Blessed Are the Inks of Alchemy

by Jeannie E. Roberts

—inspired by a painting of the number eight

 
Neither prime nor semiprime, though lucky, 
you shape the gateway to infinity. 
As if the Beatitudes buoy above the crown 
embed blessings in the soul star chakra 
where subtle energy unlocks the portal 
to grace, somewhere between blue 
and green, somewhere inside the grains 
of sand and sermon, enlightenment 
awakens the sleepy ways of humanity 
and optics reveal the kingdom, hold clarity 
in eights, in the inky alchemy of the artist’s vision.


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"Blessed Are the Inks of Alchemy" appears in Jeannie E. Roberts' newest poetry collection, As If Labyrinth - Pandemic Inspired Poems.

Jeannie E. Roberts lives in Wisconsin, where she writes, draws and paints, and often photographs her natural surroundings. She's authored five poetry collections and two illustrated children's books. Her newest collection, As If Labyrinth - Pandemic Inspired Poems, was released in April 2021 from Kelsay Books. She’s a teacher, an editor of an online literary magazine, and is listed in Poets & Writers. She’s an animal lover, a nature enthusiast, and an equal rights advocate.