Eileen R. Tabios is a poet working in multiple genres and in-between. She also loves books by writing, reading, publishing, critiquing, romancing and advocating for them. This blog will feature her bibliophilic activities with posts on current book engagements and links to her books and projects related to books.

Sunday, February 18, 2018

EKPHRASTIC HAY(NA)KU

("RESIST" by Alice Brody. Quilt, 35 x 47", 2018)


Iris Stoler's ekphrastic response:


RESIST
(after “RESIST” quilt by Alice Brody)

Chaos
in the
uni verse yes

but
in com
plete they can

attempt
to sever
her closed fist

one
finger at
at time but

look
here! Against
a heaven filled

with
ages’ detritus
she will remain

in
the foreground
and will raise

hell
because she
can yes she

can




I love Iris' poem for straddling the conflict that can occur between syllables and words in poetic short forms. She does so by breaking up a word into more than one word based on syllable, which is to say, based on sound, and I think it's effective here.


About the Poet:
Iris Lee’s book of poems, URBAN BIRD LIFE, was published in 2010 by NYQ Books. Her work has also appeared in such venues as Haibun Today, OccuPoetry and The New York Times. A lifelong Brooklynite, she leads a writing workshop for theater professionals at The Actors Fund in New York City.


About the Artist:

Alice H. Brody is a fiber artist living in New York City.  She has exhibited at the Whistler House Museum of Art in Lowell, MA; The Empire Quilt Guild, NYC;  Quilting by the Lake, Syracuse, NY and Berkeley, CA.  She also recently developed, in partnership with a physician, an innovative hospital gown, in use in a major NYC area hospital.


Alice's quilt below is a companion piece to the quilt that inspired Iris, so we're pleased to present it as well:




[click on images to enlarge]




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