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| Monet |
Death by drowning,
even beneath Monet’s
floating water lilies - white,
beautifully disguise
death’s pale grasp;
submerged in muck
of old duck bones and turtle dung,
in channeled currents veiled from
the effects
of light.
Life by breathing,
even below Van Gogh’s
starry nights,
hauntingly mask
insanity’s surreal grasp
in reflected heaven’s - dark,
of slashing comets and dying suns
in mirrored orbits veiled from
the effects
of light.
24 comments:
Appreciate how you reveal the stark, real, brutal side to life that often lies beneath that beautiful mask in art. Makes me think of the artists' lives and suffering many go through.
death by drowning has got to be brutal...the body wanting to breath and slowly succumbing...there beneath the beauty...shivers.
Love the contrasts you illustrated here.
Monet and Van Gogh must be really WISHING they were alive now... just so they could give you a big hug (or a pat on the back, if you so please) for this one, Henry!
A splendid read this was!! So poetic..and even with the stark brutality of death, it seemed almost harmless and romantic... Ah, light has its ways indeed.. :)
Extremely well written!
I am really glad I stopped by your blog to read this one... like they say, better late than never.. :)
There is ugliness in beauty and danger in the picturesque Henry, I'm going to go searching for that double vilanelle of yours, a single is more than enough for me!
Light has a way of illuminating the things that are hidden, and this poetic tribute was delightful, and eye opening
What lays beneath the beauty, the dark depths hide much. Great poem Henry.
Anita.
Beauty and death, light and dark, hand in hand. Good poem.
Two of my favorite artists! And perhaps a new favorite poet as well :) Absolutely loved this piece Henry...imagery is fantastic, capturing my mind sight, controlling my vision. Breathing poetry that is alive...and very well received! Thank you!
awesome work of art.
bicycle lights
This one is brilliant, Henry. I'm a Van Gogh fan from early childhood. I read his biography when I was only eight years old. Remember the experience vividly. Weren't too many people to discuss it with at the time!
I love your perspective here. It is true. It is pragmatic. The Pollyanna that I AM leads me to believe the light is there to give us choice. Both views are real ~ accept and respect that fact ~ but choose the one on which you will focus, to which you will give energy. I think we have that choice... live in the light, live in the dark. What do you think?
Great poem -- loved the powerful imagery and the shift from death/Monet and life/Van Gogh.
Beautiful the way you show the darkness that can be hidden behind beauty...through the beautiful art of two masters. (Also, love the photo header above and the name of your blog).
i was teared..seeing the monet painting - one of my fav painters and then the drowning in your poem...a haunting contrast
Oh brilliant Henry. You have described the four elements of water, earth, air and fire positioned to mirror each other's dark currents from below the lilies to above the stars resulting in death. If I dare to draw out the metaphor , the effect of light is death, a cancelling out. Fantastic mystical view in this poem.
Ah- Henry.... I am glad you found me so I could find you!
this is the type (if it can be categorized) of poetry i love...
So much may lie under the surface of a piece of art...
You've captured whatever beautifully here
Thanks for visiting my place
:-)
Dulce
There is always another layer that will never look as pretty as the surface, you deliver this in a compelling and lyrical way. Your metaphor throughout is wonderfully articulated! ~ Rose
Really interesting take on artistic and human experience. Those things that people never see are often more real, true, and necessary than the things on the surface.
an artist light...a wonderful, contemplative poem.. and, so true, one can follow Van Gogh's 'mania' by studying his use of light, but more so, his skies...
I'm loving the ambiance here in the rich colours on black!
Love your second stanza, esp.:
"death’s pale grasp;
submerged in muck
of old duck bones and turtle dung,"
So many haunting images!
sadly, nothing is ever what it seems to be. i'll never look at that painting the same way again! thanks a lot...lol ;)
Very thoughtful with a lot of vivid imagery! Thank you for sharing!
they call drowning the
silent death, is breathing a
cacophonous life?
...
Your poem is excellent. I especially like the contrasts linked by:
"X veiled from
the effects
of light."
The underside of art is rather seedy. :D
I love every little and large thing about this poem.. My favourite of yours so far.
So hauntingly beautiful! I really like how the words flowed. The imagery is too good!
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