Mid-Month Challenge: March

This month's mid-month challenge was to use a stanza from our Exquisite Corpse Terza Rima Community Poem for inspiration on a piece of art or poetry. I only received three submissions this month (my submission makes four though!). I hope you enjoy these pieces. First the poem:

Exquisite Corpse in Terza Rima

I. Fall in the river swiftly flowing,
destination completely unknown.
Dragged below, the current not slowing,

II. but everyday my love for you has grown.
Although you will forever be so small,
just dust and ashes now, not flesh and bone.

III. A spark, and the darkness over all,
Your light gone to a place we cannot go.
Does hope just give you farther down to fall?

IV. Your death delivered an earth-shattering blow.
A wound which places all past heartbreak to shame
when compared to the daily tears that flow.

V. I read a book to find your name.
I stumble along, then see it, blurred.
It's yours, but gone, and still the same.

VI. As much as I'm heartbroken that this occurred,
your life means more than most will ever know.
So I will spend my life making your story heard.

VII. Remove the cords and free my child. Now tow
me to the shore or I would drown beneath her weight --
mere pounds in bruised and bluish flesh but tons in mother’s woe.

VIII. No prayers left, surrendering to my fate,
I stare in wonder at the tiny grace,
wrap blankets ‘round three hearts and close the gate.

IX. Dark waves fall over the arms housing my empty embrace,
Carrying future to the sea, leaving Grief in its place.

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Inspiration I: Stanza I


















Stanza I
Amy McCarter
Pencil and Marker


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Inspiration II: Stanza V

Stanza V.

Beth Davis.

Photograph.

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about the piece.

Beth describes this photograph, "At first I was frustrated that with or without the flash, her name was blurry.  But then I realized, that's actually exactly what the stanza said.  Her name was already circled when I opened the book to put the flower petals (which were bought "for her" for Valentine's Day) around it for the photo.  

"It was a lovely inspiration because I also found written on the back cover of the book something I had forgotten about.. Kathlyn actually came from a combination of her great grandmothers Katherine and Evelyn and we were scribbling out different combos to find one we liked... it was nice to see that, it's a memory of happier times with her."

Inspiration III: Stanza VI & IX




















Stanza VI and IX
Carly Brooks
Drawing.

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about the piece.

In Carly's words, "I was reading the Exquisite Corpse poem when it was first posted and I was compelled to draw this. The sections that inspired me were VI and IX. The idea of a tiny lonely boat engulfed with enormous heavy waves resonates deeply within me. A sea of grief at times. "

about Carly.

In October 2008, Carly's daughter was born and died eleven days later. She describes this journey, "I suffered a uterine rupture and lost my womb along with my daughter. My blog Soul Blossoming is a place where I share that journey from loss to living again. I live in QLD, Australia with my partner and our two boys."

Inspiration IV: Stanza IX


Tanka: Stanza IX
by Angie

I tried to hold you, like one tries to hold the Sea.
You, controlled by moon and dark waves of Death, leave my arms covered in salted grief.

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about the piece.
In Angie's words, "I love the form of a tanka, which is 31 syllables and pre-dates haiku as a Japanese poetry form. Traditionally, the Japanese write it in one straight line, but in English, it is usually split up like 5-7-5-7-7. I decided to break it according to sentence here."