Skipping Rope at the Threshold
As often as we might come here
We are never skeptical of the weather
Even a slight shower will not control
our bold urge to unwind en la parque
I am the first of eight; I control the sign to
go or stay. Mama is home; the ninth hermano
almost here. At the threshold of womanhood,
I wield my sword of power gracefully.
© 2013 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
Painting by Joaquin Sorolla, Public Domain
Day 14 of NaPoWriMo finds me once again in the Imaginary Garden With Real Toads, where Hedgewitch suggested an ekphrastic piece based on the artwork Joaquin Sorolla y Batista, a Spanish painter whose works emphasized the natural light of his homeland and the people who dwelt under that light.
Also for the Sunday Whirl, where I managed to get the dozen words in two stanzas. Whew! Thanks, Brenda, for the prompt. Also for the Poetry Pantry at Poets United, where the weather’s always fine.
Sharp Little Pencil 
brenda w
Your piece fits the painting beautifully, Amy. Thyra is on the threshold right now. Heading off to college next fall. May she wield her sword gracefully. Thank you for this piece, and your continued work at the whirl. I love seeing your pencil in the links.
Brenda
hedgewitch
Lovely, and truly an ekphrasis in every sense of the word–you make that day so far off in time live again. Thanks for participating, Amy.
on thehomefrontandbeyond
particularly love the last line
markwindham
ah, how many of those elder siblings abuse their power? Probably not so many actually, I imagine more are graceful than I would think
Lisa A.Williams
Really nice, love the close.
Sherry Blue Sky
Beautifully done, kiddo!
Sara V
You know how to take us for a day in the park! I’m amazed how you fit all those words into two stanzas–wonderful 🙂
Sam Edge, Writer
great last line
http://damn-edge.blogspot.ca/2013/03/fortitude.html
Kay, Alberta, Canada
Oh, yes, the role of the big sister, with all its power, and very little glory.
K
Brianna
I love your integration of Spanish in this poem, I think it works really well, and it was a pleasant surprise while I was reading! And I love the idea of responsibility being a “sword of power,” because it can be used with mercy or for protection, but also to attack those who threaten the younger siblings or the younger siblings themselves if they happen to step out of line… Very pretty. :^)
coalblack
I wish I could give this SIX stars. I can’t tell you how much I like it.
PS–this was actually my favorite out of the paintings for the challenge.
oldegg
So the ninth little brother or sister is nearly here. She is skipping through childhood straight into adulthood with all the necessary training. Let’s hope she finds love too.
Laura Fedora
This poem is cool! It has a mystic quality to it…..as if there is some hidden magic law and rule that comes with the sign to go or stay…..that can only be understood by children, dreamers and yes, poets!
Ella
I love your poem the strength and grace of being enchanted and the child, yet at a turn ready to take a grown up’s place!
Walt Wojtanik
Great interpretation, always in a great Amy way. I marvel at this one, Ames!
Susie Clevenger (@wingsobutterfly)
Beautiful interpretation of the painting…It isn’t easy to wield one’s power gracefully at the threshold of womanhood.
Michael (contemplativemoorings)
Great synergy between word and image…lovely 🙂
Snakypoet (Rosemary Nissen-Wade)
Nice one, Amy. 🙂
laughwithme45
What a great idea to add add words the painter may have spoken himself in your poem! I thought the words this week at The Sunday Whirl were tough – very impressed how you fit them in two stanzas!
Old Ollie
the park does call us…love the sword imagery that you leave us with too – cool finish
Jinksy
Who’d want to be eldest child?
Roger Green
You have far greater imagination in this genre than I could ever muster. I’m more of a prose guy…
Kerry O'Connor
This is beautiful, Amy. I like the way you have considered the speaker’s place in her world. The amazing thing about this painting is that we can’t see the ropes.
Helen
You created a complete story in this lovely poem …
Mama Zen
“At the threshold of womanhood,
I wield my sword of power gracefully.”
I love that, and I love your take on the painting!
ihatepoetry
This is wonderful – I love the perspective and how you see yourself among the others – almost – but not quite a former child. Love, el Mosk tu hermanito en California!
Margaret
Yes, you summed up how important a position the oldest daughter used to have in a large family. I adore everything about this and your use of french (I’m guessing en la parque is in the park?)
vivinfrance
Not French! Lovely piece of happy writing, and so clever to winkle in the wordle words as well as the spirit of the painting!
julespaige
I went to college with a gal who said she was one of twenty to the same mom…
Somewhere there is a family story that a relative had twenty children…large families were the way of things then and there always seemed to be plenty of love to go round. As others have said your piece compliments the painting.
Thank you for your visit to my alphabet acrostic. I attempted a sonnet that you might enjoy here:
http://julesgemsandstuff.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-duck-out-of-water-miz-q-14-sonnet.html
wolfsrosebud
very cool… loved how personal this felt
kimnelsonwrites
A frist born shines through this piece… first-born given great responsibility and embracing the challenge.