The March edition of the Tongue & Groove featured an ekphrastic challenge where we were to write a new poem or song based on one of the pieces in the VAE gallery that serves as host to the open mic. I chose the picture above, Night Vision. Here’s a video of my performance, courtesy Anna Weaver. Enjoy!

The Rule of Three

All poets
know the Rule of Three
either explicitly,
implicitly
or instinctively
where a trio of events,
characters
or phrases
are just more memorable,
humorous
satisfying
than two or four things.

So too the artist
knows the Rule of Thirds
be they painter,
photographer
or film-maker,
dividing their canvas
into three horizontal
and three vertical sections
to achieve a balance
a symmetry
a harmony
within the image.

It’s just the nature
of the human mind,
it always has been,
it is today
and ever shall be.
The genie will always grant
us three wishes.
Bars will be always be entered
by a priest, a minister and a rabbi
and the three little wolves
will always escape
the big bad pig.