ekphrastic poem, Marilyn, and the title fits it perfectly. I love the hint of colour in ‘acid burnt and limping beige’, and those ‘lacy wings prised off butterflies’. The ending is poignant.

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1. Misky
  
  Feb 5, 2021 at 5:38 pm
  
  Thank you so much, Kim.
  
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rothpoetry

Feb 8, 2021 at 7:19 pm

I love these lines! Well done!!

But when she couldn’t
hear it breathe,
she assumed it dead,

‘though its wings still beat
hard within her heart.

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EIF Ekphrastic Challenge: The Results – Experiments in Fiction

Feb 10, 2021 at 2:47 pm

[…] Place: The Commonality of Layers by […]

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Ingrid

Feb 10, 2021 at 2:49 pm

Congratulations Misky! https://experimentsinfiction.com/2021/02/10/eif-ekphrastic-challenge-the-results/
I would like to offer you the chance to judge next week’s competition, should you wish to. Please contact me by email to discuss, if you are interested: experimentsinfiction@protonmail.com.

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1. Misky
  
  Feb 10, 2021 at 2:57 pm
  
  What a delightful honour. Thank you very much.
  
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Misky

Feb 11, 2021 at 9:58 am

Reblogged this on Plumb-Lines and commented:

I’m delighted that this poem was chosen as the winner of the Ekphrastic Poetry Challenge.

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EIF Poetry Challenge #16: Nature Poetry – Experiments in Fiction

Feb 17, 2021 at 1:02 pm

[…] week’s judge will be last week’s winner, Misky Braendeholm. Her poem ‘The Commonality of Layers‘ won the Ekphrastic Poetry Challenge. Misky’s poetry has been widely published, […]

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