Black Arts and Culture

“The Lioness of Swan” Lake by Jeromyah Jones

In his latest work, “The Lioness of Swan Lake,” artist Jeromyah Jones combines visual art and poetry to capture the elegance of a woman from Louisiana in Richmond, VA. His portrait and accompanying poem express the grace of his subject and his own gratitude for crossing her path.
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“The Lioness of Swan”

By Jeromyah Jones

I’ll never forget the 5th of the 1st,

with little time to rehearse…

Scene 1,

On a Broad Street,

I stopped at a Jamaican’s house to eat,

I passed by a table of three,

I introduced my art with a bit of hinting,

There was a pause from the plate I’m sure she was missing,

And the jerk was too chicken to stop her from listening.

Scene 2

We met on the 12th,

And I captured a smile

more precious than wealth!

This story I’ll tell is not one of nymphs and spells,

It shares my walk with a “Lion of El”

After returning my treasure that fell,

I learned she was taught quite well,

I studied the nature of this lioness,

Whose been given an ability not common

to the queen of the jungle,

Crouching not to hunt from hunger,

Crouching for more than rest,

Looking at the coming waves of success,

The graceful curve of her left arm

looked as if it could do no wrong,

So I said I’ll paint the limb as a swan

and make no mistake,

She outshined the lake.

Oh yeah,

The ability of Ariel

is not only her aerial perspective

while still being down to earth,

It’s the way she has helped me fly

just by cherishing my work.

©️2024 Jeromyah Jones
From The Artist: “The Lioness of Swan Lake” is one of my latest oil paintings capturing the essence of a lady from Louisiana at a beautiful park in Richmond, VA. I am a visual artist, poet, and 2011 graduate of Hampton University. My portrait and poem that portrays the grace of a woman and the gratitude of an artist that crossed her path.