By the Horse's Stall

an ekphrastic poem, the vessels of light advent issue, and a birthday surprise

I mentioned a few weeks ago how I was struggling to write Advent poems. Some of you offered really encouraging words and advice. I think the weight of everything this season holds—what the Incarnation means—gave me a bad case of writer’s block. There was (and still is) so much I wanted to say, to write, to express. And the blank page stared back dauntingly.

Still, I didn’t want to give up. Enter in the Ekphrastic poem.

An Ekphrastic poem is “a vivid description of a scene or, more commonly, a work of art,” through which the poet “may amplify and expand its meaning.”¹ What I love about this poetic form is that it works much like a written prompt, except that it’s visual. I had been wanting to write one of these for a while (mainly inspired by

Ali Noël

, whom I’ve coined the Queen of Ekphrastics)…

… so, off to google I went in search of some Christmas-themed paintings.

There were two in particular that caught my eye, and they were the perfect visual prompts I needed to help with my writer’s block. I’m glad I saved my first ekphrastics for this occasion.

These poems, along with three others, were recently accepted and published in Vessels of Light’s (

Alexis Leigh Ragan

) latest issue—The Birth of Light. I’ll be sharing links to those poems below, as well as one of the ekphrastics—By the Horse’s Stall.

If you’re looking for some inspiration of your own this season, or simply want to be pointed back to Jesus in the coming days, this collection is a must-read! Each piece speaks uniquely to the Incarnation and I am thankful to be counted among those published. You can peruse the issue here.

Some other poets included in The Birth of Light are

Kimberly Phinney

,

Ali Noël

,

Riley Morsman

,

Deborah Rutherford

,

Donna Bucher

,

Elizabeth Wickland

,

Kristine’s Substack

, & many more…

Believe it or not, this poem actually rhymes. If you’ve been around for a while, you’ll have noticed I stick to free verse most of the time. I haven’t written a rhyming poem (that follows a specific rhyme scheme) in a loooong time. I was pleasantly surprised that the words for this piece flowed in this way.

Keep reading below for By the Horse’s Stall, links to my other pieces, and a birthday surprise!

The Nativity by Gari Melchers — the painting that inspired the poem below

By the Horse's Stall
first published in Vessels of Light Literary Journal 

Oh Mary, Oh Joseph, 
sitting ‘round this newborn babe.
But not a babe, a light 
piercing time, space, darkness to save 
every beating heart in every century, 
every atom, and every cell.
Such a holy mission, wholly accepted, 
but did you say, “It is well?”
When Herod ran you out of town, 
like enslaved Israelites fleeing Egypt. 
When you lost him for 72-hours
and found him chastising the teachers.   
In those moments of bewildered wonder 
perhaps you did your very best to recall
his tiny glowing head—beam of eternal life 
incarnate, born by the horse’s stall.  

   - r.e.g.

A list of my poems featured in The Birth of Light

1. Birthing Hope. Read it here.

2. For When You’re Sad During Advent. Read it here.

3. First Sunday of Advent. Read it here.

4. Light of the World, an Ekphrastic poem. Read it here.

5. By the Horse's Stall, an Ekphrastic poem. Read it here.

Do you have a favorite? Which one resonates the most? Why? I’d love to hear from you!

Special Birthday & Christmas Offer

Yesterday was my 26th birthday and Christmas is only a few days away, so I wanted to offer a special discount. A thank you from me to you for your continued support of my writing.

For one week only, paid subscriptions to In Light of Eternity will be 25% off—$3.75/month or $45/year. Click the link below to access the discounted rate. The offer ends next Friday, December 27th, 2024.

I’m trying to make it to 7 paid subscribers by the end of the year (I’m at currently at 6) so it would mean the world if you considered supporting my work in this way! When you become a paid subscriber, here’s how I say a special thanks to you:

• You become a member of my poetry penpal club, which means you’ll receive a typewritten print of one of my poems in the mail every month! These are perfect for framing or gifting.

• You’re automatically entered into a yearly custom poem giveaway.

Regardless, free or paid, I’m so so glad you’re here! Send me a message with any questions, feedback, and/or suggestions. I always love hearing from friends on this platform and building community with other poetry-lovers.

In Light of Eternity,

Rosa.

1. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/education/glossary/ekphrasis