For dVerse Poets Pub where Melissa is our host.

Today we are being inspired by this selection.

Melissa asks us to choose one of the paintings and let it be our muse. Additionally, we should use the epitaph as a launch point to describe where the painting takes us.

Launch: light and truth of painting

Before the Smoke

The rabbit pauses, 
nose lifted to scents carried on an unseen wind.

Carrots wait, their bright promise untouched.

Leaves still whisper beneath the tree.

Behind the wall, the world has not yet learned the language of fire.

No sirens.

No ash.

Only the fragile illusion that tomorrow will look like today.

I wonder how many wild hearts are running tonight,

searching not for food,

but for a place where the flames cannot follow.

The last numbers I heard today was 320.000 people is evacuated in France and Spain because of the fires. 
How much of the wildlife has been killed these past days...?
it's heartbreaking.





https://www.blenza.com/linkies/links.php?owner=dversepoets&postid=27Jul2026&meme=12476


With love, coffee, poetry, and stardust,

— Maggie The Afterlove Voice 💫

My new album “Beneath The Northern Star ” is out . You can save the songs on your streaming platforms here:

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If you want a reading, send me an email:

Afterlove-Voice@hotmail.com



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26 responses to “Before the Smoke”

  1. Gillena Cox Avatar
    Gillena Cox

    Bravl

    you ch6ose the rabbit, nibbling words into our blogsphere

    much love

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Maggie Avatar

      Thank you Gillena 💜

      Like

  2. kim881 Avatar

    A topical poem and poignant interpretation of the image, Maggie. I like the way the ‘carrots wait, their bright promise untouched’, which conveys the rabbit’s fear. We have had a few fires here but not as bad as France and Spain. We have friends in Spain, not far from Valenica, but they live up a mountain, where they think they will be safe. With climate change, wildfires are going to become a regular occurrence.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Maggie Avatar

      Thank you Kim 💜

      Hope your friends in Spain stays safe.

      I’m afraid you are right about we will see more wildfires.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. kim881 Avatar

        You’re welcome. Maggie.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Melissa Lemay Avatar

    “Only the fragile illusion that tomorrow will look like today.”
    I did not know about the fires in France and Spain. Heartbreaking. None born from necessity, only want.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Maggie Avatar

      Thank you Melissa 💜

      I had to turn the news off, so heartbreaking to watch…

      Like

    2. shaun tenzenmen Avatar

      I was about to write the exact same thing. I love that line too “the fragile illusion that tomorrow will look like today.” And also didn’t know about the fires in Europe!

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Maggie Avatar

        Thank you Shaun 💜

        You were picking the Rabbit too ?

        Like

      2. shaun tenzenmen Avatar

        Oh – I meant exactly what Melissa write 👍

        I went with the epitaph.

        Liked by 1 person

  4. thetigressawakens Avatar

    Well done Maggie, I like the fact we picked the same painting! I also like how you incorporated the wildfire tragedies and made this ekphrastic your own, bravo, my friend! 💛

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Maggie Avatar

      Thank you so much Tigress 💜

      I saw we picked the same painting 😊

      Like

  5. Bartholomew Barker Avatar

    Powerful, heartbreaking work, Maggie. Well done!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Maggie Avatar

      Thank you so much Bart 💜

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Carol anne Avatar

    A beautiful take Maggie 👏👏💕💕

    Like

  7. rothpoetry Avatar

    This is an amazing interpretation of the painting, Maggie. I really loved this thought:

    “Only the fragile illusion that tomorrow will look like today.”

    Like

  8. Reena Saxena Avatar

    I echo what Dwight says. This line is awesome.

    Only the fragile illusion that tomorrow will look like today.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Maggie Avatar

      Thank you so much Reena .

      Liked by 1 person

  9. lifelessons Avatar

    Yes, the contrast between your photo and Rousseau’s painting is heartbreaking.

    Like

  10. lillian Avatar

    I want to respond, “The rabbit knows” with ominous music in the background. But, your poem is so timely and the wildfires burning in Spain and France are truly tragic. So many displaced.

    A beautiful and timely write.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Maggie Avatar

      Thank you Lillian 💜

      I was watching the priminister today, saying it’s the worst wildfires in Spain’s history 💔

      Like

  11. Mish Avatar

    My heart goes out to all who have been displaced from the fires in Europe and here in my country. Hopefully there are no ridiculous complaints or repercussions because of smoke traveling to other countries. *rolling eyes*

    With concern and stark contrasts, you took the simplicity of this painting to a deeper, meaningful place. Wonderful write.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Maggie Avatar

      Thank you so much Mish 💜.

      Hopefully people won’t complain, but you never know…

      Like

  12. parikhit Avatar

    Wildfires are becoming more and more common over the years and yet the decision makers and even most of us refuse to acknowledge and accept climate change.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Maggie Avatar

      Sadly you are right .

      Liked by 1 person

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