Laurentine G Poet Ekphrasis

L'etoile Matinale

        I see only dread 
  in the break of day 
           if I lie with my thoughts
      they'll devour me

     all concepts lead 
         to forked tongues
I trust nothing
    as I know of the arrows
             shooting left and right 

         until this dread is swallowed 
   starts to occupy within, by my own hand
and I cough it up 
     - examine its contents

      mentally swing
   from  limb  to   limb
        over reliant 
    on the gait cycle
        mistaking stagger 
  for momentum 

       I need only step back
join the dots
 scan the reference points
    mindful
  not 
    to 
   loop 
      infinity
  
      predictions may be on the nose 
   observations kept intense
         until curated
       should I care to unravel them

I regress
    regret 
       feel sorrow - 
    that every star-filled sky
           becomes a named constellation 

Inspired by Morning Star (L'étoile matinale) - Miro

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Paige Hind August 31, 2026 at 6:44 PM "I regress regret feel sorrow - that every star-filled sky becomes a named constellation " what an ending. Laurentine!! such a powerful statement, made me shift in my seat, lol <3🌹 Laurentine G September 1, 2026 at 2:55 PM Thank you!

Suzette Richards August 17, 2026 at 1:49 AM I don't know how you do it, LG, but to interpret Miro is a skill way beyond my ken. Congratulations on your top win - your weaving of atmosphere with a careful vocabulary, is masterful. Enjoyed. Laurentine G August 17, 2026 at 2:40 AM What a fantastic review! Thank you Su 🥰 I like to pare things back and see what the distilled undercurrent looks like - I appreciate you stopping by 😊

Jesse Rowe August 14, 2026 at 5:57 AM Beautifully written! A deserved winner for sure. Laurentine G August 14, 2026 at 2:55 PM Thank you Jesse 😊

David Kavanagh August 13, 2026 at 1:29 AM Back with Congratulations Laurentine, yes a close contest for 🏆 sure, but I believe you belong on top spot, as Ink graciously stated below, and that picture I also mentioned below trying to arrange itself, has now become a nice shiny trophy, and a well deserved one at that, cheers David Laurentine G August 13, 2026 at 1:46 AM Thank you David 🥰 I was delighted with the fanfare provided by both yourself and Ink for this poem and appreciate your repeat visit to celebrate 🥳 🏆. Writing for Brian's contests is always a pleasure and extra enjoyable when the comment thread is occupied by my favourite poet friends 🥰

Ink Empress August 12, 2026 at 10:15 PM Oh well ~ where you belong! On the top!!! Congratulations LG! 🏆 🏆 🏆 yeay high five! 🏅 Laurentine G August 13, 2026 at 12:34 AM Haha thanks Ink - it's a little jostle between friends 🥰

Ink Empress August 5, 2026 at 4:54 AM while reading you~ and I must say this poem hits home for me for some reason, and it gives a very introspective touch, and honest too! One that made me pause on several lines like the ones about prediction and observation! Just love it! And how blessed is soup to have your poetry flowing ~ you might think i am being kind, nope, I am being very honest! Hah! I will fave this now and be like, 👏 👏 👏 well done! Queen of ekphrasjs 👑 Laurentine G August 5, 2026 at 5:32 AM You know how I love honesty and I hope that's you clapping your hands in real life! I shall listen out on the current and see if I feel the reverberation ripple all the way to me 🥰 thank you for such a joy bringing comment 😊

Ink Empress August 5, 2026 at 4:52 AM For some reason I dont know what it is, I am thinking of dread locks! I am just speechless reading this, honestly! How you do it, I just dunno! I cant help but resonate so deeply with "I trust nothing as I know of the arrows shooting left and right " oh yes same! Its hard to trust. Some days a little more than the other days. " regress regret feel sorrow - that every star-filled sky becomes a named constellation " jaw-literally-dropped!!! Im always for some reason sipping ice Americano Laurentine G August 5, 2026 at 5:28 AM Haha dreadlocks! Given past images my poems have given you I'm getting off lightly there!!! 😂 Woohoo - even my compliment resistant armour can't let "jaw-literally-dropped!!!" bounce off!

David Kavanagh August 5, 2026 at 4:23 AM The painting reminds me of a picture trying to arrange itself into itself but doesn’t actually know what itself is, weird as that sounds your beautiful expressed Ekphrasis has that emergent sense about it, just like the cosmos keeps arranging itself, and new forces emerge in the process, the parallel you draw with the human condition is stark, mysterious, and even melancholic, but wow a breathtaking poem, and a fave for me too, cheers David Laurentine G August 5, 2026 at 5:25 AM The painting itself has that almost in focus feel but with emerging danger drawing the eye constantly away from the stars and backdrop - I don't try and align with the cosmos but it all feels translucently interlinked with perhaps the connective explanation beyond our understanding. How a feeling on a particular day can be similar to a cosmic event or description makes all the sense and none - but is incredibly wonderful to ponder! And let me not forget to revel in the line "wow a breathtaking poem" - I certainly didn't expect such endorsement but I am thrilled to receive it - thank you David 🥰

Daniel Henry Rodgers August 5, 2026 at 4:12 AM Dear Laurentine, I just finished reading "L'etoile Matinale," and I wanted to reach out to tell you how incredibly striking I found it. In our human rush to define, predict, and map everything out, we sometimes strip away the raw, unnamable magic of the universe. It is such a fitting tribute to the surreal, dreamlike energy of the Miró painting that inspired you. So conceptually sharp and deeply introspective. Blessings, Daniel Laurentine G August 5, 2026 at 5:16 AM Daniel - what a joy it is to read "conceptually sharp" 🥰 all the images are right there in the painting, I just pulled them together. It does intrigue me how when viewed with an intent to write a poem, so much emerges that I may never have seen within a painting. Your engaged comment with such keen insights really did lift my spirits, thank you so much for taking the time to read and leave such a great comment 😊

Dorothy Gibbons August 5, 2026 at 2:50 AM Wow Laurentine beautiful write ✍️ pleasure reading this a fav today from me 😀 hugs 🌸 Laurentine G August 5, 2026 at 5:11 AM Thank you so much Dorothy - you started a very enjoyable trend on this poem! Much appreciated 😊