Here’s is this week’s Colleen Chesbro Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge #265. It is ekphrastic which means to write a poem inspired by an image.
This painting was chosen by Colleen and Selma. Click here to find out why.
Like most, I am deeply affected by the images and stories coming from the Ukraine invasion and this came out in my words. It offers no answers, only a bit of faith and hope. This is a haibun which is a combination of prose and haiku, or in my case a senryu.
THE LIGHT
The women walk quietly to the field as the war erupts around them. Fields that once held abundant crops were withered death under their comrade’s blood. The cities once teeming with commerce and progress are reduced to rubble, while its people hide underground or fight in the streets. Hope is dim as these women’s voices are raised in song. They begin the sacred dance handed down through the generations for just this moment when hate and fear were the only options. The fighting rages on as their song grows, and a faint sparkle of joy moves into their feet and fills their bodies. They are the light in the darkness.
gift from ancient times
twirls in pink, blue, and yellow
healing dance of love
This felt calming to me. Thank you, Denise!
I’m glad, Priscilla. I’m not one to give up on hope.
Beautifully written, Denise. I could feel the sadness and despair fade beneath their steps <3
Thanks, Jacquie! It is sure hard not to feel it and a few tears were shed writing it.
{{hugs}}
Well done, Denise.
Thank you, John 🙂
😁
I hope and pray that their ancient light still shines through the darkness, Denise! Well written. The illustrator for my children’s book is from Ukraine. I just searched for his profile but it’s not there anymore. How sad.
I pray for the same thing, Miriam. I hope your illustrator has found a safe place!
Loved this, Denise. So beautiful. 💗
Thank you, Gwen xo
This brings to mind a short video I saw on Fox–maybe other stations, too–of a man walking peaceably down a beautiful street, green with grass and plants, when a massive bomb blows up in the near distance. It is jarring to say the least.
The footage from there has been heartbreaking. To think everything was normal only a couple of weeks ago and now it’s not. Very jarring.
Distressing beginning with a beautiful hopeful end.
That is what we can hope for!
I love that you found hope and resilience in all the chaos. Beautiful, Denise! 🙂
Thank you, Yvette. I believe it’s always there…we just have to find it.
Beautifully written, Denise. I pray the strength, resilience, and the determination of the Ukrainian people persevere.
Thank you, Joan:) I pray for the same things xo
Beautiful, Denise. Hope in the midst of horror. 💕🙂
Thank you Harmony. I believe it’s there
I love the message of hope reflected in this, Denise. That hope and strength is a testament to the spirit of the Ukrainian people.
Thank you, Mae 🙂 Their spirit reaches out and definitely inspires. There is always hope no matter how faint it is.
Nicely done, Denise. Sometimes it’s hard to find light in the darkness, but you’ve found it.
Thank you, Staci 🙂 You are right it is sometimes hard to find, but its always there.
Love the positivity of this haibun Denise. Uplifting thoughts!
Thank you, Balroop 🙂 I won’t let that hope disappear.
Love, love, love this, Denise. The healing dance of love is what the world needs a large dose of about now. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, Jan 🙂 Yes, it does and it could be there if we focused on it.
This is a beautiful piece, Denise. It gave me chills! Thank you for sharing. <3
Thank you, Mar 🙂 xo
How lovely and what a wonderful acknowledgement of Ukraine and the resilience and strength of its people.
scoxoxox
This is a lovely response to the picture, Denise. A great poem.
Thank you, Robbie 🙂
Denise this was a stunning haibun. I got goosebumps when I read the senryu portion. I think you channeled the feelings of many Russians who are pawns in the hands of their government. Excellent poetry. <3
Thank you, Colleen 🙂 It was an inspiring image to work from that brought up a lot of emotions.
For me, too. I had my say with some tanka prose, too. <3
I’d say you’ve hit the mark on what’s going on over there, Denise. Beautiful and haunting haibun. I’m learning so much about the various styles of poetry from these posts. Thank you for that.
Thank you, Mark 🙂 The image brought a lot to the survive.
Glad to share what I’ve learned. Still so much more to exlpore!
Very moving, Denise. I love the thought of women as the ones bearing the sacredness and hope of life, in spite of the destruction raining down around them. Beautifully done. Hugs.
Thank you, Diana 🙂 I can very easily picture it. Hugs back xo
This is so inspiring, the situation caught so well. The Russians who are not zombified by the media know the truth and I am sure many of them would love peace and be happy to just end this war! So often the ordinary people can be the light in the darkness 💜💜💜
Thank you, Willow 🙂 It is the ordinary people who can do so much and be that light. I think it more than we realize or that’s my hope. xo
Definitely and that is my prayer too 💜
Terrific Denise.. really captured the then and now…. hugs
Thanks, Sally. Hopefully that past hope will filter into the now.
Beautiful and empowering, D. L.
Sincerely,
David
Thank you, David 🙂 It is something that is needed
Sometimes we need to lookdeep to extract the threads that will lead to hope, to peace. You did that for us. Thanks. lovely.
Yes, sonetimes we do. I will keep writi g through all the emotions to get to that point. Xo
May such a healing grow and spread.
I hope so, Jules!
💕