The Source Arts & Literature section highlights the work of our creative readers. All visual artists and creative writers are encouraged to share with us new works. Please see below for full submission guidelines.
Camille Pissarro
Beneath the trellised balcony,
A boy with canvas and easel stands
And gazes at the Danish lands
Now languishing in poverty.
He sees the hills, the azure skies,
The four-masted schooners in the bay
And knows one day he’ll run away
To paint the world through artists’ eyes.
The native women along the shore,
Their graceful hands, their symmetry
He paints the palm trees, the gentle sea
But in his heart, he longs for more.
He takes his brush and sketching tools,
And with his mentor Fritz Melbye
Travels throughout the Caribbean
And learns to see the world anew.
This native of the Antilles,
Pissarro sketched the world he knew
In violets, greens, and tropic hues
A vision of the West Indies.
With Impressionistic artistry,
He brought his canvases to life
With shadow, color, movement, and light
And changed the world for all to see.
Charlotte Amalie
The red-roofed villas that sigh with longing,
forsaken by some ancient king;
A city like a forgotten maiden
weeps with grief and quiet yearning;
Beside the waters the old red fort,
like a knight of old, crumbling and aging;
A city beneath the tropic sun
Sits silently always waiting…waiting.
The Iguana
The iguana is a tired gent –
Whose wrinkled face attests –
His languid limbs bespeak the toils –
His drooping eyes express.
Through sunny days and saddened nights,
His burden still remains –
He knows his great afflictions,
Are what the Lord ordained.
When Columbus stepped upon these shores –
The ancient lizard was born –
Though many years have come and gone,
He lives to toil and carry on!
Sophie Schiller grew up in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. She is a novelist and a poet. Her first poetry collection, “On A Moonlit Night in The Antilles” was published in 2019. The
International Review of Books described it as: “It’s rare to find a themed collection of poetry that flows this smoothly and naturally without the hint of stiffness or forced wording.” She was educated at American University in Washington, DC and lives in Brooklyn, NY. Her second collection of poems is due out in December 2024. She is also the author of “Transfer Day,” a novel about the 1917 transfer of the Danish West Indies.
Poetry and creative prose submissions are limited to 1,500 words and should include a brief bio of the writer. Visual art submissions should include at least one high-quality image or video and a very brief bio along with an artist’s statement that speaks to the inspiration of the work. The statement should include the title if there is one, the medium used and what the work means to you.
Please send submissions and questions to visourceart@gmail.com.
