Burst of Life
Flamboyán Tree in July & other poems in the Vessels of Light summer issue
What better way to kick off the month of August than by sharing a few summer-themed pieces?
Fellow poet
is the founder and curator of the online literary journal, Vessels of Light. I am honored and excited to report that four of my poems have found their home in its summer issue, Burst of Life, which went live today!Keep scrolling until the end for a short excerpt as well as a list with links to all four pieces.
A bit about the Burst of Life issue:
In desiring to cherish the external beauty of creation while capturing this internal spiritual phenomenon within humanity, this journal was looking for your most vibrant language for this collection, an outpour of zealous life within the lines of your poetry, revealed through a rush of passionate Christ-centered light. We wanted to explore the question: Even in the midst of present darkness, how have you experienced an explosively life-changing “burst of life” in your living and active relationship with Jesus? We wanted to house life-giving, deep-image, unconventional, passionate, experimental, joy-filled, Avant-Garde, and utterly epiphanic poetry to cherish and celebrate within this lively literary lighthouse, and the culminated outcome of this collection embodies just that and more!
— Alexis Ragan, from of the Vessels of Light website
Preparing my submission for this issue pushed me to write outside of my comfort zone, as well as examine (further) what images and memories best represent bursts of life in my own life.
As you read my pieces, you’ll notice a common theme—the tropics. More specifically, the words in these poems drew from the deep well of experiences and emotions of a girl born and raised in the Dominican Republic. I hope that these poems fill you with exploding colors, vivid landscapes, authentic hope, and, most importantly, a longing for the everlasting life it’s all meant to point toward.
Keep scrolling for a short excerpt as well as a list with links to all four pieces.
Excerpt from Flamboyán Tree in July
A neighborhood flamboyán bursts in blooms dipped in crimson during the summer months. For it is this, the sun’s beloved season. The time of year she dances while the skirt of her radiant dress shines light on all it touches. Just to waltz past its hem and the world comes alive.
Pieces by Rosa Gilbert in this issue:
If one of these pieces speaks to you, it would mean the world if you could leave some encouraging feedback on the website’s comment section! Also, let me know below which poem was your favorite, and why.
And… if you have time, don’t forget to linger, browse, and read the rest of the brilliant pieces in this stunning collection! Thank you for reading, your support means everything.
Bursting with life today,
Rosa Gilbert
p.s. tomorrow is Summer Produce Series day. The prompt this week is peaches and/or nectarines.
I liked “How to eat a coconut” the best. The voice in the poem felt so alive, and I loved the imagery.
So beautiful Rosa! I truly loved each of your poems so much. The imagery!! So lovely