Art in the Park

yesterday --

I met a long haired man

who painted with his own blood

 

haunting portraits, surreal landscapes,

an old windmill backlit by a setting sun:

            remarkable detail

            impossible shading

 

but the images were of little consequence --

people drenched themselves in the morbid thirst

             to hang blood on their modern walls

 

crowds gathered --

gawkers whispered and pointed,

tied knotted pathways around wooden skeletons

holding canvas’ beneath Magnolia trees

 

I may have been the only one to ask

            why

 

he told me the world was flat before it was round --

            that art is evolution, and

            you must be willing to die

            before you can truly live

Reviews

[Kenneth The Poet]

Art is evolution...that sums it up. Probably your best work I've read.

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Glad you liked this one...it didn't have quite the impact on the "general audience" that I was hoping for, but I guess it takes a certain viewpoint to really get it :) I appreciate your words.

[Clockwork]

In some ways this poem reminds me of Kafka's short story "A Hunger Artist." I see that story the most your third and your fourth stanzas in this piece. I think you have captured a similar feeling of how sometimes art becomes this spectacle that people turn into a trend.

Also, I liked your phrasing with lines like "Remarkable detail/impossible shading." The speaker is empathetic and compassionate, especially in the lines "I may have been the only one to ask/why."

My favorite part of this one:

you must be willing to die/
before you can truly live

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

I'm glad that you liked this one, Christian. You are correct...sometimes the art becomes a spectacle, and it goes in and out of fashion based upon the whims of a society bent on needing the newest, strangest, current best, etc. to feel satiated. I'm glad you enjoyed the ending :)

[David Scott]

How many deaths must we die to learn this lesson?
Do we need to bleed dry, until the heart beat is only a dry heave?
I wrote a piece about the world being flat once, but you make me think twice about the advantage of the experience.
Nice change of pace in your writing here. Philosophy suites you well!

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Actually, it was a bit of an observational piece...a true story. This guy goes to the local Art in the Park events. I suppose it was slightly philosophical, though :) Thank you!

[Traci]

This intriguing write, much like your train station piece is an experience we do not come across every day. I truly believe one of your greatest attributes Sarah is your ability to not only see with your eyes but feel with your heart. From the depths of your soul you always listen, observing, as you absorb so much beauty in your surroundings. You ask questions out of curiosity as your poetic gift continues to blossom.
haunting portraits, surreal landscapes,
an old windmill backlit by a setting sun:
remarkable detail
impossible shading

This artist’s gift is shared in a unique way. His profound wisdom contains a very powerful message, which later spilled forth onto your very own canvas of beautiful words.
you must be willing to die
before you can truly live

There is a lot of truth in these words and will be interpreted many different ways which is the true beauty of art. I believe in order to fully understand and experience life the way it’s intended we all must be willing to die, and a piece of us dies every day. Only then through our lessons do we truly live.
Well done my friend. Thank you for sharing such an interesting, yet beautiful experience.

[Elvis Gilley]

I love poetry that takes the greatest gifts of mankind and wraps them in wisdom. A great poem love the imagery. Filled with philosophical overtones and truly an effective example of taking the foolishness of life and confounding the wisdom of the wise.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

nice to see that crowds gathered while the artist is still alive...

but yes, you have to die to live...

reminds me of a poem that was a dissertation on cats and dogs and how similar humans can be to them.

the dogs so careful, living life in obedience of what is expected, but the cats living like they have nine lives...and taking risks---

and that you do have to die to live.

great work..

my only question is the apostrophe on "canvas'"?

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

I'll have to look that up, Jacob...I believe that the plural of canvas is indeed canvas' because it couldn't be canvas's or canvases...hmm...now I'm going to have to search :)

[icelandicblue]

I thought of a few things as I read this. The first was how so many famous artists only realized fame by dying. The other is how some people wanted to buy artwork from a serial killer like John Wayne Gacy, in essence hanging blood on their walls. The last thing I thought of was how we put a piece of ourselves in all forms of art and expression and perhaps we give those pieces away until we have sacrificed all that we are. This is quite a multifaceted poem you've got here.

[Rita L. Sev]

When you are the one to ask, you are the one gifted with profound wisdom...

This is the essence of all creation - art, music, parenting - selfless sacrifice. A fascinating story in this poem, and a powerful message.

[Aethereal]

You're expressing a very wise an ancient philosophy here: Evolution discards progenitors in favor of spurts. Art is a process that mimics Life.