Submitted by Jane Dougherty
To stop the final turning of the year,
Sunset bringing night, no morning after,
We strut beneath the over-arching sky,
Rant upon this stage and shake our puny fists
At the hapless clouds and retching sea,
As if all are to blame but the players.
This journey almost over, river-run,
We feel the bone-cold rise from misty ground,
Where light seeps into water, dusty pearls,
And nothing is what we hoped; no rounded dreams,
Nothing recalls the tang of unseen seas,
The lush and velvet scent of hot night skin,
The arrogant cry, gold-plumed and sun-struck flight,
Of the tumultuous firebird of youth.
Photo Credit: Hubert Roestenburg – s’hertogenbosch
Vita Brevis Press. 
Thank you for picking another great illustration. Who is the artist?
Hubert Roestenburg – s’hertogenbosch! He’s a German expressionist painter. (We originally had the wrong painter up–this isn’t a turner piece!)
Reblogged this on Jane Dougherty Writes and commented:
Vita Brevis have published another poem of mine! Thanks for the inspiration Mr Shakespeare.
No, not Turner. German Expressionism fits perfectly 🙂
Nice fit with the painting, as if the late in life shadows/the coming night are striving for that “tumultuous firebird of youth.”
Lush and lyrical language, Jane–yes, expressionism. I particularly like the last four lines, and I agree the painting fits this poem perfectly.
Wonderful tension in this piece–and yes, the painting echoes the words. (K)
The imagery is spectacular!
Thank you all for the appreciative comments!
Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.