Thursday, March 29, 2007

Night and Stars


(Public domain image courtesy of Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:VanGogh-starry_night_ballance1.jpg)

Poetry Thursday challenges me to write a poem from within a famous work of art. I chose Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh because I have a fondness for both the painting and for the author's sad story of madness and possible Bipolar Disorder.

Night and Stars

Walking the lonely hillside,
Approaching warmth and comfort,
Visions of home and hearth
Draw me faster onward.

The night sky calls to me.
Venus sways seductively.
Moonlight beckons and
Stars sing their siren song.

“Join us in our dance,
Loose your earthly bonds.
Harken unto voices
Sighing your name.”

My vision wavers
With milky wavelets.
Thoughts race to join
The manic music.

I long to jump,
To soar and fly
In that endless sky
Of melodic mayhem.

But leaden chains
Of sorrow and despair
Shackle me anew
To pedestrian plodding.

Here is the top of a mosaic table I made in a class some years ago. The colors aren't the truest but I don't have a great set-up for lighting. My cat was investigating.

Table mosaic and cat

7 comments:

Marcia (MeeAugraphie) said...

"Thoughts race to join
The manic music.

I long to jump,
To soar and fly
In that endless sky
Of melodic mayhem.

But leaden chains
Of sorrow and despair
Shackle me anew
To pedestrian plodding."

Those lines especially capture this painting for me.

p said...

nice poem
but i'm screaming OH NO!!!! the mosiac table pic isn't loading. :(

Crafty Green Poet said...

My vision wavers with nmilky wavelets - that really captures the painting for me.

Anonymous said...

I have been drawn to his works because I understand the dilemma that he faced.

Your poem is great, it shows the confusion and despair of the artist, but it's right there!!! Can't you see it!!

Unknown said...

Thanks for all the comments. I reloaded the mosaic so it should show now.
I'll be visiting y'all a bit later. I have to go to a business meeting in a few minutes.
And today is supposed to be my day off, sigh.

Regina said...

Oh, how I love Vincent- your poem is a lovely tribute to him...

Beaman said...

Enjoyable poem. The image you chose was a good one.
By the way, I somehow misread your blogger header and read 'Serious scribblings, filthy pictures ...'.
Obviously a sign of what state my mind is in. :p