/lit/ - Literature

I'm quite bad at writing poetry, so any criticism would be appreciated. Assignment was to write an ekphrastic poem. Pic related.

Tonight the vast sky of the Sahara
Is shrouded in a cloak of winter stars -
A thin haze of them, far beyond our reach,
Like shadowy ghosts of the sky.

In this stark, barren wasteland,
Dunes of sand ripple like the ocean current
Towards the horizon, where the low mountains lie,
Guardians of the African desert.

They are eclipsed by a far greater form,
A curious lion musing behind the still figure
And hovering like a phantom,
Its gentle eyes glowing in the moonlight.

On soft sand, the sleeping gypsy rests,
Body stiff in the agony of exhaustion
Having searched for some unknown treasure,
A holy temple at the desert’s edge.

Her dark skin illuminated by distant moonlight soft,
The jewel of the night; bright Apollo,
And all agleam with colors of the rainbow,
Vibrant as a prophet holding the promise of rapture.

And while she sleeps, her weary soul is glittered with jewels
A sparkling palace with a thousand gleaming mirrors
Where her unknown dreams are veiled
Under the blanket of the sky.

>>8600839
first part was alright, the imagery was good & the abruptness of the second paragraph worked. I don't like how you described the shooting, and I found the ending pretty funny in a deadpan way, if that's what you were going for. the phrase 'colors of rose petals' seems kinda eh.