- Lonely Walk Home Poem by Ben Gieske

- Lonely Walk Home

Rating: 2.9


(painting by Dennis Sheehan)

As the sun silently slips behind a clump of trees,
saying goodbye to its day-long spent energy
and leaving twilight behind to watch for night,
pink, rosy and pale yellow hues trail in its wake.

a solitary figure trods homewards with measured steps
along a dirt-worn road blotched in ochre and oatmeal brown
her lantern hanging motionless flickers for attention
signaling the lateness of the day not yet armored
to fend off the night soon to come,

the day’s wandering breezes already nested
in the waist-high grasses of the fields,
withered and leaning in their maturity
completely oblivious to her passing.

Homeward she treads steadily with owed head
a black shawl tasseled with the accomplishments of the day’s chores
draped over her sagging shoulders and
opened at the next allowing
her red blouse heated by the warmth of her heart
to crest between the blackness of the cloth.

Only her white bonnet, like a beacon
scouring the open empty sea
seems to have not yet lost
its taste of the day’s sun
on this lonely walk home.

This was published online by Sketchbook, Sept/Oct,2009.

Poetry is only one of the arts. This is my attempt to fuse poetry with a painting and, hopefully, extend the appreciation of other artistic persons. For the actual painting and other paintings by Dennis Sheehan, go to
http: //www.artnet.comhttp: //www.poemhunter.com/poem/lonely-walk-home//artist/15427/dennis-sheehan.html
and look for “Evening Walk”. This same picture was labeled 'Lonely Walk Home' in 'American Art Collector' magazine, September 2009.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM

Sir, this poem is wonderful. i enjoyed the imagery it gave me.

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Fay Slimm 11 December 2009

A delight to read this slow, warm walk home, and along with the image of the painting Ben, you have achieved a composite colour-palette of the scene - - superb imagery - - 10 from Fay

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Susan Jarvis 05 December 2009

With the medium of words, the artist has painted a beautiful linguistic picture that will be etched upon this observer's memory long after reading the last line - exquisite! S :)

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Patti Masterman 04 December 2009

I love it when people write poems about paintings and things. It somehow raises it to a higher level. I don't really know of a better way to state it right now. Very lovely mind-filling results.

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george george 30 November 2009

Nice portrayal of the universal experience of loneliness. Your words capture the feeling so well. Love it!

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Ben, you have brilliantly fused your poetry with Dennis Sheehan's painting Lonely Walk Home. The consistent use of color brings the painting to life, and gives so much more meaning, for what would have been to me, just a painting when I first viewed it. Having had the pleasure of seeing Lonely Walk Home on Sketchbook and reading your poem, it stole my heart....10 Karin

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