The stillness. The steely stillness that stole my breath was ever present. For so long, it had claimed my heart and devotion, and felt alive. Now it felt empty.
All-consuming and indiscriminate. A black hole.
A creeping darkness... death overshadowed everything.
Suffocating.
Internal drowning.
Disarray rising, grace and virtue forgotten.
Glass danse macabre — a sonata framed by moonlight. Echoes.
As the vision of Automat — solitude distilled, positional sadness embodied.
Saline drips, moistened lips.
Liminal light, my bestial repose.
*
Thanks for reading!
Author's Notes: Inspired by the painting above, Automat by Edward Hopper, and Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven, Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns and Glass Danse by The Faint.
About the Creator
Paul Stewart
Award-Winning Writer, Poet, Scottish-Italian, Subversive.
The Accidental Poet - Poetry Collection out now!
Streams and Scratches in My Mind coming soon!
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Comments (8)
That almost read like poetry with your visuals and clipped sentences. In fact, without the intro paragraph, I would readily declare this a prose poem. Interesting to see how genres can blend for unique effects. Everyone thinks of poetry when they hear "ekphrastic," but clearly we're not thinking boldly enough.
Wonderful evocation of one of my favorite Hopper paintings as well as eerily capturing the off-kilter lilt of the Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns (another fave). Really marvelous word-play, Paul. Well done!
You captured so much emotion and anticipation in so few words, Nicely done!
This is a thriller and to see one's reflection in the glass doors of said automat is somewhat unreal through the distortion. I took this one in a literal way. Great job.
✍️ I love this and your music selection. 👏
Oooo, so dark and ominous! I loved it Sir Paul! 🍩🥐
Your ekphrastic response to this Hopper classic is adroit, my liege. I wonder if you would be so kind as to consider mine, and let me know if you think I botched it: https://shopping-feedback.today/poets/exordium-da1ou0lnq%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/span%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%3C/div%3E%3C/div%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv class="css-w4qknv-Replies">
I loved the first two sentences. Alliteration is always fun, but you took it to an even higher level by using a variation of homophones. Genius. Then you followed up with classic Paul pulling the reader deep into the depths of despair and darkness. Nicely done.