Oh, What’s That In The Hollow?

Cherry

By onemorething

Wed, 13 Jan 2021
  • 1217 reads
9 comments
 

I did not dream; an empty sleep,

a hollow, though not absent

of suffering when this wound 

is made by curiosity. And

I have examined love -

its briar rose of blood 

and innocence, prickled to pink,

a pain that used to be hope,

that once was patience, now

retreated to the protection 

of thorn and grough. Only

to be woken by crows,

black mornings, broken

by the flight of brimstone

butterflies in transformation.

Here, stoicism should be

the resolution of struggle,

when what is frozen 

is forgotten, and faith

is fire, and yet, where

these long shadows fall, 

I still lament. 
 
This is yet another ekphrastic poem based on, yes, another E R Hughes painting called 'Oh, What's That In The Hollow?', oddly enough...

The painting is here: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edward_Robert_Hughes_-_Oh,_co_je_v_te_dire.jpg

 

Again, Hughes was painting in response to a poem, by Rossetti this time, called Amor Mundi. It's here if you want to read it: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46454/amor-mundi

 

It wasn't a popular painting when it was first exhibited - it was seen as ghoulish. Also, apparently, it was felt that Hughes deviated too far from the poem in the sense perhaps it lacked the clear symbolism of the poem. However, he did include two brimstone butterflies, crows and the briar rose - all of which carry a lot of symbolism. 

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Comments

Submitted by bhi on

There are some fantastic phrases in this poem, this in particular:

"Only

to be woken by crows,

black mornings, broken

by the flight of brimstone

butterflies in transformation."

Beautifully crafted.

 

 

 

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thank you bhi, am happy you liked it. :)

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

There's a pensive stillness to your poem, a need to retreat. Being touched by sadness can inspire so many emotions which are clearly written within your writing.

I was so sorry to hear of you loosing a close friend. 

I'm never quite sure if I have got the true meaning of your poems Rachel, but I felt compassion in the lines:- 

I have examined love -

it's briar rose of blood

an innocence, prickled to the pink,

a pain that used to be hope,

that once was patience, now

retreated to the protection

of thorn and grough. Only

to be woken by crows,

black mornings, broken

by the flight of brimstone

butterflies in transformation.

This is quite a stark scene, which I could relate to, yet find so creative and led me to read that poem Amor Mundi by Rossetti...a fine poem indeed.

Thank you for sharing and take care of yourself.

Jenny.

 

 

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Thank you Jenny. I didn't intend this to reference my friend, I suppose my poems are often themed by death and sadness so it's hard to tell! It's a very stark painting, but I find the idea of transformation and connection between life and death / human in nature a recurring and fascinating topic for me. And the painting is interesting to me too - is she dead or near death or sleeping, perhaps death is a kind of sleeping or vice versa? Maybe it's best not to reveal too much of the inner clanking of my mind!! 
 

Amor Mundi is a wonderful poem. I'm glad you liked discovering it. Thanks for reading it Jenny. I hope you are keeping well. Rachel :)

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

My son came in when I was looking at the painting and said "Whoa, that is a terrifying painting!" and two seconds later"It's really cool, though!" :0)

All these paintings you are linking to are an education! I had not seen any of them, and they are always very interesting, sometimes gorgeous, so thankyou fot that! I would NOT  have come up with  the seeming delicate power of your poem, from that painting! 

"I did not dream; an empty sleep," is AMAZING!!! That is just how it is.

What did you intend with :

"faith is fire" ?

Is it that fire is the will to keep going, leaving the past behind? Making it melt, disappear?

I do hope one day someone ekphrastics your poems! I like this one much better than Rosetti's

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Hi Di, 

Ha, please apologise to your son for initial horrors. I think it's that her eyes are open and yet lifeless. It's been on my mind about sleep and states like it - under anaesthetic or in a coma too - about how 'we' exist in them, how time does not exist in them. That sort of thing! Faith is fire - I think I meant that once hope and patience are exhausted that one enters a kind of stasis (frozen) which faith would be fire to (an opposing force). So yes, melting, if you like, not so much the past, but about how one has become. Transformations from one state to another. If that makes sense? I'm not sure I have explained what I meant well. Thank you for asking though.  :) I am working my way through his paintings! I love all of them. Thank you for liking mine more than Rossetti's! I will cherish that thought! Thanks for reading and your lovely comment. Made me smile. x

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

yes, I see. Thankyou for explaining :0)

 

Submitted by marandina on

Just wonderful

 

Submitted by onemorething on

Ah, thanks so much! :)