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from the innermost (collab with Mary Frances Spencer)
by Kathleen Wilson
"look at the picture, it pleads from the innermost" --from this letter, accompanying the small watercolor painting, from artist Jawlensky to his dear friend Galka Scheyer.
spring of hair
this tiny sketch
drawn inner peak
watercolor streams
your eyes are sprung
deep pools circle
brows spiraling to the quick
dark lips open
your mouth to mine
teeth ready to bite
your plea
vibrating half page letter
skimming to where
edgy and distant
your lilting shoulders waterfall
dabbles dropping
into what I'll never know
11/17/2007 Author's Note: Italicized lines are by Mary Frances Spencer
The title is a line quote--from a letter written by the artist Alexi Jawlensky
to his dear friend, Galka Scheyer, November 9, 1928. Under the watercolor "Bust of a Woman" that he painted into his letter, he wrote the words "look at the picture, it pleads from the innermost."
When Mary Frances Spencer and I went together to the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena today, both of us were fascinated with this letter, statement, and painting and so we created this poem together in celebration of that.
Our poem alternates lines between the two poets, beginning and ending with mine.
Posted on 11/18/2007
Copyright © 2024 Kathleen Wilson
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by A. Paige White on 11/18/07 at 03:22 PM So glad you reposted with the picture that inspired it! Wow. Makes the poem come to life. Gorgeous. Your author's notes suggest the depths brought to a still life of two empathetic women at a study of all things feminine, which when we're honest, lol, we're still trying to piece together ourselves. |
| Posted by Charlie Morgan on 11/18/07 at 11:30 PM ...kathleen, poets Kooser and Harrison did this and it too is/was a winner, i love this tete a tete...too cool, seriously! peace, chaz |
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