Laurentine G Poet Ekphrasis

The Nightingale's Song at Midnight and the Morning Rain - Miro

I swap my eyes
for that of the bird
trying to see 
things I should have heard

daybreak is cluttered 
when I've lost all my sleep
important things pile
all up in a heap

but I'll trace a line
with the tip of my finger
find the place where your song
has the good grace to linger

I find it in tails 
or in tales of mirth
exploring these notes
seems to help my self worth

the edges are sheared
sound becomes mute
these are the gaps
where I start to dispute

did I just listen
to beautiful sound
as all seems empty
when I look around

lines are traced
yet they all end
just a fingertip mapping
the missing voice of a friend

I listen, I look
I reach out with my hand
saddened your tune 
can't return on demand

realisation occurs 
with a bump and a start
I didn't call out
I just asked with my heart 

no-one can hear me
as I silently pray
that I'll still hear your song
at the start of each day

I'll let all notes mingle
let rain fuse with sound
step outside to get drenched
and just lay on the ground

stare up to the sky
as stars stare back at me
it's my own voice at fault
I need not be lonely

if lines overlay
it's stars we're creating 
I'm not all alone
the scrawls just needed translating

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MOHIT MITRA September 1, 2026 at 8:33 PM Laurentine, thou hast done more than translate Miro; thou hast made absence itself speak, until the severed lines discover their celestial grammar. Such a transformation is rare, and the final constellation feels not invented, but unveiled. My warmest congratulations on a richly deserved first place. Write on—there are surely many more such hidden constellations awaiting thy hand. 🎉👏

Alison A Smith September 1, 2026 at 2:41 AM What a beautiful ekphrastic response to Miró's work, Laurentine! I absolutely love how your gentle quatrains and steady rhymes guide the reader through the wandering, dreamlike nature of the painting. The imagery of tracing lines to find a lingering song and discovering that intersecting "scrawls" create stars is such a brilliant way to translate his abstract, celestial art into heartfelt words. A truly moving and insightful piece! Congratulations for your well earned podium 1st place. Laurentine G September 1, 2026 at 11:52 AM Thank you Alison - I was quite pleased when the final line appeared and it all made sense. Thank you for your kind comment 😊

Ink Empress September 1, 2026 at 1:00 AM Did anyone ever tell you, that you are the QUEEN of ekphrasis? 🤔 well!!! Congratulations!!! Hahaha Dom Perignon it is 🥂 😆 💃 yeay!!! Laurentine G September 1, 2026 at 11:50 AM I can only be flattered hearing that from you (Queen of everything you touch 😅) Thank you 🥂

Paige Hind August 31, 2026 at 6:47 PM gorgeous Laurentine G September 1, 2026 at 11:49 AM Thank you Paige 😊

Ink Empress August 28, 2026 at 3:54 PM Well its 4 am and im wide awake! Im blaming the blood moon for my lack of sleep! But however this poem resonates right now deeply! Hah! It hits home as random thoughts come to me and I jus had tiramisu! I was never a fan of tiramisu before! Im not sure whats with me! Hahah let the notes mingle i need to definitely write 🥹 Pleasure reading you Sending you light always Laurentine G August 28, 2026 at 4:01 PM Haha I noticed the time 😊 I love tirimasu but not as a bedtime snack. I think I need to make a tiramisu now (or mention to my friends that I'd love a homemade one 😅) hope you get some sleep 😊

Ink Empress August 28, 2026 at 3:52 PM Suddenly I am so tempted to go out in the rain and just lay on the ground getting all drenched in rain! Wow that sounds cathartic haha! It just stopped raining tho! So I must wait for a bit! Its strange how words can be so very impactful! Like your opening lines made me tilt my head! It’s quite unique and made me like look at it and read it few times! To swap eyes to that of a bird hmm who would have thought! Im so lazy to look at the art that inspired those words but I am assuming its somethin unique too! Laurentine G August 28, 2026 at 3:59 PM You're too cute! You must look at the art 😅 this was actually a fairly quick write just bouncing off things on the artwork but somehow it making sense - I love that about Miro! There's no way there should be a story but there always is 😁 it's rained here today but I didn't lie in it - I should put that on my list. I once wrote about rain shadows though (the bit you cover staying dry when you lay on the ground - think I said I'd do it then too 😅 thanks for your comment at what - nearly 4am your time 😳

David Kavanagh August 28, 2026 at 12:17 PM I don’t know how you do it Laurentine, take an unruly patchwork of images, and turn them into something meaningful and coherent, by tracing, mapping, and overlaying, (the scrawls just needed translating) states this beautifully; also (important things all pile up in a heap) a life lesson in itself; you have one hell of an abstract mind, which also lets you invert and interpret the uninterpretable, A fave from me, for sheer ingenuity, cheers David Laurentine G August 28, 2026 at 1:10 PM Well there is nothing more I could ask for in a comment than this - thank you for the high praise and the fave David 🥰 writing is way more rewarding when there are people who get you - so thank you for finding my wavelength 😊