Ekphrastic Poem

I discovered a new type of poem today.  :)

One that I should have known about for years now, but I guess things appear right when they are supposed to in life.

Yeah, the word "ekphrastic" sounds strange, but it is merely poetry based on a work of art, like a painting, sculpture or photograph. Pretty simple, huh?

So, of course for my first attempt at an ekphrastic poem, I chose Andy Warhol's "Giant Panda" print from his Endangered Species series.

Here it is:

Layers of color

Create your edges

But naturally

You are black and white

Sitting there with that smirk

Begging me to give you bamboo

With those masked eyes

Your hands are empty

Red with anger

Drops of sun begin

To gnaw on your empty hands

Species in danger, or endangered species? 

Poised on your backside

In an open-eyed meditation

The purple lines that create you

Are the veins of your fate

Was it He who did not fill in the white space

Did your Creator do this to you?

You are a symbol of hope, panda

That misfits do not merely exist-- 

But thrive in the protection of society.