When no one's looking

Spring break was nothing like I planned (thanks to a week-long sickness) but was still full of unexpected blessings. I am eager to write about these. However, because the thought "Will I ever catch up on school work?" runs through my head about every five minutes, along with a prayer for grace (more like cry for help! ha) not to be anxious, I think I should touch on the break's "blessings amidst bummers" next week.

So in the meantime, in an attempt to keep my re-commitment to posting, I thought I would post some poetry that I wrote last year. Enjoy!

I'll start with something lighter on this dreary day :) It's a "ekphrastic poem." Ekphrastic poetry comments on another art form. The poem below was inspired by Cezanne's Girl at the Piano, the picture accompanying the post (take a close look at it).

When no one’s looking

Girl does not play something
studied, practiced, perfected.
Woman’s feet appear,
and she drops the shroud of a hand
to grasp real hands of Man,
who left his chair alone
to enter on her left.
Watch her chestnut eyes lift
and brighten to find his.
They dance against the stripes on the floor,
with the red and white shapes,
around the room, along the wall.

The sound of other steps join theirs—

Girl’s dress catches on the piano.
She stifles a laugh.
Woman resumes sewing
without a needle.
Man darts out of view,
forgets to rearrange the pillow
he moved.