The gnat and the nectarine
by Xavier Sudjono, Lysterfield Lake College
Years 5 – 6 Ekphrastic Poetry Finalist
‘Basket of Fruit’ by Caravaggio (1599)
The glossy nectarine,
Inviting me to bite it
It’s sheen waxy and soft,
Staring at me.
I reach to grab it,
But stop.
It’s unstable surface
A gnat perched
Its tiny sucker,
Dabbing
A drop of juice falls.
I reach to catch it,
but stop
It gently falls to the ground
Its glossy seed
Red with flesh
The gnat moves on
The plump peach
And devours it with ease
A green stalk,
Is all that is left.