Broad Strokes
An Ekphrastic Breakup Nonet
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
Handsome even with paint on your nose
Your plan to spice up our pale walls
With tangerine polka dots
Like orbs of your laughter
Then you stole the sun
All the colors
Except one
Grayest
Blue
About the Creator
D.K. Shepard
Character Crafter, Witty Banter Enthusiast, World Builder, Unpublished novelist...for now
Fantasy is where I thrive, but I like to experiment with genres for my short stories. Currently employed as a teacher in Louisville.
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Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
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Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
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Comments (32)
Attempting to learn about nonet poetry. Beautifully Done DK. Guess I am learning from the best on Vocal.
And to think I missed this. Fantastic.
I am trying to catch up on my long-overdue reading. Sorry for being so late to the party, but what a deserving winner, D.K.! This is layered in metaphors with so much emotion. It is like an entire relationship just flashed before us! Incredible!
Oh wow, I'm not sure how I missed this! Love the play on colors so, so much. 🥹 Congratulations, D.K.! ☺️
Well deserved place in the challenge 💖… this is one of my favourites 😊.
This is sooo evocative and breathtaking! That ending was perfect. So glad you placed DK!!
Back to say congrats, DK!
Interesting! From.such vibrancy to despondency. I love that you have used colour as a narrative vehicle . Great job. Congratulations. Really deserved win!
Okay, Kayleigh really hit the nail on the head with her comment on how this could really be dissected and analyzed in so many ways thanks to the brilliant way you used metaphor and color. This is an incredible poem, and an even more impressive nonet, Shepard!! CONGRATS ON YOUR WIN!! <3
You nailed this one DK! Mastery-levels of subtle but unmistakable messaging. Great poem to place in the challenge. Congratulations in the highest!
A masterclass in how to tell a story in metaphor! There are soooo many ways to interpret this! (Why do I feel like those tangerine polka dots are representing women he cheated with?!?!) Well done on this… I really love poems that can be interpreted a thousand ways and this is most definitely one of those 🥰
Congratulations on your win - it's well-deserved!
I adore this.
Ooooft this one was so well done, D.K.! Congratulations on placing
Loved the use of colors in this one! Very well done, congrats on placing :)
Congrats!
Gorgeous. Congrats!!
Loved it!!! Congratulations on the runner up win!!!🥰
Back to say congrats on honourable mention for the nonet challenge!! 🎉 Way to go DK!!
Wooohooooo congratulations on your win! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
I concur with our contemporaries, sad and even though it was bitter, the tricksy writer in me loves the way you set us up for that ending with the hope at the start. Wonderful control of emotions through so few words.
Oh, this is sad 😿
Wow! You upped the ante to an Ekphrastic poem😃… well done ✅.
Oooo DK, this was good! I love the way you painted (pun intended) a picture of such a happy couple and then let it sour before our eyes!! So clever!!
D.K. I love how this begins as a sweet nod to romance and quickly broadens to show how all the light and color drains from the world when love is lost. Fantastic work!