Wednesday, April 8, 2015

ARTSPEAK! Poem #8 & Our Progressive Poem!!

First of all: Hello, and welcome to latest installment of Our 2015 Progressive Poem! It's so much fun watching this poem grow and develop day by day. Thank you to everyone who has delivered their lines so far... and to those yet to come, I am so looking forward to wherever you're going to take us!

You'll notice a couple of changes in this version of our poem. Jone's first line has been edited slightly, at Jone's request. (She and Joy decided "deposits" was redundant.) Also, I've broken the lines into couplets (one way to add white space to long lines). And with my line I've brought the poem back to the delta!

It looks to me like we may have a mermaid on our hands, now that we have moved from bare feet to tail... A delta mermaid? Interesting! I'm excited to learn more about our "she" as the poem progresses.



She lives without a net, walking along the alluvium of the delta.
Shoes swing over her shoulder, on her bare feet stick jeweled flecks of dark mica.

Hands faster than fish swing at the ends of bare brown arms. Her hair flows,
snows in wild wind as she digs in the indigo varnished handbag,

pulls out her grandmother's oval cuffed bracelet,
strokes the turquoise stones, and steps through the curved doorway.

Tripping on her tail she slips hair first down the slide... splash!
She glides past glossy water hyacinth to shimmer with a school of shad.

Take it away, Mary Lee!


And now, here's poem #8 of ARTSPEAK!, my Poem-a-Day Project for National Poetry Month 2015, in which I am writing from images found in the online collections of the National Gallery of Art and focusing on dialogue, conversations, what does the piece say?



Today's piece is "Head of a Dog" by Auguste Renoir.


Cute, isn't she? (I don't know, but I imagine her female.) Renoir did lots of portraits, but not many of animals.

A painting like this leaves little mystery in terms of POV, but it allows all sorts of freedom when you start thinking about who this dog might be talking TO.

When I started writing, I was thinking this is a homeless dog, and I started writing a profile, like they do at the animal shelter. Then, I started thinking about how this poem could be To the Boy Who Passed By the Window at 10 AM This Morning (or somesuch). And then I thought, what if this little dog's beloved owner has died? Could the poem be an elegy for the good and faithful owner?

But I couldn't get any of those to work the way I wanted to. AND THEN, finally, I landed on the poem that wanted to be written:


Readers who have been keeping up: notice something in this poem?? There it is again... waiting!

31 comments:

  1. I've missed the last few days of the PP. I love the playfulness of this swamp mermaid. Wonder where she will be by Sunday?
    The painting makes me want to cuddle this cute little pup. I like hearing about your process. So many options. And then a masterpiece.

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    1. Yes! One of the great things about poetry is how unlimited the choices are! Thanks for stopping by.

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  2. Waiting. I am so intrigued by this theme that has emerged, Irene. Today's poem is adorable - just like a real dog, I love that - "For you..."

    The sounds in your line for the Progressive Poem are delicious! I cannot even imagine where she will be when I meet her 20 days from now.

    xo

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    1. Oh, wow, 20 days from now. Who knows! She's a mysterious gal, isn't she? XO

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  3. Is she a shape shifter? From feet to a tail? Love your line. Glossy, shimmer...lovely.

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  4. Oh, I love your dog, too. :-)

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    1. Thank you, Ruth! That little dog is precious, isn't she? Hope you're having a great day!

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  5. I am happy for the alluvium edit...the redundancy was bothering me a little. Still a bit confused how it could be her mermaid's tail if she's walking and has shoes....are these irreconcilable differences? Or does someone hold the key to this mystery?
    Loved the love in your poem! That painting is so precious!

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    1. Thank you, Donna! I think those turquoise stones or magic! They transformed our she into a mermaid! Maybe?

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    2. Now, that could reconcile it! That makes my brain happy! Or maybe there is another mystery in the making?

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  6. That 'shimmer' takes her into a new place I think, Irene, magical. And the little dog's thank you to his artist is sweet and poignant, so filled with gratitude. Now I want to know the whole story!

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    1. Linda, I would love to read your little dog poem! Thanks for stopping by. And yes, I rather like the shimmer…

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  7. I was intrigued by all of the ways you thought about approaching the poem and loved the one you chose. It truly captures that worshipful feeling a dog often has for its owner. Also, starting to feel somewhat puzzled about what this mermaid will be doing on Saturday!

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  8. Am so impressed with your art poems, Irene! You are crafting them with gusto!

    I've always thought that mermaids had feet on land, maybe that explains it?

