Eternity is the great unknown, a breath
beyond the stars, and life and death,
a shimmering black hole
waiting to swallow us whole,
together with all our thoughts, it seems,
our hopes, desires and dreams.
In dreams, we travel through time
and space, a place sublime,
and maybe catch a glimpse
of eternity. But they are mere blinks
of our inner eyes, without the propensity
to comprehend eternity.
Kim M. Russell, 28th August 2025
This Thursday is Open Link Night at the dVerse Poets Pub, and Grace is our host with an optional ekphrastic mini-prompt: a surrealist painting by Ismael Nery entitled ‘Eternidade’ (Eternity). Grace tells us that this painting explores themes of eternity and time, combining ‘abstract forms and symbolism to create a dreamlike scene that challenges the viewer’s perception of reality’.
Our challenge is to either use the images as a muse and write ekphrastic poems or use the title of the image as the title or part of our poems.
writing in north norfolk 
I really like the thoughts in this poem, Kim
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Thank you, Robbie.
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I addressed the same riddle in my poem (but in another way). Can we really understand such concepts.
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I don’t think we can. The world and the universe are ever-changing, as are we.
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I’ve read that life is just this singular blip of light in eternal darkness. Dreams do seem like the liminal seam of the two, of both composed … my contribution this open link night flows from there, but you’re right – answers are few, mysteries are huge. Well done.
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Thank you, Brendan.I haven’t read or commented yet but look forward to reading your poem when I get back from swimming this morning.
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Eternity is that wide unknown–I like how you blended it with dreamscape. Perhaps we do glimpse a bit of it in dreams!
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Thank you, Jennifer!
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A beautiful reflection, Kim, and effortless rhyme 🙂
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Thank you, Nina. 😊
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I would love to catch a glimpse of that eternity. Definitely a great unknown like the shimmering black hole. Love your ekphrastic poem!
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Thank you so much, Grace!
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Kim, I love what you saw in his art ~~ I can imagine eternity now, your poetry made that happen.
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Thank you, Helen.
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luv your contemplation of depth and time
Nice one, Kim
much♡love
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Thank you, Gillena, and much love to you.
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In dreams I believe there are clues to that vast eternity. In my heart I know there is something more than this here and now.
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Me too, Truedessa.
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“But they are mere blinks
of our inner eyes”
I like that we both wrote about seeing.🌌
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Thank you, Melissa. I haven’t read or commented yet but I look forward to reading your poem when I get back from swimming this morning.
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Infinity – distance without measure, Eternity – time without end – both concepts too big for our tiny, finite minds but you give us the key to grasping such with dreams, Kim…
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Thank you, Andrew. I’m off swimming shortly, but I’ll read and comment when I get back.
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You are right, Kim–too vast to comprehend (though we keep trying.) A beautiful reflective poem. I love
” a breath
beyond the stars,”
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Thanks Merril!
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You’re welcome, Kim!
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Kim, I enjoyed your wandering spirit in this one.
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Thank you, Lisa.
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You’re welcome.
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An interesting take on the picture. Eternity that great unknown that many like to speculate about! A portal waiting to go through or a cliff with a never ending drop!
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Thank you, Dwight.
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You are welcome!
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I enjoyed this very much Kim. It’s so interesting that the older we get the more we question what might be next! ☺️
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Thank you, Christine.
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Thought-provoking! I don’t think we have the capacity to apprehend it while we are in our physical, human bodies … when scientists tell us there are a whole lot of colours our eyes can’t physically see, just for instance.
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