Monday, April 8, 2019

ARTSPEAK: Happy! poem "Two Cows" by Irene Latham

I'm excited to be continuing my ARTSPEAK series -- this year with poems on the theme of "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

Today's piece is "2 Cows" by Maud Lewis. This one reminds me of my mom, who raised both dairy and beef cows as part of her childhood 4-H years. She lived on a citrus grove in central Florida, and she tells wonderful stories about feeding the cows grapefruit. Read on!


Two Cows
after 2 Cows by Maud Lewis

Two cows in a pasture
grazing on grass –
they lift their heads
whenever we pass.
They amble over.
We climb the fence.
We offer them ripe grapefruit,
and their ears twitch-twitch.
But the best part
is the way their mouths 
squish   squirt     squish.

- Irene Latham




Be sure to visit Mary Lee at A Year of Reading for the latest line in our Progressive Poem!




4 comments:

  1. LOL! LOVE this. I grew up near cows in western NYS....they do have a special charm. You've made me HAPPY this morning.

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  2. Love the alliteration in “grazing on grass.” I can see the vows lifting their heads, as cows do when distracted. But this poem offers me an additional layer of meaning. My maiden name is Cowen, which became a nickname for my brother and me: Cow and Baby Calf. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

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  3. Mooooooo! Delightful, Irene. :)

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  4. Oh, my, I never thought cows would eat grapefruit! Love that ending, Irene, "squish squirt squish." I wonder if their eyes rolled, too! Ha!

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