Above the tear-blurred canyon
their calling caws
send me contrast-less colours,
telling tales of what to be,
a blindness for all but past,
which is my “now”.
My watercolour mind
is everything and naught,
a glimpse of this valley
sent closer to death and back.
The crows are silent now,
they ride the thermals, waiting
with an utmost patience
for my willingness to leave or not.
I know my destiny
is that of climbing down with care
and seek the shadows deep
where my myopic mind can rest.
Today Melissa hosts dVerse Poetics with an ekphrastic prompt with artists that have all struggled with some version of mental illness.
October 17, 2023
Björn Rudbergs writings 
I keep coming across works of Georgia O’Keefe’s I’ve never seen before. The first stanza! The patient crows – they’re lovely birds!
They are lovely but they can be scary.
Scary? Maybe it’s my particular ‘madness’ but I’ve never found anything she did scary. I’m thoroughly bored with people persisting finding sexual reference in her work. Abstract work is, by nature, spiritual I think and the flowers she enlarged so much is nothing but that – in my humble opinion that is. Smiles.
Beautiful and haunting selection. The silent crows waiting sends shivers. Appreciate the description of the myopic mind – a glimpse of death & naught can drive one crazy. Will shadows give us rest?
I wonder too… but at least the eyes can rest in darkness.
Your augury crows are stunning, Björn, especially when they ‘…ride the thermals, waiting / with an utmost patience / for my willingness to leave or not’.
I think we saw similar sentiments in the picture.
I think we did!
This is absolutely exquisite, Bjorn! I especially love; “My watercolour mind is everything and naught, a glimpse of this valley sent closer to death and back.” 💙💙
Thank you… it was a good picture to work from
You’re most welcome! 🙂
I think you did a good job of conjuring her state of mind based on the painting. There is a sense of desperation in her search to find some respite from what she perceives as pressing matters.
A deep sense of conflict and desperation in this piece. A need for rest and a sense of impending doom both.
I read much emotion here, and I love that you also ended on a note of rest for the mind.
“a blindness for all but past,
which is my “now”.
My watercolour mind
is everything and naught,”
“I know my destiny
is that of climbing down with care
and seek the shadows deep
where my myopic mind can rest.”
Simply beautiful.❤️
“My watercolour mind
is everything and naught,”
I really like how you expressed not knowing the mind of God
Much💛love
Crows do seem able to see beyond. I wrote a poem with crows in it this morning.
I love “watercolour mind.” There seems if not peace, then resignation at the end.
“myopic mind” what a great phrase!
Nicely captured state of mind. Love these lines:
“My watercolour mind
is everything and naught”
Shelter from stormings of the mind in the vale – a deep respite where all the hard angles are watered down.
That’s another interesting perspective, the eye drawn down from the circling birds into the shelter.
“My watercolor mind” is a really nice description and “they ride the thermals” really sticks with me.
Enjoyed this, Bjorn .. especially the happy ending.
I had a bit different take on the same painting but I like what you did here… where a myopic mind sees all as ominous!
An insightful glimpse into the artists’ mind. (K)
i loved everything about this. truly. and the painting is, of course, a beautiful addition.
The alliteration in S1 captivated – and echoes the harshness of a crow’s call. And then “My watercolour mind
is everything and naught,” swept me up into the meat of the poem.
Its all so unique!