Poem: The Starry Night
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Poem: The Starry Night

Ekphrastic: a vivid description of a scene or, more commonly, a work of art. Here's a look at how I viewed this beautiful painting by Vincent Van Gogh and how it allowed me to venture into another perspective of open-mindedness.

Laraib Akhtar
Mar 15, 2019
Alpharetta, Georgia
224
Poem: The Starry Night

The Starry Night

This starry night contains billions of lights shining bright

That hover above the town like little crowns

And are the windows to heaven

For only here, in the French town of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

Can the sun be an orb of deep orange iron ore?

Only here,

Can wishful thinking commence to see an alternate kindness from corrupt authority?

Only here,

Can the sky cradle the waves of the ocean?

Only here,

Can the moon spin like loom?

Only here,

Can the town be inferior to the merrier world of nature around it?

Only here,

Can the captivities of asylum shrink into nothing?

I appreciate the lights, for I am the beholder of sight

Basking in the glory of it's overwhelming might, it is a guaranteed sight for sore eyes.


Initially, my natural/immediate reaction to seeing this painting was one of pure astonishment and wonder regarding its beauty. Once I was able to look deeper and understand every detail, a new perspective had been created in my mind about life and the places we live in. I began to form a deeper understanding of how life can be seen creatively when I saw how the sky was painted in swirls. This correlated ,in my head, to life truly being "what you make it" and that you are in control of how you view life. Finally, I got a good look at how humans develop intimate connections to the places and environments they reside in. So, that was my new learning experience from art (specifically this painting by Gogh.) Now, I challenge you to form your own perspectives about this painting. What do you feel is most important? What elements do you feel have a deeper meaning?

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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