Tag: Art

Reading: Blood-drop in Israel by Ellie Onka

I am excited to present this video of Ellie Onka reading her poem ‘Blood-drop in Israel’ from The Anthropocene Hymnal:

Blood-drop in Israel by Ellie Onka

Ellie Onka

Ellie Onka has been writing poetry consistently since early 2017 and is constantly inspired by poets like Sylvia Plath, Robert Frost, E.E. Cummings, Ted Hughes, and Leonard Cohen. Onka has publications that appear in Variant Literature Magazine, Visual Verse Anthology, the Scarlet Leaf Review, and Ephemeral Elegies among others, and can be found in different writing projects such as poetry or novel collaborations. She has many cats that consider her crazy, and when she’s not writing, she is losing sleep over it.

https://lucysworks.com/

Featured image is by Valdis Stakle.

The Anthropocene Hymnal is out now on Amazon!
All proceeds to WWF.

You can read the original post at Experiments in Fiction.

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Utter Tohubohu – Flash Fiction, MLMM Wordle 252

Like water caresses the streambed rocks, the mention of his crimes in the newspapers caressed his black heart. Carefully he clipped them all out to save in his well filled scrapbook. He got a kick out of knowing his artful displays had left the police in utter tohubohu. He’d left them no clues to follow.

He took pride in his time consuming careful preparations. Ruminating over every angle. Never acting impetus due to desire or need. Just as his master had taught him.

So he was extremely surprised when the continued news reporting and the media nicknaming him the Hieronymus Bosch killer, made him itch to complete a new art piece soon.

© RedCat

I might have read too many crime novels lately.

Click here to read other stories by me.

Written for Wordle #252 at Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie. 

Water
Mention
Newspaper
Clip
Impetuous
Tohubohu– a state of chaos, confusion
Extreme
Ruminate
Caress
Angle
Kick
Surprise

Images:

First – The Last Judgment 

Second – Fall of the Damned

Both by Hieronymus Bosch via WikiMedia Commons

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August 7th – Raining Cats and Dogs

It’s been raining all day. Oscillating between what I call Amsterdam rain, so fine you hardly notice it until you go out. More like mist than rain. To raining cats and dogs like it is now. Raining so hard there is no chance for the watersprouts and gutters to handle it. I got soaked just taking out the trash. There’s no real danger of flooding right now so I actually enjoy listening to the deluge. Snug in a warm room. Watching candle flames dance. Reading a bit and listening to music.

Curious as I am, I have wondered about where – raining cats and dogs – comes from. I found this article on the Library of Congress web page that details the history of it’s usage. And spent a fun moment reading through the list of expressions for heavy rain on Wikipedia. Containing two Swedish ones that are in my vocabulary. And one that isn’t.

Det regnar smådjävlar – ‘It is raining little devils’. This I’ve heard but never used.

Det regnar småspik – ‘It is raining small nails’. Has an equivalent in Spanish with a good explanation – not only is it raining a lot, but it’s so cold and windy that being hit by the drops hurts. That kind of rain is not unusual here when we’re getting close to winter and sub zero temperatures.

Regnet står som spön i backen – ‘The rain stands like canes hitting the ground’. This is when it’s raining so hard each drop makes a splash when landing on the already water covered ground.

After this I think I have just the rain song for tonight’s Saturday Song.

When the weather is

Raining cats, dogs and pitchforks

Humans must beware

©RedCat

Read other Haibun’s written for the monthly dVerse prompt by me here.

Read other Daily Haibun’s here.

Images from National Gallery of Art.

First image: George Cruikshank, 1820.
Very unpleasant weather, or the old saying verified “Raining cats, dogs, & pitchforks”!!!

Second image: Rembrandt van Rijn – The Mill, 1645/1648

Third image: Childe Hassam – Rainy Day, Boston, 1886

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New Growth – After “Roots” by Frida Kahlo

“Roots” 1943 by Frida Kahlo

A glimmer of hope and faith
Let’s seeds of hope germinate
Growing tender shoots
Sending out questing roots
Searching for purchase in the arid plain
Watered by tears of grief and pain


Growing stronger each day
As the soul realizes she may
Free the muses to let creativity flow
Allow faith in budding ability to grow
Trust in the Goddess boon
Receive nourishment from sun and moon


Evolve according to the season
Follow the heart’s bright beacon
Until passion sings in the blood
Flowing freely, transforming the lifeless mud
Into rich and fertile earth
Where a scarred soul might find rebirth

©RedCat

Inspired by “Roots” by Frida Kahlo and written for this week’s Sunday Muse.

