Behind the Strawberries
by Wareesha Kamran, Minaret College
Years 9 – 10 Ekphrastic Poetry Finalist
‘Strawberries and Bananas in a Basket’ by E. Meyner (c.1861)
Red always seems to overpower yellow.
I, left aside; they, always the display.
I hear contented sighs from their first bite;
Fingers brush against my peel—
only to reach the strawberry behind me.
Believed perfect by summer;
their sweetness leaving the air by winter;
Even then, bowls tip for them—
while I’m sweet all year ’round.
Eager faces; hurried hands; gone before winter;
People reach for what won’t stay.
Yet, I’m still here—
still “cheap” and “reliable”…
I watch the beautiful strawberries,
the water droplets glistening from their skin,
as delicate hands reach to pick them up…
being cared for in ways I never was.
People reach for them in celebration;
eyes settling first on the strawberries,
while I’m reached for in haste,
lifted once people’s eyes feel like lead.
As I soften and crumble silently,
left shadowed by the others,
the peel of me freckles brown,
and as I age, I turn sweeter and sweeter.
As my vision begins to blur—
bright shades of crimson and sap green
disappear slowly from excited hands,
until only the plain remains
How did writing this poem make you feel?
Writing this poem felt enjoyable. The emotional theme of this poem hit quite close to my heart so I tried to pour out my heart into the poem to make it feel touching. I don’t usually write poems but while writing I ended up finding a liking for writing them! I have not experimented with writing emotional poems so, it was a new but delightful experience
Which single line in your poem are you the absolute proudest of?
“Definitely:“I, left aside; they, always the display.”Initially, I thought the line might be confusing because when I got people to read it, they were a little puzzled by it. However, I really like this line because it’s quite complex and relates to the composition of the painting.”
Describe your poem in three words
Bittersweet, complicated, longing.
Where is your absolute favourite place to sit when you are brainstorming ideas?
| Probably in my bedroom. When I’m left alone with just my thoughts, I can brainstorm quite easily. |
What skills do you think you strengthened through writing this poem? (Optional)
Through writing this poem, I think have improved my imagery writing skills and on how to make poems less literary and more artistic
Why do you think people write poetry?
I think people write poetry to express feelings that are meaningful and deep to them in a creative and powerful way. I think poetry can change peoples perspectives on a certain concept and/or a topic and can also affects people’s feelings or thoughts with words or phrases that they can relate with