Pale rays of sea aster
and heads of lavender
smear the salt marsh mauve
and purple, a wave
of Easter colour, pungent
with a salty, muddy scent.
Seaside spirits sing a hymn,
a cheerful noise, a chink
of halyards and a flap of sails,
wind, waves and distant whales.
Kim M. Russell, 3rd September 2019
My response to dVerse Poets Pub Poetics: Art as Inspiration – Beverly Dyer
In this Tuesday’s Poetics, Mish is our host and she has introduced us to the artist Beverly Dyer, who is from North Carolina. Mish tells us that Beverly’s work reflects her love for the natural world, her biggest source of inspiration, with which I identify. I particularly identify with what she says about the healing aspects of art.
For this Tuesday’s prompt, Mish would like us to choose one of Beverly Dyer’s artworks from the given websites and write a poem of any style inspired by the chosen piece.
I chose ‘Spirits Roam’, a watercolour wash from artprescription.com.
writing in north norfolk 
This is so rich in sound, I can hear the wind and the waves in those wonderful hues of lavender and lilac… wonderful even though it’s hard for me to remember Easter when autumn is coming.
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I’ve written quite a bit about autumn already and there is so much more of it to come; when the colours of the picture hit me, it was Easter again!
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Oh, I like your alliteration here. And all those different purples. There’s a briny scent to this poem.
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I wish I could bottle it!
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I would love to see the moor all in its purple array and smell the scent of the sea in the air. This is such a wonderful poem – I am totally in love with it.
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The best places for moors covered with purple heather are Yorkshire and Scotland.
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Your poem is magical, the images the sounds, the cheerful hymn of the rigging. I love what you did, as inspired by the lovely painting.
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Thank you, Jade.
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You are welcome.
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I like the last line with wind, waves and whales.
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Thanks Frank.
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Being a daughter of the prairie, your seaside word pictures enthrall me, Kim. Well said!
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Thank you so much, Bev. I have no idea what it’s like to live on the prairie, but I do get a sense from some of the poems I read. We have fields with all kinds of crops and big skies, but I imagine they are small compared with yours.
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The sensory details bring the marsh to life! I especially love the cadence in the ending…
“a cheerful noise, a chink
of halyards and a flap of sails,
wind, waves and distant whales.”
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Thank you, Mish!
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I love your use of imagery. Such an evocative piece. Very nicely done!
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Thank you!
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Wow–I like any poem with “halyard’ in it. Amazing that those colors catapulted you to a sea shore. A very strong rocking of the prompt. A poem to knit into sailcloth and frame.
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I am so grateful for your enthusiasm, Glenn. I often hear the chinking of the boats down on the moorings at the end of our garden. We don’t own a mooring or any kind of craft, but I love boats.
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I love the color and sounds and I sense a time of change.
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Thank you – the seasons are changing at the moment and so are the politics over here. With any luck, Boris Johnson and Brexit will be gone.
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Loving the color and sounds Kim specially: smear the salt marsh mauve
and purple, a wave
of Easter colour,
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Thank you, Grace. I’ve been looking for a sweater in plum or heather but those colours don’t seem to be in fashion at the moment. My new glasses are purple!
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I really like the images in this poem. It took me there~~
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Thanks Dwight.
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Dreamy…it matches the blurred patterns. (K)
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Thank you, Kerfe.
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Such lovely sound and rhythm here. I imagine that is just what the salt marsh is like.
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Thank you, Merril. Norfolk salt marshes are incredible.
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Wow! I love this! So much fun to see how the art leads to words and imagery. Thank you and cheers, Bev
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Thank you, Bev!
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I enjoyed the scents and sounds as much as the sights revealed through your words.
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Thank you!
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A delightful feast for the senses…Easter’s coming!
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Thank you, Lynn!
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Between the sounds and smells and sights, you nailed it!
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Thanks Viv!
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😊
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Excellent interpretation Kim, of this piece you chose of Beverly’s art. Wonderful choice!
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Thank you, Rob!
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Wow! The sounds tell it all. Excellent write, Kim!
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Thank you, Sara!
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