Poetess Susan J. Mardinly Connecticut march 5
I met Susan at the lovely Ekphrasis event during the Annual Open Studio Hartford a few years ago. What luck! Ekphrasis takes up random bits of visual art and uses it to inspire song and poetry to perform at the event. Really nice - find one in your area and attend. Adds some nice things to a visit to a gallery.
I had not really given a lot of thought to women in poetry until then but I am educated a bit and very impressed now, realizing the Mother was one and I do a bit of it myself - my brother’s book of poems is in the libraries but this is about WOMEN poets today.
Susan J. Mardinly has worked for a long time with the University and shared her gifts to pass on to future generations. She chose one of my paintings in 2016 to extol in verse. Copy of it is pasted here below.
Ekphrasis Prize Poem "In the Woods"
June 30, 2017
Find time this summer for a cool walk in the shade along a stream like this - good for everything! The painting has a nice story. Read on.
"Ekphrasis" is an event of the Open Studio Hartford annual city-wide presentions. Ekphrasis extols selected images from its group show in song and dance and poetry. I am honored to say that Poetess Susan Mardinly made the poem "In the Woods" about my 2016 painting of the same name , shown here. Comment Welcome. Thank you at Thanksgiving to Susan and her beautiful verse! Poetry is her second suit - she is lifetime music with honors in teaching as well. But she has shared here book of poetry here https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Calls-Susan-J-Mardinly/dp/1494827107 The painting was special to make and it has been really nice to see it win attention - for sale here https://ellefagan.com/fineartstorepage/in-the-woods
The painting sold this June! More like it on request. Thank you to the buyer!
In the Woods
Light shines upon the forest stream,
facets dancing upon rocks and pebbles,
singing to us, knowing we also are fashioned of light,
magnetic, electric, fused,
particles, forms, waves,
of dreams, of unperceived matter,
of fundamental knowing,
but always drawn light unto light.
Prisms of cumulus rainbows,
flashing through the eye of winter snow,
reflecting upon limbs and branches,
illuminating watery paths above and below,
a recipe made of hydrogen and oxygen,
metamorphosis beyond human ken,
in sound streaming, in heat dancing,
or scattering in luminescent flow.
Far beyond reason or logic,
inspired by these miracles,
we become trained to see with other eyes:
smaller worlds that dwell enlightened:
tree roots wriggling in shimmering growth,
caravans of ants as they scurry to bring food,
flowers in unencumbered rest far beneath the sparkle,
new life about to emerge from joyful winter dens.
Taking this wild journey in the woods,
shimmering insight burns away dross
radiant within the light that imbibes us:
in optical duality, in mirrors upon mirrors
our inner blaze transforming,
listening to the speed of creations’ flashes,
to the scent of fire’s kindle, the taste of luminous fruit,
of healing love that light sustains.
copyright © 2016 susan j mardinly
