Painting by Dorothy Quinan, 1970
Photo by Amy LV
Students - Yesterday, we went to a biiiig thrift store in downtown Buffalo. We came home with many goodies, and I took many photographs. This painting made me feel serene and summery, and so I chose to write a haiku to go along with it. Haiku is a form that I do not attempt often, and so today is a bit unusual for me.
I wanted today's poem to show the contrast between winter in the real world and summer in a painting, where the seasons never change. With only seventeen syllables, this takes lots of experimenting. I wanted to show the painting, and so color seemed the best way to do that. And of course, I always adore simple color words with simple nouns.
Here in my poemdrafts, you can see many of the possible lines that I tried out and threw out. If you'd like to read a few tips about writing haiku, check out haiku world.
Picture - Draft Page Spread #1
Photo by Amy LV
And when I finished and sat to type, something felt eerily familiar. Yes. The red. And the chickens. And the gazes (glazed). I somehow channeled a few words of William Carlos Williams's The Red Wheelbarrow in very few lines and in the same order...without even knowing it. I tip my hat to you, WCW. Thank you for living in my very blood. Those mentor poets - they just travel around inside of us all the time.
Painting Close Up
by Dorothy Quinan
Photo by Amy LV
Back of Painting
by Dorothy Quinan
Photo by Amy LV
Guess what? I bought a painting.
Me & My New Painting!
(I bought a frame too!)
Photo by Mark LV
The winners of last Saturday's book giveaway are:
FOREST HAS A SONG - Linda A.
THE POETRY FRIDAY ANTHOLOGY FOR SCIENCE - Victoria W.
Winners - please send me an e-mail to amy at amylv dot com with your address, and I will mail your books sometime this month! Stay tuned for the exact same giveaway tomorrow and every Saturday of April 2014.
Robyn Hood Black is hosting today's Poetry Friday festivities over at Life on the Deckle Edge. All are welcome, and if you'd like to know more about Poetry Friday, read Tabatha Yeatts's great April 2014 explanation over at Savvy Verse & Wit. Happy Poetry Friday!
Please share a comment below if you wish.
WCW is most definitely in your blood. I heard him speaking through your words!
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ReplyDeleteI love the poem and the thought of mentor poets traveling around inside us. We also stand on their shoulders, right?
ReplyDeleteLove the haiku and that you brought that red wheelbarrow into your poem without being aware of it!
ReplyDeleteThe poem, the story, the painting...and WCW - it doesn't get any better!
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the painting, I thought of your place first, and then WCW when I read your words. There are those who teach us even when we don't realize it, aren't there? Sounds like a nice day at the thrift store!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to go thrift store shopping with you, Amy! That painting was a perfect find for you. And I definitely immediately thought of WCW's "glazed" when I read your "gazes", and the spirit of your poem. :0)
ReplyDeleteLove the contrast in imagery here. The red stark against the white.
ReplyDeleteI heard WCW the instant I read it earlier and I thought it was perfect. So glad you bought it. It needsed you. I love the horse peeking out of the barn.
ReplyDeleteJanet F.
Amy,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you bought the painting. Now you can have summer all year long!
Amy,
ReplyDeleteThe painting actually reminded me of your blog when I saw it. It seems a perfect addition for you. How happy it must be to belong again.
I liked the contrast between seasons in your haiku and loved these words in your explanation, "in a painting, where the seasons never change." Interesting.
Cathy
How fun. It's a charming painting and a charming poem. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThis is a perfect blend of visual and literary art, Amy! Thank you so much for sharing! = )
ReplyDeletePerfect, Amy. So lovely. So you. Would you like to be featured in the Haiku Garden on Today's Little Ditty sometime later this year? Would love to feature you. Let me know if you're interested. (My email is michelle at MichelleHBarnes dot com.)
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