The January 28th prompt in The Daily Poet, by Kelli Russell Agodon and Martha Silano, is to write either a poem inspired by the style of a Jackson Pollock painting, or an ekphrastic poem about ‘one of his paintings or a unique image you see in it.’ I based my poem on his drawing War, 1947.

Everything has become distorted
the simplest lines lead
into twisted tangles
darkened knots devoid of features
Words of love come out
as declarations of war
Hostility and fear join forces
to create their own gravitational pull
trapping the innocent
in prisons of fire and charcoal
from which only the smoke and flame can escape
their edges glowing hot orange, yellow, and red
until all that’s left are scorched earth and broken hopes
and survivors afraid to close their eyes

(28 January 2015)