Also, be sure to visit Heidi at My Juicy Little Universe for the next line in our Progressive Poem! We're off to a grand (alluvium, barefooted) start.
And... welcome to day #3 of ARTSPEAK!, my 2015 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 Railway" by Edouard Manet.
If I was writing this poem for the adult audience, I would totally write from the mother's (if this is indeed the girl's mother) point of view! Alas. I tried for a while to write from the train's perspective ... what must a train think about all the people it sees on the platform? But there's too much hidden from the train's view that I wanted to mention. Which leaves the obvious choice: the girl herself.
"what if he doesn't come today?" -- oh, Irene, you got me right in the feels!
ReplyDeleteHe'll come! He will, little girl...Irene will make sure he will! I love hearing about how you decided on your point of view with this one...and the remembered puppy and books for waiting, of course. This is a great month over here, and I am enjoying every minute of it! xo, a.
ReplyDeleteLove your thought process and the poem. I love the girl's sense of wonder!
ReplyDeleteOh, I love what you are doing Irene. I have tried to write comments on my phone and am not sure any have shown up anywhere in the PF blogosphere. But I have been reading some. You make me wonder where the father has been. I love your poem. It is wistful and full of that anticipation of wonder and worry. I also love how you are gathering some great photo prompts I could borrow to use with my students. Thank you! Not to bring up the blue or white dress thing again (you do remember the photo that took the internet by storm, right?) but the mother's hat looks black to me and the dress blue! Though I do see some shadows or soot perhaps? Love listening to you read your poem. Can't wait to share these with my student friends and other teachers. Bravo, Irene!
ReplyDeleteJanet F./ Janet Clare on FB
Thank you, Janet! I am sure students could/would do amazing things with these artworks! I would love to read them. xo
DeleteLove how you inhabited that girl's point of view and created such a palpable feeling of suspense, yearning, and anticipation. The painting does offer notable contrasts, and your poem makes us wonder about what the mother is thinking . . .
ReplyDeleteI need to go back to yesterday to see what you did. I'm loving these very much, Irene. Oh my, that little girl all dressed up for Papa, & what if he doesn't come? You gave her an immediate plaintive voice. (My wonder-the 'mother's hair is down - interesting to me.) Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYes, I think it's her hair that makes me question if it is indeed her mother?? Something kind of unkempt about her... perhaps a nurse or something? Not sure... of course, she can be whatever we want her to be for our poems! xo
DeleteSo perfect that you told the (a) story, but left us with lots of questions of our own!
ReplyDeleteI'm reading this through the lens of an adoptive mom. My son's biological dad just showed up two weeks ago, after thirteen years of absence. That last question is a heartbreaker.
ReplyDeleteWow wow WOW, Carol! Yes, estrangement from a parent is so, so hard. Been there! Thinking of your son!
DeleteTHE SWITCH
ReplyDeleteTugging at Mommy’s
Charcoaled bonnet
I want to switch souls
With my role model
For afternoon tea.
(c) Charles Waters 2015 all rights reserved.
"charcoaled" bonnet. Love!
DeleteI love how you've woven the details of this painting into this touching backstory. Hope you don't mind if I try a few of my own art-inspired poems this month.
ReplyDeleteOh, I hope you will! Would love to read what you come up with. xo
DeleteSuch an inspired idea. I always thought that paintings evoke stories - now you showed me how poetry could work just as well. Beautifully done, dear Irene.
ReplyDelete