Ghairo Daniels Poet Ekphrasis

The Thinker : Bronze Sculpture : Auguste Rodin : 1902 : Rodin Museum, Paris

“I invent nothing. I rediscover.” Auguste Rodin
__________________

‘The Poet’ was birth name at birthing
created by Rodin as Dante, pondering
torments of Hell, renamed Thinker 
by foundry workers, who cast this 
splendid dynamic pose —-
Rodin remodelled, then 
rediscovered ______

now he sits contemplating in over 
twenty-five magnetic spaces 
worldwide for us to engage 
observers together with statue 
       singularly absorbed in ~ ‘I think and think
        and still I think…’ ______
sculpted by a son from the working-class

I, Thinker says, exude abstraction 
with raw materialisation — in naked 
pose of absolute concentration
spirit crouched in form without 
social ranking —raceless, classless 

I think like king or peasant or artist
or prophet… ego stripped, reduced 
to zero ~ just man with thought 
tight in brow, lips, fist, long thighs
curled toes ______heroically
introspective …
nothing barring body, mind and this 
stone, on which to rest visceral 

So, Auguste intended me for 
‘Gates of Hell’, along with other 
tales in sensual bodies, though
I am a stand alone —this is how 
deliberation is to be, perpetually 

Did Rodin desire to convey 
a pondering of wrongdoing in
life, an embracing of what went 
before or is to come ? Or Death ?
             Inferno ? No, not I —
my naked authenticity is 
                                        t h o u g h t 
itself ~  free from content, capturing 
God-light across my crown, brow
alongside face _____

I am heroic man as outline, sketch
        as clay, cast as bronze
        as thinking god
        not deity, or pope or atop 
        Gates of Hell looking down, no ! 

splendid in anatomical strength
universal mankind in curvature 
ruminations ~
I am iconic thought immersed
        e n g i n e e r e d
not pensive, not stoic, not static
my thought equals movement in 
                               action
philosophically unphilosophic bare

I am prisms of  I n t e l l i g e n c e s
plaiting themselves through 
my musculature unveiled 
allowing all perspectives to
contort my fleshy body
                  finding equilibrium
as when they do
so do l unclad for 
fresh 
          designs

Thought my vehicle, a derobed state
body its canvas, mind my corona, shines 
      so I captivate ~ all into Self ______

extreme near-sightedness
of Auguste was not in vain
forced was he to sculpt minute detail
           for cogitation to zoom into flesh
           bewitching muscle to move 
           in bronzed stasis 
     
      this is my message > 
           I thought so I think eternally …

___________________________
7th Placement : Premier Contest 
Assessor : Brian Strand : May 26

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Paige Hind May 23, 2026 at 8:14 PM Wow. This is so much thinking!! I never would think you would use AI, you never need it, Ghairo <3 love your philosophic mind, hun... you have many gifts to run, xx Ghairo Daniels May 24, 2026 at 12:40 AM ThkU Paige, I put that note since I’ve noticed that “Premium Members” are getting Contest placements using AI. So disappointing ~ I’ve stopped reading their poems since it makes my Heart cringe. Hard for me to understand how sponsors allow it, but then again PS is a listed, so it is run on the profit motive & the admin has to keeping subscribers happy. In Contests I run on Allpoetry entries have to state no AI, so they have to put Creative Integrity on stake & first. ThkU for read & comment, Paige. I appreciate you. Have a good weekend. X

Ghairo Daniels May 22, 2026 at 1:03 AM Confirm entirely free from AI.