Hospital At Saint-Remy
Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash
A Poem by Hannah Sanders
(An ekphrastic response to Vincent van Gogh’s painting)
Dear Vincent,
I stand facing
The Hospital at Saint-Remy,
As you did once.
It’s the color of happiness,
Benign,
Like sunflowers, surprising,
But its maw threatens
To swallow me whole
Into cold darkness.
It stands unyielding,
Windows eclipsing,
Forcing my eyes
On what lies before -
Small, gray people,
Indistinct against trees.
Oh. What trees!
Tall pines rise swirling green;
I step back as I did once
Before Californian giants,
Head coaxed upward,
Taking in their full height.
My friend calls them
‘Framing cherubic branches,’
And now my eyes see them -
Arching winged way pointing,
Perhaps, even in spiraling sickness,
To sky lit with hope.
Hannah Sanders is a follower of Jesus, wife, mom to 2 boys, and a classical school teacher. She lives in pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty and is always finding these in pursuit of her in Christ. She has been shaped by diverse cultures and landscapes but now calls Texas home. Find more of her writing and art on Instagram @hannahsanders.art