I’m so happy to get a chance to write to an artist whose artwork and life story has always inspired me greatly.

Also shared with the Writers’ Pantry at Poets and Storytellers United, and Promote Yourself Monday at Go Dog Go Café.

Photo credits in descending order

Photo by Russ Ward on Unsplash

Photo by Christian Joudrey on Unsplash

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The Anthropocene Hymnal – An Experiments in Fiction Publication. Out now!

I’m very proud and happy to tell you that The Anthropocene Hymnal – An Experiments in Fiction Publication. Is out now! I’m as bursting with joy and gratitude today as I where when the editor asked me to participate with two poems. Mother of Creation and Leaves fall to Moulder.
Below you’ll find all purchase information.

The Anthropocene Hymnal is a collection of 63 poems from 34 poets from across the world. Beautifully illustrated by Valdis Stakle and with cover art by Kerfe Roig, the anthology is the brainchild of Ingrid Wilson, and in her own words is “a unique response to an unprecedented crisis.”

…

The second part of the book looks at what hope means in difficult times – what we still have to hold on to – what can still be done. Taking the form of invocation and prayer, these poems cast a thread to find a way through and call on that in us which is bigger than our current crisis.  RedCat’s Mother of Creation gives new names to hope, while Kerfe Roig’s Mercy 1 and 2(after ML Smoker)  speaks of  finding a way back from despair with “You leave a candle burning, / place it in the window.”

Excerpts from the Advance review by Lindi-Ann Hewitt-Coleman

You can find a list with all the contributors here.

For more information and several readings of poems go to Experiments in Fiction.

The waiting is over! You can now purchase The Anthropocene Hymnal in Paperback and Kindle format from Amazon (just select your relevant region).

There is also a PDF version of the book available. The PDF is not sold but revived in response to a donation to the WWF Fundraiser. Once you have made your donation (minimum €3 or equivalent in your currency) please email confirmation to experimentsinfiction@protonmail.com and and the PDF will be sent by return email. The aim is to respond to your email and send you the PDF within 24 hours of receiving it. The editor will also be making regular personal donations of the Amazon royalties as and when I receive them. Please follow my fundraiser page for updates!

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All Earth’s Children

Full Of Children by Kerfe Roig

I have a dream
Of all earth’s children
Cherished and loved
Fed and clothed
Happy and safe
Free to fantasize and play
Allowed to dream
Educated to think for themselves
Regardless of gender, faith or colour
Free to choose whatever their hearts desire

Free to laugh
Free to love
Free to live

©RedCat

This year poetry month has an extra day. A May Day Special.

To read all poems inspired by Kerfe Roig’s artwork Full Of Children go to The Wombwell Rainbow.

Photo by Francesco Ungaro on Unsplash
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Fire That Burns Away All Fears – A Sonnet

Concentrate On Hearing Voices by Kerfe Roig

When the world outside is quiet and calm
The choir of voices singing in my head
Fills my being with the singing of psalms
The echo sounds of dreams I long thought dead

Passions stubborn spirit refuse to shed
Visions burning clear in my thirds eye’s sight
My core even though abuse has me bled

My walls can no longer contain the light

The choice becomes, slowly die or shine bright
Trust there’s life time left for another choice
Spread my battered wings and let dreams take flight
Believe there’s stories to tell with my voice

Let truth be my shield and my words my spear
My pen the fire that burns away all fears

©RedCat
Photo by Igor Lepilin on Unsplash

This is my fourth Sonnet in April. And my first ever Spenserian sonnet, which has a linked rhyme scheme of ABAB BCBC CDCD EE. 

I still feel sonnet’s are harder than some other forms, or I’m more intimidated by them. Due to their Shakespearean connection. Meaning I feel like a novice poet like myself has less right to venture into such prominent territory. Such are the silly traps my mind makes for itself. I mean I have no problem venturing into other classical forms.

