In recognition of Poetry Month, and to celebrate our treasure trove of Orcas Island poets, Orcas Issues is pleased and honored to offer daily poetry during April.
BRUSH AND INK
by JoEllen Moldoff
The Ancient Chinese calligraphers knew
how the brush can make lines
hard as iron wire, rugged as branches,
fine as spiders’ silk.
They used goat hairs for suppleness,
rabbit and weasel for strength.
Consider how the brush responds
like a lover to the artist’s hand,
how the ink marries
the scroll for hundreds of years.
Consider the uncertain calligraphy
of our own lives,
those wild brush strokes,
the traces of ink we leave behind.
Lovely.
so much wonderful imagery in here. enigmatic, thought provoking. thank you Jo Ellen.
Love the image of “lines // hard as iron wire.”