Annunciation Angel – a poem from my collection of ekphrastic poetry based on abstract, symbolist and surrealist artists’ depictions of angels

by Roy Beckemeyer

Annunciation Angel

 

After Jay DeFeo’s Oil on canvas, “The Annunciation,”

1957/59, Art Institute of Chicago

 

Angel announcements are always

astounding. Angels are drama queens,

every one, no sign of subtlety; they light

the night sky, let all the neighbors hear

the news. No virgin ever born could

hope for discretion with angels involved.

 

Loud, too much makeup, glitzy robes

encrusted with bling, they swoosh in

on wings immaculately white, halos

like circular fluorescent tubes swiped

from a tavern storefront.

 

What’s the use of a Holy Spirit

silently slipping into your room

in the dead of night after all this?

 

 – Roy Beckemeyer

 

Please link to De Feo’s painting here:

DeFeo: “The Annunciation” – http://goo.gl/9z6CjK

Or use your smartphone to link through this QR Code:

DeFeo Annunciation Google QR Code

 

This poem is from a collection of 28 ekphrastic poems addressing various artists’ depictions of angels. Art ranges from abstract expressionist to symbolist to surrealist work. Tentatively titled Amanuensis Angel, the collection has been making the rounds of various publishers. No acceptance yet, but still trying. All the poems have QR codes so that readers can call up the picture on their smartphone or tablet, thus making reading the poems an interactive experience.