An ekphrasic poem, written to the delightful painting by Bob Addy as part of the Droitwich Arts Network event in 2018. Many thanks to Bob for the image and to Nina Lewis for organising the poets attending the event.

Turkish Delight

Like a whirling dervish,
lost in the power of dance,
exuberance defined
by movement to music,
alizarine, paynes grey, vermilion, green gold,
heard or unheard
song of the soul,
rhythm in the whole,
mad, wild, joy;
fierce, furious, fabulous.
See wine spill from her cup,
splash her outstretched arm.
Plaits flying, eyes flare,
she whirls, twirls, is a girl
showing what she can do
in the sateen sheen
of the artist’s acrylic paint.
Love her energy,
from the Topkapı Palace
to the Blue Mosque
—all before and all since—
clattering beads, silent flowers,
harem pants and cymbals
clash as she goes.

Polly Stretton © 2018