An Ekphrastic Poem:

THE ANGEL OF DEATH’S PENANCE

After Oleksa Novakivsky’s painting, “Angel of Death,” 1923

He clasps the setting sunpic%5cn%5co%5cnovakivsky-oleksa-angel-of-death-1923

between icy wings, makes

of it his halo, sets his face

to shade, offers to his Creator

the body of yet another wingless,

mortal man, searches with averted

eyes a numinous end to the

endless path by which he will

one day part  from this, his

own private Purgatory.

 

  • Roy Beckemeyer

 

 

“Angel of Death,” 1923, an oil painting by Ukranian Artist Oleska Novakivsky, (1872-1935)