The Scream Within
Ekphrastic acrostic inspired by Munch's The Scream for Moment of Silence Challenge
Standing as I gazed out across the fjord at Ekeberg, I beheld the sky turn red as that of the blood that runs through my veins
in that moment a strong melancholy coursed through my ailing body and mind like the first intense shiver on a cold December morning
leaning against the fencing for a semblence of balance and stability, I felt overpowered and exposed by everything and nothing all at once
exhausted from life and its many inescapable anxieties, fears and reminders of mortality, the kind that grip you and never let go
not one soul from the party of friends and associates I was walking with, stopped or took any note or showed regard for my internal suffering as
chaos filled my mind, weighed me down, I felt an inexplicable, otherworldly response from the black-blue of the fjord and city, an
endless scream passing through nature
*
Thanks for reading!
Author's Notes: As highlighted in the subtitle, this is an exphrastic based on The Scream by Edvard Munch. I was researching the painting for another piece I was working on and discovered the "scream" was supposed to be like an internal scream through the natural world.
"Secret suffering is crueller than public misery." - Voltaire, Candide.
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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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Thoughts on Vocal and the way the world is
"Death cannot stop true love, only delay it." – Wesley in The Princess Bride. I decided to come back to Vocal on a very cold and dark night at the end of December. I had been, and still am, convalescing from a horrible staph infection that had gone misdiagnosed for months. This, paired with the increasing challenges of being healthy, making the best choices for my co-parented child, being a wife, and being a director at a new job, was a lot to manage.
By Jazzy 2 days ago in Confessions
Comments (11)
Really great ekphrastic piece, Paul! Really loved the C line!
Clever ekphrastic, Paul!! Love that you looped it into the acrostic challenge too!!
I love the scream! I use to have a poster of it on my wall very many years ago!! I always wondered what they were thinking and now I know, thanks to you! 😱 That last line works splendidly to tie it up. Well done!! ☺️
Nailed it! As I was reading, I kept scrolling back to the pictured and was awed how well they matched. Great job, buddy.
love this little insight into the painting
Yes, very beautiful and thought-provoking.
Beautiful
KING PAUL POE SHAKESPEARE FOR A REASON!!
Great imagery in this poem. I felt your deep feelings. Can you explain the first line, it’s in a foreign country landmark reference: Standing as I gazed out across the fjord at Ekeberg
I LOVE THIS! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!
Great poetry Paul and great choice of artistic inspiration. I remember reading a quote a long time ago where Munch describes his inspiration as being a darkening sky at sunset which, the artist said, seemed to him like a primeval scream. Must look it up sometime.