Sparks of Light
An ekphrastic poem based on the outdoor sculpture by Rebecca Long pictured below, originally published in Art on the Trails Number 9 at the Elaine and Phillip Beals Preserve 2025. To watch a video of the artist discussing her work, please click here.
a spark of light caught my eye
and then another and another
they came and went like miracles,
whatever those may be
sometimes when nothing seems possible,
when everything is going wrong
when the weight of the world
and daily life
is overwhelming
when forward movement feels
impossible
out of nowhere
though nothing has changed
an opening appears
a path through the overgrown weeds
a way forward an opportunity
like the intermittent sparkles
that come and go
the pathway closes
behind us
inexplicable
a miracle