Laurentine G Poet Ekphrasis

The Floor Planers

the unenacted mental dialogue 
          of just surveying the scene
     we can
 trace 
    the 
      lines
           of where nowhere goes
uninterrupted 
      but for the private tangents 
   in my head -
           I may share the cheap wine
      ask to be guided
           in how to use the tools
or just inhale what I see
       taking the raised temperature of the room
   away with me to ponder 

I'm so glad I paid you for your time
          as I didn't want to get my hands dirty
     but I do like witnessing 
              the tricks of the trade.

Inspired by The Floor Planers painted by Gustave Caillebotte

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Paige Hind August 31, 2026 at 6:33 PM amazing work, Laurentine

Daniel Henry Rodgers August 24, 2026 at 8:25 AM Dear Laurentine, such a sharp, clever, and wonderfully observant poem. Caillebotte’s painting has that incredible, tactile sense of hard labor, the shavings, sweat, the light hitting the wood, and you’ve captured the fascinated, distanced observer so perfectly. There’s a very real human truth here about the space between watching and doing. Such a brilliant, dryly funny look at how we consume art, labor, and life from a comfortable step back. Blessings, Daniel

CayCay Godwin August 23, 2026 at 2:13 PM Unique, it holds and entertains. CayCay Laurentine G August 23, 2026 at 2:19 PM Thank you CayCay 😊

David Kavanagh August 20, 2026 at 11:49 AM It’s great to sit back and watch the floor planers do their expert work, but even better to sit back and read how your mind interprets the scene, its abstract nature is quite extraordinary and allows the reader to inhale the whole experience, so difficult for mere mortals to write Ekphrasis like you do Miss Laurentine, you have taken it to another level, just like those hard grafting planers are trying to achieve, this one deserves a Fave for imagination and craftsmanship, cheers David Laurentine G August 20, 2026 at 12:17 PM Haha thanks David, it felt quite heaven sent 😅😅😅😅😅 to write 😅😂. I typically do enter the scene of the painting but I lingered in the doorway for this one, treating it like a "choose your own adventure" before walking away 😅 sorry, I think Ink mentioning hibiscus tea has tipped me over the edge 😅😅😅😅😅 thank you so much for the close reading and the fave. I'd love for you to dive into an ekphrasis - it's been a while 😊 if I recall correctly you are a multi award winner in that field 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

Ink Empress August 20, 2026 at 10:24 AM I just love the artpiece! It somehow also made me sad. 🥺 your ending depicts it so well! Gosh this arabic coffee is worse than Hibiscus tea 🤫 😱 Ink Empress August 20, 2026 at 10:37 AM I need the audio Right away!!! 😱 Laurentine G August 20, 2026 at 10:29 AM Too funny! Linger in the doorway with me and I'll whisper things to cheer us up 😅 (I did an audio for this actually!)

Ink Empress August 20, 2026 at 10:12 AM This made me think of various things I rather not mention in comments! I had arabic coffee and I have a feeling it made me high! Honestly everything is deep! I love especially the opening here. Hmm cheap wine! Red or white? Your way with words is like no other dear LG! Pleasure reading! Sending you light always 💫 🌙 ps ill have a look at the artpiece! Laurentine G August 20, 2026 at 11:47 AM It was with my friend I was just visiting too - but about 24 years ago 😅 Ink Empress August 20, 2026 at 10:37 AM Hahaha thats so cool! I have some pics of me drinking JD from the bottle! Atleast wine sounds more classy 😂 gosh! I need to see Laurentine G August 20, 2026 at 10:28 AM There's something in the air, I'm sure of it! Plenty of takeaways available for this one - if it's straight from the bottle I think red wine 😅 I actually have a great picture somewhere of me drinking wine from the bottle sat on a bench in Paris in the rain - three photos - before, during and after the bottle was finished haha - I was so arty even then! Thank you for your fun comment 🥰