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  9. Dear Kim, I trust it will all become clear. :) Thank you for stopping by! XO

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  10. Two fabulous poems! How you got such beautiful words in one line. Delighted she's still a mermaid. I have mermaid nail varnish on today ;)

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    1. Yay for mermaids! Thank you, splashy Catherine. :)

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  11. Wow, this Progressive Poem has really taken a turn, hasn't it! I love it, but I'm nervous as heck for tomorrow when it will be my turn to stew over what comes next.

    I love, love, love your sweet Renoir doggie poem! You've totally brought that portrait to life for me, Irene, and I'd so like to give that patient pooch a cuddle. :)

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    1. Michelle, I know you will bring something special to the poem! And that little doggie needs some loving, I think. Thanks for visiting! xo

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  12. Wow, our poem is a shimmering thing of beauty. Mermaids have feet on land...and they can go back and forth between land and water. Glad you kept her in the delta, a pool just wouldn't fit for our girl. Never thought of those stones as magic, I just had her seeking strength from them. It's so fun to see the different interpretations that arise from everyone!
    I love the words of your dog to the artist. And I'm wondering, will there be a cat picture in your collection this month? Probably not, unless it's a sleeping cat.

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    1. Dear Ramona, yes, we all bring our own lives to the poem, don't we? I love cats best of all (shh, don't tell my dog Ruby)... there was a cat (and bird!) a couple of days ago... not sure if there will be another! xo

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    2. I knew I should have checked! I can't get around to everything I want to read, and I'm retired! I frequently chant this mantra to myself, "Step away from the computer."

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    3. I never knew mermaids could switch back and forth between feet and tail. Well, I guess it's our poem - they can do whatever we want!

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  13. Such a sweet doggie poem. I love how you found the poem. I am curious to hear how long it takes these various ideas to flow for you. Minutes, longer? Your playful musings really help me and kids, too. I know kids will enjoy the poem, as well as those of us who know the love of a dog who thinks everything we do is award-winning. I am intrigued by the movement of the PP (and a tad sad I am not part of it this year, but oh, the pressure)....I love your water hyacinths. And the glimmer and shine and gloss. It is easy to picture this poem. Thanks for your continued generosity. I think your artspeak project is a delight.
    Janet F./ Janet Clare on FB

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    1. Janet, the "how long" question is a great one! I have a busy schedule (as everyone does!) generally allow myself an hour to work on the poem before I've got to stop and create the various parts of the post. BUT. I have a (sort of) secret weapon that I use for various writing projects all the time: the night before, just before I close my eyes, I choose the next day's picture and allow my brain to stew on it all night long. (When working on longer works, I think about whatever story problem needs to be worked out.) When I get up in the morning to write, I've often got a few ideas to play with and soon find my way into the painting! (This is a habit/practice picked up years ago and I was reminded of it recently when doing The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.) Thank you for visiting! xo

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  14. I love your dog poem! So much heart!

    I hate, though, that part of Charles' line of the PP keeps getting appended on to my *purposely* short line, which ends with "digs in the." Charles' line is lovely, but it's not my line. I think I don't play well enough with others to be part of a progressive poem:>)

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    1. Thank you, Laura! In my experience, dog poems are pretty much always full of heart. :) And yes, I hear you on the challenges of the group experience! It's like being on board a tour bus in which each passenger gets a chance to drive... you get your miles, and the rest of the time you can only enjoy (or not enjoy!) the ride! I personally love what happened with yours and Charles' lines... each of you employed my most favorite poetry "rule" -- "There are no rules!" -- and brought freedom to our poem! How inspiring, especially for those among us who are more rule-bound and find any sort of form intimidating. Also, probably the best way to play better with others... is to play with others. :) So glad you've been a part of this one, Laura! xo

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  15. Such soft eyes in Renoir's little dog, which you personify in the poem - Lovely!
    And I loved your comment re. going to sleep with a vision of the painting you're contemplating to let your subconscious simmer...

    And our character is shimmering with a school of shad? Delightful! There needs to be a book about a delta mermaid, if there's not one already. ;0)

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  16. So sweet. Of course this is what the dog wants to stay. I love that it wants so badly to sit still--a challenge for any model. More please.

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  17. CONCERTGOER
    Hello rain.
    Your watery rhythmic sing-song
    Makes my saggy ears tingle in delight.
    I want to play with you, dance under
    Each musical note, although my human
    Parent decides to wait until you finish
    Your recital before I can introduce
    Myself, “Squirrel!”

    (c) Charles Waters 2015 all rights reserved.

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  18. I'm catching up! Your line is pure poetry! I love "school of shad" :-)

    And I know all dogs will be wagging their tails when they hear To the Artist.

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Your thoughts?