Saturday, April 5, 2025

E is for Ekphrasis for an Elephant

It's the AtoZ Challenge day 5!  So here EEEEEt is...E.

My theme is Watercolor and Words.  This year I am painting a watercolor to go with each letter and composing a poem to accompany it with a type of poetry that starts with the letter of the day.  I am mostly experimenting with the watercolors still, so don't expect perfection....

Clicking on the letter of the day will bring you to the main site which has links to get to other participants if you would like to go on an alphabetical adventure!

#AtoZChallenge 2025 letter E

Today, I've have my elephant watercolor, and my ekphrasis poem to go with it.  Enjoy!


Elephant


Ah, to be

a gray boulder of savannah,

a Loch Ness fountain of swamp,

a surprisingly fleet tree stump stomper

with limber timber limbs,

one of grace-grappling tonnage;

with fans alert to avert the flies,

beginning and ending in wiry spirals,

flat memory-foamed

toenailed feet;

a tower of power

a family fortress

in time of need;

ah, to be

an elephant.


by Donna JT Smith ©2025

An Ekphrasis describes a scene, often a work of art. It is used to denote poetry or poetic writing concerning itself with the visual arts, artistic objects, and/or scenes. It tells about the moral, creative, and artistic elements of the scene or object. The ekphrasis poem originated in Ancient Greece. It has no strict form, and can be any length. They may be written in stanzas or long paragraphs.

See you on Monday.  No AtoZ post on Sundays!  I'll be back on Monday with F.

11 comments:

  1. Jamie (jannghi.blogspot.com): Another form of poetry I did not know about.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love elephants and this poem...makes me want to go back to writing poetry. Also reminds me of an Elephant Soup recipe...have you heard of it?
    Cheers
    Barbie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Have not heard of an Elephant Soup recipe. Just Googled it and came up with elephant soup recipes...I don't think I'll be making it!

      Delete
  3. And elephants never forget (so they say)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, "memory-foamed feet"...lol!

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  4. Replies
    1. I was just headed there - just finished getting the rest of my posts prepped with the letter and posting time - no content...

      Delete
    2. I have to stop putting these comments up anonymously!

      Delete
  5. What a delightful painting and poem - and done as an ekphrasis! E is for excellent.

    ReplyDelete
  6. A being worth of admiration. Yours comes through clearly.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hazel Rice MeserveApril 8, 2025 at 6:41 PM

    This is truly delightful!! I am sending both the artwork and your poem to my niece, who loves elephants. I am learning so much from your work!

    ReplyDelete

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