Warts and All: An Ekphrastic Pondering
Sagacious-eyed, panoptic lumpy godsend
Primordial, a polar sprout, a forked tooth.
A state unplaced, outside of time, alleged,
A boulder rests, that’s bold yet bland. A rough sleuth
Ingests all dust ingredients to swirl cake,
Its vortex cached with ev’ry seasoned spice sooth.
In petroglyphic fashion, fetish-carved cast
Beyond a culture’s judgment, baking new storms.
Its aura calls our hungry throats to chance, take;
Affirms, in squib-primed shell, a way to transform,
By palp of potent nubs, a germination
Of lilies joined with blood red roses’ thorns —
To shape beyond our dry-boned fascination
A new perspective for Our Human Nation.
Dora is today’s host for dVerse’ Poetics Tuesday. Today Dora wants us to write about stone. Thank you, Dora, for your prompt, as it inspired me to try a more challenging form. Stone always gets my poetry appetite whetted.
The form is Terza Rima Sonnet.
As soon as I read Dora’s prompt, my mind went to looking for stone sculptures installed at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. I found eight to choose from. “Warts and All” spoke to me. Learn more about the sculptor and his sculpture below.
Warts and All
Peter Randall-Page’s artistic practice has consistently been shaped and inspired by his study of natural phenomena in its vast variety. His more recent work has increasingly focused on the fundamental principles governing growth and emergent forms. Warts and All is an eroded glacial granite boulder, carved with geometric patterns that suggest a giant seedpod, fungi spore or bacteria. Of his exploratory work, Randall-Page says:
“Geometry is the theme on which nature plays her infinite variations and can be seen as a kind of pattern book on which the most complex and sophisticated structures are based.”
Peter Randall-Page, Warts and All, 2006, stone and wood timbers, 58.5 x 88 x 49 in., Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer
Tao-Talk 
How terribly bold, Lisa, I mean the imagination that crafted this sculpture and your sonnet lines that take us out of ourselves — our “Human” selves” — and place us squarely in the realm of what surrounds us, giving us “eyes” to see the panopticon of bursting life around us. What we are a part of. Visionary. I like how you whetted your words on this stone.
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<3 <3 <3 Your feedback is appreciated. The poem was made possible by your prompt, my friend.
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You’re amazing. Thank you, Li.
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<3
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I love to revisit the sculpture park again, it is such an interesting stone work.
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I’ve strolled by it many times. I’m actually going there this afternoon and will stop to say hello.
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Such a wonderful piece inspired by this amazingly crafted sculture, Lisa! 👍☺️
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Thanks so much Aptivi!
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My pleasure, Lisa! Have a wonderful September! ☺️
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Very nice Lisa! The boulder feels like some ancient artifact, god, seed, and mystery all at once. I especially like that final idea of transforming our perspective. Splendid! much love! 🧡
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Cara, I like what you see in it. Thank you very much <3
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My pleasure! 💛
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An amazing stone sculpture and an amazing ekphrastic pondering, Lisa. I especially love the phrases ‘panoptic lumpy godsend’ and ‘polar sprout’, and the way you imagined its transformation.
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Kim, thanks much <3
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You’re always welcome, Lisa! ❤️
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What an amazing sculpture -I want to run my hands all over it. Your poem somehow embodies the lumpy-bumpiness. The sounds of your words roll around my mouth. Wow.
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:) <3 lovely comment, Kim
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What an amazing sculpture Lisa and your sonnet matches it perfectly so many brilliant lines I love this in particular ‘palp of potent nubs’ I have read this out loud twice – incredible🙌
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<3 <3 <3 Ange, Dora's prompt revved me up. Thank you.
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🙌
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Lisa this is stunning~
I especially like; “A rough sleuth Ingests all dust ingredients to swirl cake, Its vortex cached with ev’ry seasoned spice sooth.” ❤️❤️
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Sanaa, so happy you enjoy the poem, thank you <3
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The Warts and All sculpture shows that patterns are not just surface decoration, but a deep part of how reality works, by demonstrating that mathematical patterns are the underlying architecture of nature. The best thing about this sculpture is that it is in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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Jim, I appreciate your insight on the sculpture. It is a blessing that it is here. I’d like to do some research on how it found its way here.
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Wow! That is a really odd rock. Don’t you wonder how it was formed? A great take on Dora’s prompt.
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Dwight I think the artist “nubbed it.” I would like to know how it was formed and how it got from where it started to its resting place in GR. Thank you :)
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Very unusual indeed!
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It does look very organic and prehistoric at the same time, a feeling your words capture. (K)
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Thanks much, K. It’s a beauty. Oh the things it has seen.
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That is certainly an interesting sculpture warts and all. It seem otherworldly as if its imperfections are its perfection. Does that make sense? Love the use of form on this one.
Primordial, a polar sprout, a forked tooth
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<3 True, yes it does! Thank you very much.
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I think i vdt it. That’s a pretty puzzlibg boulder
Thanks for dropping by my blog
much love
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Thanks, Gillena, it’s an enigma wrapped in a mystery ;)
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A creative and imaginative description – Jae
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Thanks, Jae!
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Oh I love this sculpture and it feels like a prehistoric Froend. Nice job, Li! 😀
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Friend
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Cindy, thanks so much <3
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Hi Lisa
We like the quote of Randall-Page about geometry. It reminds us of the quote ‘god is mathematics’ by the romantic writer Novalis.
The Fab Four of Cley
:-) :-) :-) :-)
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Thanks so much, Klaus & Fam.
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Thanks Lisa for highlighting the good stone works! Love it!
Hank
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Hank you are very welcome.
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A fascinating artwork. You poem celebrates its mystery.
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Robbie thanks very much. I tried.
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