Ad Astra
An Ekphrastic Sonnet
“They do not understand how, while being at variance, it is in agreement with itself. There is a back-turning connection, like that of a bow or lyre” (Heraclitus, frag. 51; translated by T.M. Robinson).
How little I have truly understood
Striving to create what is beautiful
The better to show what is true or good
My mistakes, though bitter, have been fruitful
Now, I understand that tuning my harp
Is a matter of preparing myself
We can flee from tension, finding it sharp
The strain, though exhausting, reveals itself
As the source of all music, not mere sound
Between opposites, where stillness resides
There is a mystery shining, profound
In its opposite, each being abides
When it is drawn taut, each string aches to sing
From a tense silence springs each, living thing
About the Creator
D. J. Reddall
I write because my time is limited and my imagination is not.
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Getting Serious About Comedy (Part I)
If I were asked to remark on my life and the childhood that paved some road leading me to this point, I would have to say something about all the funny people who surrounded me for the last 26,872 days (and counting). Somewhere along that road, I became a big fan of laughter and the comedy that spawns it – and, I mean not only my own laughter, but the laughter of others, some of which I have actually been responsible for inducing.
By John Oliver Smith6 days ago in Humor
Comments (7)
Oh wow, this is great work. Stillness resides Each string aches… ❤️
So beautiful, D.J.! Stunning juxtaposition between tension and release, sound and silence!
Gorgeous final lines, well done!
This is just beautiful, D.J. It goes beyond a deftly done.
Beautiful D. J. I would love to share this with my sister-in-law. She was a harpist who had an unfortunate accident to her hand (bent against itself). She ended up as a classical composer and writes for many choral groups, orchestral groups and teaches composition in a university setting. Would it be ok to show it to her?
This was so beautiful. I especially loved the third stanza
This is a wonderful poetic analogy for life, no doubt a Top Story