This poem is a response to the sculpture by Ian Gentle “Spinning Spider”, 2008, eucalyptus wood, 100 × 80cm.
2024 is my year of Fantastic Ekphrastic Musings (FEM). I woke up on New Years Day in a tent almost floating on mud from Woodford Folk Festival’s finale, a blinding, brilliant, drenching Summer storm, a day after launching my third poetry collection “The Purpose of Truth”. On opening my eyes, I declared my New Year’s resolution to write about art as often as I could. To hone my writing practice describing and responding to art as well as teaching others to develop their ekphrasis poetry. Minimum once a month, I planned to go to our local gallery SECCA in Bega with friends to write about exhibitions - how we experience and connect with the visual art on offer. It is July and we have had 6 sessions already.
In addition, I have broadened my scope to find artwork in other galleries and online to inspire my poems. I plan to use my time at the Red Room Fellowship, Varuna to compile a draft FEM anthology manuscript and also to continue working on my 4th collection “Arrangements” which will include a selection of my poems from FEM. The opportunity to have a week away to write, link in with a group of writers and have a mentor will be a wonderful adventure!
