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The Late Boat

An Ekphrastic Sonnet

By D. J. ReddallPublished 2 years ago 1 min read
"The Boat of Charon" (1919) by Jose Benlliure y Gil

Tedious inconvenience lingers

After death, which is the best evidence

I can find that long, sadistic fingers

Guided by exquisite intelligence

Arranged these groaning, sepia shadows

This twilit, weeping gloom, not to end things

But to make everything seem a gallows

From which we dangle, gasping offerings

To an omnipotent, patient sadist

With a galactic imagination

And there is a grey, bureaucratic twist:

Even the dead await transportation

When it arrives, we wish that it had not

Pity the spectral fish, in this boat, caught

Sonnet

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!

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Comments (5)

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  • Dharrsheena Raja Segarran2 years ago

    Oooo, this was so profound! So well done!

  • Shirley Belk2 years ago

    Your sonnet matched the picture perfectly!

  • Kodah2 years ago

    Woah this was deep, the images made it feel intense! incredible work 💌

  • This comment has been deleted

  • Rachel Deeming2 years ago

    What a picture and what a sonnet. Fitting, I think and encapsulates what has been represented in the picture whilst also going beyond it into thoughtful rumination.

  • Deep and a bit gloomy, but so well written!

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