Did you ever see
a mantis praying for its prey,
a lion letting go,
a snake with antivenom tears
or a broker breaking down
if he have won?
Did you ever see the
sorrow hiding in the shadows on a day
when sky is clear?
Did you ever search below the fronds
to find the soil of corpses underneath?
Did mirrors lie or tell the truth?
How many questions can be asked
for every answer told?
Today we are doing ekphrastic poetry on pictures by Mary Frances at dVerse Poetics.
—-
May 21, 2019
Björn Rudbergs writings 
I love these lines, Bjorn:
‘Did you ever see the
sorrow hiding in the shadows on a day
when sky is clear?
Did you ever search below the fronds
to find the soil of corpses underneath?’
Nice lines: “sorrow hiding in the shadows on a day
when sky is clear?”
This sparse landscape throws no shadows. All your questions are in sharp relief—no hiding places.
You stand at the pivot point in your poem. There are no answers that remain. Or all answers are yes or no, depending on the moment. Even the worst monster has at least a grain of compassion within them.
There is a starkness to your words, that stops the reader and encourages thought. Well done!
Yes, below the fronds of ferns. What mysteries and answers wait to be uncovered.
nice.. none of those forces of nature show any mercy
You are the Grand Inquisitor tonight; great. These days we need a whole gunny sack full of snakes with antivenom tears.
How many indeed Björn – how many… seems an endless supply, and most unanswerable!
Compassion is neither question or answer. It is just compassion. A touching poem.
The mirror never lies! Well done!!
So many questions that just lead to more questions. Will there ever be a definite answer?
How many questions can be asked
for every answer told?
How many prompts can be given for a single inspired piece? Wonderful, Bjorn!
if only each answer was yes, dramatic and potent!
That last line – exponential, more questions than answers thankfully.
I love the wonder your words inspire, it compliments the artwork greatly.
The last line!
We are all children looking for answers, seeking to understand the world where we are.
I think Mary’s sparse and mysterious artwork stirs up more questions than answers…as does your artful poem.