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An Ekphrastic Sonnet

By D. J. ReddallPublished 3 months ago 1 min read
Jean-Leon Geroms,"Pollice Verso," 1872

Consider the power of a gesture:

Two fingers raised as a plea for mercy

Thumbs descending to slay a prone creature

How casually cruel can digits be?

Whether in an ancient coliseum

Or in a postmodern comments section

Do we ask: what is it like to be him?

The vanquished, verging on vivisection?

No, we are all subjects, never objects

Onlookers, invulnerable to looks;

Others might condemn our absurd projects

But today, things are assessed in our books

Be mindful of the weight of your own thumb

Those who condemn can the condemned become

Ekphrastic

About the Creator

D. J. Reddall

I write because my time is limited and my imagination is not.

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Comments (5)

  • Esala Gunathilake3 months ago

    "Two fingers raised as a plea for mercy" Wow! That line is beautiful.

  • This was so profound and so true. We must always be mindful of others and put ourselves in their shoes before we say or do something. Loved your poem!

  • Ameer Bibi3 months ago

    I really admire your creative thoughts and different power in words

  • Belle3 months ago

    I love this. Such a creative thought inspired by an image, with such a powerful last line.

D. J. ReddallWritten by D. J. Reddall

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