Irene Latham's Blog, page 112

ARTSPEAK! Poem #28 "Color Talk"

Hello, and welcome to day #28 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? 

Just 2 more days to go!!!

Today's piece is "Boat and Trees" by Jacoba van Heemskerck van Beest.

I love this painting! It's deceptively simple, isn't it? I really think the black background sets it apart. And that got me thinking about color, the use of color, color as a tool. Soon I had a poem!




Be sure to visit Amy at The Poem Farm to see how our Progressive Poem is finishing!

ARTSPEAK! Poem #27 "Shadow's Song"

Hello, and welcome to day #27 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? 

Just 3 more days to go!!!

Today's piece is "Woman with a Parasol" by Claude Monet.

Don't you love this one? Such gorgeous colors!! It makes one wonder... what are they looking at? What is down the hill? I think both the boy and woman have something interesting to say, but what was speaking most loudly to ME what that shadow!



Be sure to visit Jan at Bookseedstudio to see how our Progressive Poem is winding down!

ARTSPEAK! Poem #26 "Sky, with Horses"

Hello, and welcome to day #26 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 "Horses in a Meadow" by Edgar Degas.

So, I love horses. Love them. So I was drawn to this piece right away! don't you love how these two are such close friends? But I didn't know what fresh and original I could say about friendship, so I searched the piece for some other way in... and landed on the sky!



Be sure to visit Brian at Walk the Walk to see how our Progressive Poem is progressing!

ARTSPEAK! Poem #25 "Beach Speaks of Boys"

Hello, and welcome to day #25 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 "Four Boys on a Beach" by Winslow Homer.

When I started writing this poem, I thought it would be cool to put it in the pier's voice. So I played around with that for a while... pier as sentry...but I just couldn't get the intimacy I wanted. So I switched the POV to the beach itself.

ARTSPEAK! Poem # 24 & "What a Day" by J.Patrick Lewis

Hello! How can this be the last Poetry Friday of National Poetry Month?? Wow. Be sure to visit Renee at No Water River for Roundup!

And yes, we are in the homestretch of our Progressive Poem! See the latest line courtesy of Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect. 
What better way to celebrate National Poetry Month than with books of poems? I have been reading so much this month... most recently EVERTHING'S A POEM: The Best of J. Patrick Lewis with illus. by Maria Cristina Pritelli.
Here's the poem that speaks to me most urgently as I write this post:


What a Day
by J. Patrick Lewis

Out of dark's rougher neighborhoods,
Morning stumbles,
none too
bright,
recalling now
the thief,
Night,
who stole her work
of art -
Light.



And now for poem #24 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 "Still Life with Bottles and Fruit" by Alexej von Jawlensky. I love this piece so very much!! Obviously. I mean, I did choose it for my logo. :)

ARTSPEAK! Poem #23 "Rowing Scene"

Hello, and welcome to day #23 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 "Rowing Scene" by E. Levy.


Right away I knew I wanted to write this one in the voice of the river. What must it feel like to have boats and paddles and so many people invading your space? Or maybe the river feels pride or joy or....


I should admit that I really know very little about rowing. A friend of mine in Washington, DC, has kids who do"crew," but here in the south, it's not a popular sport. I did a little Googling to find some authentic words that might be heard by the river, and I also found out that the boats are made of fiberglass, not wood (as was in my first draft of the poem). I'd be interested to hear from any readers with rowing experience to let me know if this poem reads "true."

Be sure to visit Tamera at The Writer's Whimsy to see how our Progressive Poem is progressing!

ARTSPEAK! Poem #22 "Still Life with Straw Hat, Bag, & Umbrella"

Hello, and welcome to day #22 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 "Straw Hat, Bag, and Umbrella" by Frederick Peto.


So, how 'bout this trio? Don't they look like they have had adventures? And aren't they just aching to have MORE adventures? First thing in the morning, the idea of this corner as a coffee shop popped right into my head. Here's where I went with it:

...and, readers, there it is again.... WAITING! At the end of the month I am going to count up how many of these poems include that theme. We'll see! Thank you so much for reading! Be sure to visit Pat at A Writer on a Horse to see how our Progressive Poem is progressing!

ARTSPEAK! Poem #21 "The Dance Lesson"

Hello, and welcome to day #21 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 "The Dance Lesson" by Edgar Degas.




Once upon a time I took ballet lessons. One of the greatest compliments I've ever received was being told that I have a "dancer's neck," and I have always enjoyed a natural flexibility (though less flexible now than in my youth!).

These days I am learning the cello. And I do a lot of cello playing in my mind. I think it's great practice for anyone learning an art form/new skill. So that's the direction I headed for this poem...





Be sure to visit Tara at A Teaching Life to see how our Progressive Poem is progressing!

ARTSPEAK! Poem #20 "A House for All Seasons"

Hello, and welcome to day #20 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 "The Flower Beds in Holland" by Vincent van Gogh.


Isn't that gorgeous?! I instantly thought of a quilt, and then I thought, well, isn't that predictable! I considered what I could do to make the poem not a typical "flowers so beautiful in spring" poem, and eventually I landed on that house on the left, how its roof seems to be sagging just a bit. And I thought, hmmm, I wonder how that house feels about those flower beds? I spent some time with it, and here's where I landed:

Poet-friends, do you see it? MORE waiting! The title may be promising too much... I don't really address any seasons directly other than spring and fall... but aren't they indirectly understood? I guess what I really wanted to know from the house was, what is the house's favorite season? I think certainly the season in which it feels most useful, and closest to the farmer. :)
Another thought today: it seems that the vast majority of the poems I've written so far this month are from the perspective on something inanimate in the painting. This might help me bring some focus to the project if I decide to create an ARTSPEAK! manuscript. We'll see how this plays out the rest of the month! 
Thank you so much for reading. I am now back from North Dakota and doing my best to settle back into regular life. Busy, busy week this week with various kid engagements, so please, bear with me! xo

ARTSPEAK! Poem #19 "Spearfishing"

Hello, and welcome to day #19 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 “Fisherman Spearing a Fish” by John La Farge.



Gorgeous, isn't it? My poem today is simple (though I tried to make it difficult!). I just decided simple was best for this one:




I really wanted the poem to be in the spear's voice, and it is... yet, it can also be read as the fisherman's voice. Isn't it interesting to think that they want the same thing? This way the reader can decide who is speaking. (If I wanted to make it clearly "spear" I think I would need the spear to want the opposite of what the fisherman wants, in order to make it clear. Something to think about in revisions!)


Be sure to visit lovely haiku-goddess Linda at Teacher Dance for the latest in our Progressive Poem!