This is the first time the pentameter felt natural and not overly forced, although keeping all the feets iambic still eludes me. I also had an instructive fun time reading up on the Great Comets of 1811 and 1819. Especially the first of those, that was visible to the naked eye for 260 days must have been a real marvel. Leaving many impressions in culture, for example in William Blake’s miniature painting The Ghost of a Flea (below).

To see all art and read all poems for today go to The Wombwell Rainbow.

Also shared to Open Link Night at dVerse.

The Ghost of a Flea c.1819-20 William Blake 1757-1827 Bequeathed by W. Graham Robertson 1949 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/N05889
Kerfe Roig

A resident of New York City, Kerfe Roig enjoys transforming words and images into something new.  Her poetry and art have been featured online by Right Hand Pointing, Silver Birch Press, Yellow Chair Review, The song is…, Pure Haiku, Visual Verse, The Light Ekphrastic, Scribe Base, The Zen Space, and The Wild Word, and published in Ella@100, Incandescent Mind, Pea River Journal, Fiction International: Fool, Noctua Review, The Raw Art Review, and several Nature Inspired anthologies. Follow her explorations on her blogs, https://methodtwomadness.wordpress.com/  (which she does with her friend Nina), and https://kblog.blog/, and see more of her work on her website http://kerferoig.com/

April Ekphrastic Challenge – GloPoWriMo 2021

Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash
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Sounds In The Wind – A Puente Poem

Tawny Owl At Coach And Horses by John Law

Somewhere in the golden dusk a tawny owl calls
From another direction wooden wind chimes makes a dull sound
Over at the pub there’s cherry voices
Comforting homely noises
I lean against the ancient stone wall
Exhaustion pulling me to the ground
I’m just gonna rest my eyes for a minute

~I’m awakened by a trumpet~

Over the hill comes the crest of a centurions helmet
The air fills with the sound of marching feet
The rattle and clang of weapons and armour
I scramble for my bow and arrows
They fill the air like a flock of sparrows
The romans have come to another tribe uprising meet
Certain their might will make them the victors

©RedCat
Roman Soldiers by Jane Cornwell

I learned the Puente form just yesterday, and as I so often do, had to write another one as soon as possible to get a feel for the form. 

It can be both rhymed and unrhymed, both mine and rhymed, but with different rhyme schemes. This one has the following rhyme scheme: abccabd d defggef.

Inspired by all three works of art for today. To read all poems go to The Wombwell Rainbow.

The Sky Is Filled With Voices by Kerfe Roig
Jane Cornwell


likes drawing and painting children, animals, landscapes and food. She specialises in watercolour, mixed media, coloured pencil, lino cut and print, textile design. Jane can help you out with adobe indesign for your layout needs, photoshop and adobe illustrator. She graduated with a ba(hons) design from Glasgow School of art, age 20.

She has exhibited with the rsw at the national gallery of Scotland, SSA, Knock Castle Gallery, Glasgow Group, Paisley Art Institute, MacMillan Exhibition at Bonhams, Edinburgh, The House For An Art Lover, Pittenweem Arts Festival, Compass Gallery, The Revive Show, East Linton Art Exhibition and Strathkelvin Annual Art Exhibition.

Her website is: https://www.janecornwell.co.uk/
John Law

“Am 68. Live in Mexborough. Retired teacher. Artist; musician; poet. Recently included in ‘Viral Verses’ poetry volume. Married. 2 kids; 3 grandkids.”
Kerfe Roig

A resident of New York City, Kerfe Roig enjoys transforming words and images into something new.  Her poetry and art have been featured online by Right Hand Pointing, Silver Birch Press, Yellow Chair Review, The song is…, Pure Haiku, Visual Verse, The Light Ekphrastic, Scribe Base, The Zen Space, and The Wild Word, and published in Ella@100, Incandescent Mind, Pea River Journal, Fiction International: Fool, Noctua Review, The Raw Art Review, and several Nature Inspired anthologies. Follow her explorations on her blogs, https://methodtwomadness.wordpress.com/  (which she does with her friend Nina), and https://kblog.blog/, and see more of her work on her website http://kerferoig.com/

April Ekphrastic Challenge – GloPoWriMo 2021

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