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Tuesday, April 16, 2019

ARTSPEAK: Happy! poem "On the Water" by Irene Latham

Welcome to ARTSPEAK: Happy! my 2019 National Poetry Month poem a day project, in which I am responding to pieces of art that make me happy. Read why in my introductory post.

Poems so far:
Girl in a Yellow Dress after "A Girl in a Yellow Dress, 1917" by Amedeo Modigliani
When the Stars Come to Town after "Cafe Terrace at Night" by Vincent van Gogh
On a Golden Day in May after "Checkered House" by Grandma Moses
Beach Time after "Children Playing on the Beach" by Mary Cassatt
The Weight of Happiness after "Flower Seller" by Diego Rivera
By the Sea "Coastal Scene with Gulls" by Maud Lewis
Sister Song after an untitled piece by Henry Darger
Two Cows after "2 Cows" by Maud Lewis
Girl in Hat after "Girl in Hat" by Norman Lewis
Backstage after "Dancers in Green and Yellow" by Edgar Degas. 
"So Many Suns" after Kohbar of Mithila
"To an Olive Tree" after Olive Trees with Yellow Sky and Sun by Vincent van Gogh
"Three Black Cats" after Three Black Cats by Maud Lewis
"When Grandma Reads" after Mrs. Cassatt Reading to her Grandchildren by Mary Cassatt
"On a June Afternoon" after Pigeon on a Peach Branch by Emperor Huizong

Today's piece is On the Water by Mary Cassatt.



On the Water
- after "On the Water 1895" by Mary Cassatt

One day I asked a duck,
How do you stay afloat?
He glided ever so close
and said, my feathers
are like a raincoat;
my feet like the paddles
of your rowboat.
Thank you, I said
and decided if I was a duck,
I'd want my raincoat to be red –
not boring as today's dress,
which makes it seem like
the only thing I'm ready for
is bed.
And then I tossed
that friendly little duck
a nice hunk of bread.

- Irene Latham

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So, I've been having a bit of a crisis with the videos. I'm tired of doing them and don't enjoy seeing my face! AND... the worst part: no art! So I decided to try something different. Let me know what you think!



Be sure to visit Carol at Beyond LiteracyLink for the latest line in our Progressive Poem!

4 comments:

  1. I love the painting and this little conversation between the duck and the child. I know you may be tired of seeing your face, but we are not. You bring me joy!

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  2. This poem is charming and adorable. I love Cassatt's art too. And I agree with Margaret -- not tired of seeing your face at all. :)

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  3. Jack and I just listened to Amy's poem. And then he wanted to see Irene reading her poem. We were both sad to have no video. I told him we'd go back and see one of the earlier ones, but they weren't available. Sad morning here! But we did love today's conversation with the duck. We are definitely NOT tired of seeing your face. It's fun to hear AND see you.

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  4. I love the conversation you've imagined between that young girl and the duck, and understand, but I've enjoyed seeing you read, too. I enlarge the picture and take a good look first, then listen and watch you. But, I wrote today about this mid-month crunch. I understand the 'whew' of same a bit, too.

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Your thoughts?