Crystol Woods Poet Ekphrasis

Notes About The Poem

For Undergrowth with Two Figures-Van Gogh contest Sponsored by DillyDally Image of the painting prompt below... touch, hold, select open in drop menu... https://www.poetrysoup.com/images/bio_images/177736/photos/ps_painting-9973.jpg

Undergrowth with Two Figures-Van Gogh

This is no Eden
Yet the mirror is perceived 
Lush tangle of undergrowth
Army of bare, crooked trees
Who formed thee in madness
Has blown fetid breath
Stirring twitches and jerks
Necromancer of death
Cold pale face a question
Bride groom of lunacy 
A nightmare interpretation
Lucifer's garden fantasy
So still while I attend
Do not dare look away
From the corner of my eye
Creeping quickly to prey
Under skirt of homespun
Limbs crack, dislocate
With swift wind evil runs
pounding hooves of your mate
Turning now in retreat
Though I fear the unknown
I hear your pursuit 
Bone clicking on bone
When next time that I brave
Behind me, a quick peek
You both disappear
Becoming one with the trees.

My new purchase in hand 
I leave the museum 
Unwrapping this art
For the pleasure seeing imparts
Driving home now, heart pounds
As every time I turn around, 
The scenery changes to match
the vision through mirrors I catch
Just as in the frame
You seemed to rearrange...
And I know that you now follow me.

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I Am Anaya February 19, 2025 at 9:12 AM Hi Crystol, I've been touring all the Van Goghs, ha ha. I was thinking about your interpretation and I read the comments below, I too found this van Gogh odd. "zooming in to see details, was painted in a mad frame of mind". It was a difficult one, you took me to another kind of Eden! He died a month later poor thing ~Hugs --your avatar is lovely Crystol Woods February 19, 2025 at 10:09 AM Thanks so much for your interest in my interpretation. I'm no art critic but I say what I see in my minds eye. Thank you for coming by and commenting! (And ty for the compliment!) Xoxo

David Crandall February 11, 2025 at 5:10 PM Cool, mad idea, the scenery changing to match what you are driving through! Crystol Woods February 12, 2025 at 6:07 AM Thanks! I took the idea from a short story by Stephen King. Xoxo

Andrea Dietrich February 10, 2025 at 3:36 PM Oh you made it scary. People are getting so creative with this one. I don't know how she will determine winners! Crystol Woods February 11, 2025 at 12:05 PM I immediately got creepy feeling from the painting... the way the woman's head is twisted and after zooming in to see details, if have to say it was painted in a mad frame of mind. In my humble opinion anyway!;) I did a bit of research and this was painted either while Van Gogh was in an asylum, or right afterwards. I can't wait to read others interpretations! Love these contests! Ty for stopping by! Xo