(This is the first poem I posted when I started blogging back in the summer.)
We were standing in the
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Here are painters who want to communicate
They show up on their canvases
Emotive, sensual, engaging,
Pouring over the edges with ideas
They are Hydrogen, capable
Of the complex chain of reactions
Required to fuel a galaxy
Rauschenberg, Mitchell, de Kooning
All Hydrogen molecules
Dancing, spinning, arguing
Contrasting the inert gasses across the hall
Nonreactive as Krypton,
From kryptos, “the hidden one”
It is actually a skill,
This art of invitation
Creating works capable of fusion
Viewer, artist, and painting,
Conspiring toward explosions
A dangerous, naked,
And frightening proposition
Can you blame the countless artists,
Hiding behind flat surfaces,
Incapable of combustion,
Unable to make the invitation?
Chromapoetica 
I really like this. It makes me think.
Thanks MZ!
Dear Anna, I am glad you dive into the invitation with your words and art!!
My hydrogen and nitrogen run off with all my krypton sometimes. But luckily, I’m always left with enough oxygen to get back to my canvass again. 😉
coco
Oxygen IS key for us breathers. Thanks for stopping in Jannie!
Thanks for reposting! Love the comparison to hydrogen and one end and krypton (I guess you picked krypton for its meaning as opposed to neon or argon on one extreme — or helium)
This is a real tribute poem to these artists. I love how you shift to direct narrative addressing the reader:
“It is actually a skill,
This art of invitation
Creating works capable of fusion
Viewer, artist, and painting,”
This is perfectly done and leads us so nicely to a fine ending!
I guess art is basically chemistry on a spiritual level — if you fill up the outer shell with nothing exposed to latch on to there is no possibility of a spark.
I love what you’ve said about art being chemistry on a spiritual level, it’s perfect. Thanks for the comment and sorry about the confusion on Dissolution.
oxygen and colour
and time
i saw a b&w pencil drawing by dekooning
it was an exquisite very realist rendering of
pottery including the texture of the glazes.
and so his journey must have taken time.
a shift in perception and expression.
van gogh painted an image of a crab
which i saw in london
small but intense
blue green background so vivid that
the postcards could not
represent it properly
the challenge of painting life
Boy Van Gogh gets me every time in person, shocking work. I still remember the thrill I got coming around a corner at the National Gallery in DC and finding a Richter. A shift in perception and attention is often required to make great art. Thanks Janet, interesting as ever.
Anna,
Really like the comparisons here, but also for providing an alternative to sight, viewing. It’s a grand exchange as you stand there, in awe, with so much history, so much substance craving your attention, some braggarts, but those are fun too, some shy, which are the ones I like to seek out, Love the piece. The Kryptos was a great touch, but just because, well I have to say this: Krypton, the destroyed planet of Kal-El, who like the gasses, conflicted within his mind as he grew up on a planet he didn’t know, yet in reality it was all he knew, therefore struggled to find the similarities between himself and all the rest, who were so different, yet visually the same-so in hiding the child went, and so his adoptive parents, unlikely as he was there, provided him the pseudonym, their name, kent, calling him Clark. And yes, this boy would become Superman:)
Sorry, had to go there, and amazingly there was such a tie in too. Not sure you planned that allusion or not, but kinda hope so:)
Thanks for the laugh Fred, I needed it after 2.5 hours of choir practice, planning, and frustration. I see the parallels and the thought crossed my mind when I used it but not to the extent it crossed yours :). So don’t know if I can take credit but I kinda want to because you kinda hoped so.
2.5 hours of choir practice- wow, your throat must be sore from all that singing. I actually visited a choir once. i was in North Carolina, a little town outside of Fayetteville. I was driving around the countryside and I happened to see a ton of cars in the grass parking lot. The church was a bit run down but the spirit inside it was amazing. I don’t know how long they were practicing when I got there, even if I was supposed to be there, but people saw me there and didn’t say anything. But they never stopped singing, sure some parts of the choir took time, but it was fun to watch, I spent about 45 minutes and was amazed, wondered how much longer they spent after I had left. Didn’t see any signs of stopping either. Anyhow, thought I’d relate that, as I was taken aback a bit by the 2.5 hour practice. Yeah, I guess the comic book geek in my came out a bit here with the superman reference-lol But like the fact you want to take credit, you should-I won’t tell.:)
I used to live in North Carolina, along the Blue Ridge Parkway, in a little town called Morganton. Music brings me into the mystery in a way that nothing else does so I can imagine the spirit was amazing. I’ve actually had longer practices but usually it’s more like an hour and a half. We have lessons and carols coming up so the renaissance choir had to come in to aid the church choir. I used to sing for the third most recorded church choir in the nation, St. John’s Cathedral in Denver.
Everyone likely has an inner comic book geek so I’ll let you in a little secret, I’ve read every issue of the original Groo. My brother was a big fan. Thanks for not telling on me :).
Hah, that’s great, I have a bunch of Groo issues, not sure if they’re the original series or not, I think they’re the Epic ones but anyhow, that’s really cool:) Little Town in NC was Lumberton, just 45 minutes south of Fayetteville heading on towards SC. I had look Morganton up, I knew I’ve seen the sign before, but It’s one of maybe a few cities in NC I’ve never been too- But so close to Asheville- which I love, and Charlotte as well- Awesome location right in between it seems- depending on what you wanted to do, lots of possibilities- a little drive but still- That’s cool, been on 40 hundreds of time.
Carols- That’s neat, when I was a kid we actually use to have carolers come by like you see in the movies, but haven’t see that in so many years.
I think I remember this one. I think it serves as a good reminder that art is about communication and reaching out, provoking thought and new ways of thinking and connecting. Thanks for the repost. 🙂
Hm…I could’ve sworn I saw another poem here yesterday…
Yes, it’s currently private. I’ll make it public again in a couple of weeks. Sometimes my family members stop by the blog and not all of them have been made aware of its subject.
As to this poem, yes you left the most interesting comment I received during that initial post! June 30th (the post went up on June 26th) was the date of your comment. It was so exciting to get a barrage of feedback from that link. Thanks for reading these last few months. I hope to continue to engage your interest :).
Hey glad u shared it again Anna 🙂
Loved it readin as ever
PS:PS: Been away from blogosphere in past few days, hope u doing fine !!
Thanks Jyoti, I’m glad you’re back! I look forward to your next post.