Sundered for commercial reasons
(three sell better than one)
Rejoined for artistic reasons
(three attract more than one)
To see the originals together
as one, intended, and to see
the originals at an angle,
standing left and looking right,
close to the canvas but not close
enough to alarm the attendants,
is to navigate the unexplored
and uncharted, a terrain
of watery greens and faded blues,
filtered whites and smudged reds,
continents of agapanthus separated
by oceans, seas of color floating
reflecting up
reflecting down
reflecting up and down
reflecting left to right
reflecting right to left
Colors swirl and move toward
a pinpoint on the horizon,
allowing the voyage never to end.
The three paintings popularly known as Monet’s “Water Lilies” are currently on an exhibition tour at the three museums who own them. Last fall, the exhibit was at the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City. Currently, it’s at the St. Louis Art Museum, and it will arrive at the Cleveland Museum of Art in February. The official title of the work is “The Agapanthus Triptych” for the African water lilies it depicts.
This poem is submitted for Open Link Night at dVersePoets. To see more poems, please visit dVerse Poets. The links will be link at 2 pm Central time today.
Painting: Monet’s Water Lilies, Cleveland Museum of Art.
Ah yes, to see the world from up and down and all around.
ReplyDeleteWaterlilies are one of my favourite things to paint. When my eldest daughter walked into the room and at the Musee D'Orsee and saw Monet's works, she started to cry. And then, Giverny -- heavenly.
I've been to Giverny several times and always come away inspired by the house and gardens. As Louise notes, it is a heavenly place.
ReplyDeleteImages do not do justice to the beauty of Monet's paintings, the size of which creates that impression of being surrounded by the most marvelous colors. I feel privileged to have seen "Water Lilies". I can understand how you would be moved to compose a poem about the triptych. I don't think I could visit the exhibit just once.
Monet is one of my favorite painters. He painted until his cataracts became so bad he could hardly see. His work came from his heart, I believe he had to do it. I know this all too well.
ReplyDeleteGod bless Glynn! Oh, I got my Kindle... and your book. I'll let you know when I'm done so I can post a review.
To see it up close, and examining all the details, is precious. Like the form and movements of holding it--nice one ~
ReplyDeleteyou have me intrigued now glynn to see the three of them together up close and in person...to take in the details from your perspective...nice one man
ReplyDeleteGreat poem. I saw the Monet exhibit here in St. Louis in 1978 when I was 12. Need to go there again.
ReplyDeleteI can almost feel the motion of the water through your words.
ReplyDeleteThink you have captured the painting here very well.
ReplyDeleteThe choice of language, particularly the descriptive words instantly make the reader think in impressionistic terms, and the colours just complete the imagery.
Excellent work here. Really enjoyed reading this poem.
Well crafted ekphrasis - water lilies are so timeless - love this
ReplyDeleteWow you truly detailed every single little detail
ReplyDeleteThe waterlilies shall never fail
And always go on
With such a verse as the one at your lawn
A stunning write! because of it I feel as thought I have "almost" seen the originals. One can only dream of such things on my little piece of the world!
ReplyDeleteI can see you standing there taking this all in. I'm glad you did so you could pour out these words to capture it so beautifully.
ReplyDeletei would be all over that room (like an ice rink, wishing that i had it all to myself) for different perspectives...i would love close-up to see the brush strokes and the pazazzzz of the colours floating on the canvas...and far away to see it all join together in the singing of a lullaby.
ReplyDeletesigh...
i do like the garden.
what a garden...