April Project Poetry Month

by Ellen Brenneman

Periodically PAN-O-PLY embarks on a special project to create a unique event highlighting the arts in Michiana. For the second year we are publishing Project Poetry Month.

Throughout the year PAN-O-PLY seeks out local artwork with an open-ended feeling of inspiration. We ask a poet to write a poem inspired by the art. Sometimes the poems are written as ekphrastic poetry, more often the poets create poetry reflecting an interpretation of the art.

We hope you enjoy the art and poetry. Thank you for reading the talented poets in the Michiana community. To find out more about the artists, click on their name to go to their website or social media page.

Angie Thieszen

Unspoken Words and Silent Conversations -

by Judy Miller

In unspoken words, and silent conversations, they say, “I’ve waited so long to hold you.”

“I’ve waited so long for you to hold me.”

The starvation of discrimination will not pass your lips. I will not teach you pacification,

nor feed you the indignation of you being you, of us being us.

They say, “I will protect you.” “I feel safe in your arms.”

You and I are the celebration of generations. From your conception,

the manifestation of your creation, you became my inspiration for the redirection of isolation.

We will not segregate our foundations, or frustrations and ruminations, for they will fuel the culminations of ideas, lift our imaginations, no limitations in our dissertations, our silent conversations, of love.

Songlines

MariJean Wegert 

But I love him, you may have said. Or:

Can we make this work?

Our hearts stretched with longing.

We didn’t know what for.

They might say: you are too different.

Or, bewilderingly: you are too much the same.

We are delineating our world

Along the wrong fault lines. We're using the wrong maps.

Do you remember? We used to feel North in our bodies.

Our maps

Used to be made of song.