Saturday, July 31, 2021

An Ekphrastic poem by Laurie Keegan

 Last week expandance co-founder Laurie Keegan undertook a workshop entitled "Writing As Choreography" with UK based dance artist Alexandrina Hemsley, hosted by Dance Ireland. What follows is one of the poems to come out of that workshop, written by Laurie. 

 

An Ekphrastic poem inspired by the experience of watching
 ‘Barely a Person’

choreographed and performed by Rachel Wynne
 

Eyes draw down fill up

Swaying

Off the roll away shadow and pause. 

Miss her.

You follow hollow curl, curl, curl

Pause.

It circles, uncurls, curls

   Interrupt. Voice remembered.

Vulnerable. Holding on scared

Shadows and light

Cry

I feel tears and then she looks away

 

Strength, texture, forms. Don't forget.

I won’t forget

I remember with you

I hear you

We all not have forgotten, I. 

 

She Baby emotes

Why can’t we.    guilt

Shame, 

Shameful, 

Shame on them, 

No more Silence.

 

Shouldertightheldbreath

Cold floor only we feel

reel

real

Reel

Need soup, sup, soupy, supping

Enough 

Not enough 

              I love you 

 

Roll through the floor

Keeping me grounded

I have the thigh and apathy it’s me

Vault of power

Power

 Power

   Pulse, prep, pulse, prep

     Rest Rachel

 

Surrounded by your weight I feel you down to me 

Lengthen 

Stretch and light, all light

 

Volume, hall it at the sing back

Strut it on to the back room

Reach grab

Hold

Grip pelvis                    RelevĂ© 

We can’t be unshielded 

 

Eyes be light

I Love You

You are everything and more much more

 

HOLY SHIT 

HOLY SHIT             I love you.