Rowing Out
An Ekphrastic Sonnet

The desire to escape increases
But when the world entire has gone mad
On what remote shore can one fit pieces
Into a pattern that makes the heart glad?

When ignorance and greed and hate abound
And plagiarism passes for great art
When poison spills into the fecund ground
And order seems to be flying apart

What recourse do the lost and lonely have?
What distant place ought they to row toward?
Perhaps, our sumptuous dreams we must halve
Lest grim despair propel us overboard

Concentrate on the rowing, vigorous
Methodical progress could well save us
About the Creator
D. J. Reddall
I write because my time is limited and my imagination is not.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions



Comments (10)
Stunning poem. The despairing anger coming to an abrupt halt in the last two lines was stunning. Really loved this!
This struck a nerve today! Especially the "And plagiarism passes for great art" line! Wonderfully penned, D.J.!
Beautiful work. The answer is found in the last two Ines.
Simply incredible
Nice work.
Thank you D.J. you’ve both hit the nail on the head and extended hope.
Well I sure hope so. Loved your poem!
Deftly done, D.J. Deftly done indeed. That painting too is just magnificent.
I enjoyed this, DJ! Incredible work! 💘🌟
Awesome work love the ending,