Kim Rodrigues Poet Ekphrasis

Notes About The Poem

Silent One, 7/9/2026, When Words Speak for the Silence of Art
Frist Art Museum, Nashville exhibition

The last stop in our circuit around the U.S. was to visit my nephew in Nashville. While we waited for him to finish work, we visited this wonderful art museum.

 

 

Turn on the Lights

Forest and Dove
Artist: Max Ernst

Turn on the Lights

White of his eye, orange nose, black bird.
Blue sky flying high above the dark forest.
Scenery is haunting; like the kid’s movie “Coraline.”
Disturbing, the feeling of being lost in the forest.
Nightmare of trees depicted as serrated teeth.
(Hansel and Gretel in a cage) dove’s bars behind him.
Is he free, can he flee; will the bars surround him?
The woods, towering like skyscrapers, tight
in the frame; childhood claustrophobia, intense.
The full-bodied bird appears to be caught 
“in the headlights,” like a deer taken aback.
Tenebrous green and rust brown, skeleton stature;
shadowy beasts bullying, stalking, terrorizing.
I can’t turn away. My eyes take in the scenery.
No matter how small the canvas, the ink
seeps into my brain, driving me mad in the night.
Surreality; reality of the young and very old.

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Curtis Johnson July 29, 2026 at 6:43 PM Great transfer from picture to words. Fine piece. Blessings. Kim Rodrigues July 30, 2026 at 4:06 AM Thank you, Curtis!

Oliver Mckeithan July 29, 2026 at 6:42 PM Congrats on your placement in the contest Kim. The imagery is excellent Kim Rodrigues July 30, 2026 at 4:06 AM Thank you, Oliver!

Paula Goldsmith July 29, 2026 at 3:07 PM Congratulations.... WOW!!! I enjoyed reading this powerful write. Your words brought this great picture to life. Enjoy your day writing away with your wonderful win............. Kim Rodrigues July 30, 2026 at 4:05 AM Thank you, Paula! Enjoy your day and keep up the writing! Hugs

Silent One July 29, 2026 at 2:45 PM You created your own painting with your poetic words... So many wonderful lines throughout.. Congratulations on your placement in the contest.. Kim Rodrigues July 30, 2026 at 4:05 AM Thank you, Silent!

sara Etgen-Baker July 13, 2026 at 9:57 AM engaging and evocative. best wishes with this contest entry, hugs, Sara Kim Rodrigues July 13, 2026 at 12:41 PM I appreciate you, Sara!

Sotto Poet July 11, 2026 at 5:43 AM Wow, Kim, what a moving portrayal! And the way you wrapped it up by talking about the emotions evoked by the art is really remarkable. Little actions can yield significant results. Your ekphrasis demonstrates this. Kim Rodrigues July 11, 2026 at 7:42 AM Thank you, Lasaad! I appreciate your comment!

Andrea Dietrich July 10, 2026 at 3:16 PM Wow you really captured the feeling this art brought you. I wish it was pictured here. On my phone I don't know how to leave this page to go see the artwork. Afraid to lose my place. I enjoy these Ekphrasis poems I am seeing Kim Rodrigues July 10, 2026 at 3:39 PM I texted you the painting.

Paige Hind July 9, 2026 at 5:32 PM power in this one, your work seems to have taken a turn lately, you just get better though :) Kim Rodrigues July 9, 2026 at 7:23 PM Thank you! This is for Silent One’s contest :)

Daniel Henry Rodgers July 9, 2026 at 2:10 PM Dear Kim, You’ve turned a gallery visit into an experience of genuine psychological suspense. It’s haunting, atmospheric, and stays with you long after the final line. It makes me want to stand in front of that painting myself, just to see if I feel that same "headlights" sensation you described. It sounds like a fascinating trip, was there anything else in the Frist collection that gave you that same kind of intense, almost surreal feeling? Blessings, Daniel Kim Rodrigues July 9, 2026 at 2:32 PM Many! There was a Salvador Dali there. Thank you, Daniel!

Gary Radice July 9, 2026 at 11:27 AM I just had to look up the painting 'Forest And Dove' and see it for myself after reading your ekphrasis Kim. Dark and haunting - yes definitely - you nailed it. I found myself straining my eyes to view the painting. "Turn On The Lights" -Yep! I hear you! :) I like how you ask questions in the ekphrasis.. I'm wondering if the forest is Der Schwarzwald aka The Black Forest. Thanks for sharing. Cheers - Gary Kim Rodrigues July 9, 2026 at 2:33 PM It was a fun one to write about! Delighted that you looked up the painting. So worth pondering. Hugs

Joseph P. DiMino July 9, 2026 at 11:07 AM I think most of us can remember being afraid of the dark. Not a whole lot I want to see anymore, so, sort of indifferent. Exciting, mysterious write. If for a contest, you have a contender here. Originally from New York, I do miss the art museums. Phoenix has some, but not the same in my opinion. Kim Rodrigues July 9, 2026 at 2:35 PM I have been to several this year, some in Europe. Glad you liked the write!

Yann Rolland July 9, 2026 at 7:31 AM beautiful poetry, inspiring, Coraline ( not sure from Tim Burton ?) is one of my favorite animation, movie, so dark and poetical, thanks for the wonder poet KIm Kim Rodrigues July 9, 2026 at 10:57 AM Thank you, Yann. You are right. I was mistaken about Burton. Corrected.

Natasha L Scragg July 9, 2026 at 6:25 AM A powerful description Kim and the way you concluded with how this art makes you feel is also quite striking. The idea of size doesn't matter when you say, "no matter how small the canvas, the ink seeps into my brain" ... this feels like an epic line! Small things can have big impact. As we see in your Ekphrasis. Kim Rodrigues July 9, 2026 at 6:42 AM Thank you so much, Natasha!

Anne-Lise Andresen July 9, 2026 at 6:20 AM - Max Ernst a special artist :) - Great description of this dark painting, Kim :) - Best wishes in the contest :) - hugs Kim Rodrigues July 9, 2026 at 6:23 AM Thank you, Anne-Lise! Yes, so happy to come across his artwork! Hugs!