Wednesday, April 29, 2009

"Poetry"





Here are some photos of the paintings I chose for my exhibit, which should be hung today. I gave little postcards announcing it to all my neighbors, and even to the girl who cuts my hair and my local bartender! Now I feel a bit nervous about my little attempt at self-promotion. Too pushy?
I don't think my neighbors have any idea what I'm doing in here. :-)

It's the last day of National Poetry Month. I've enjoyed selecting some of my favorite poems to include here--it satisfies the frustrated English teacher in me to assign you reading.

"Poetry"
Marianne Moore

I, too, dislike it: there are things that are important beyond all
this fiddle.
Reading it, however, with a perfect contempt for it, one
discovers in
it after all, a place for the genuine.
Hands that can grasp, eyes
that can dilate, hair that can rise
if it must, these things are important not because a

high-sounding interpretation can be put upon them but because
they are
useful. When they become so derivative as to become
unintelligible,
the same thing may be said for all of us, that we
do not admire what
we cannot understand: the bat
holding on upside down or in quest of something to

eat, elephants pushing, a wild horse taking a roll, a tireless wolf
under
a tree, the immovable critic twitching his skin like a horse that
feels a
flea, the base-
ball fan, the statistician--
nor is it valid
to discriminate against 'business documents and

school-books'; all these phenomena are important. One must
make a distinction
however: when dragged into prominence by half poets, the
result is not poetry,
nor till the poets among us can be
'literalists of
the imagination'--above
insolence and triviality and can present

for inspection, 'imaginary gardens with real toads in them', shall
we have
it. In the meantime, if you demand on the one hand,
the raw material of poetry in
all its rawness and
that which is on the other hand
genuine, you are interested in poetry.


Not Waving but Drowning
by Stevie Smith

Nobody heard him, the dead man,
But still he lay moaning:
I was much further out than you thought
And not waving but drowning.

Poor chap, he always loved larking
And now he's dead
It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,
They said.

Oh, no no no, it was too cold always
(Still the dead one lay moaning)
I was much too far out all my life

And not waving but drowning.



14 comments:

Sharon said...

How very exciting Laura! I'm sure your show will be a hit. Sorry to see poetry month end, but hope you will continue posting poems occasionally.

William Evertson said...

I doubt that you are in that category of being too pushy :) Take some good pix of your show installed!

RH Carpenter said...

Your paintings are lovely and I'm sure you will have much success. No, I don't think telling people about your work and show is too pushy :) You have to get the word out, you know! I love the small one that is the banner on your blog now - those Royal Terns are so cute and perky looking and the colors of the posts are wonderful.

Nancy L. Vance said...

What a lovely group of paintings! Good luck, hope you sell every one! Its best to self-promote, as it comes from the heart that way!

A Brush with Color said...

Wow--Laura, these look absolutely beautiful matted and framed like this. I'm so excited for you! They really are quite lovely. Best of luck to you! and NO--you are not too pushy at all. I wish I was there and I'd sing your praises for you!! Love the poems. I'm a huge poetry fan and quite enjoy them.

Anonymous said...

Good luck with the exhibition. The paintings look great and I'm sure you will sell quite a few of them. Keep us posted.
Jean

Carol said...

Excellent work & not too pushy. Good luck!

Mineke Reinders said...

It's looking great, Laura. I'm sure your show will be a hit. You're not too pushy, don't worry. Often, people appreciate being told about shows they wouldn't otherwise know about. Good luck. Thanks for posting the poems this month, I have really enjoyed reading them. Today's second one is quite haunting.

Cathy Gatland said...

Your paintings look fantastic Laura - all the best with your exhibition, and I think the neighbours will be enlightened and delighted. Pushy, not at all (I well know that nervous feeling!)
I've so enjoyed the poetry - hope there'll be more.

Ruth said...

Oh of course you should give your postcards to everyone! Good luck with the show, that's wonderful.

I loved the Moore poem, haven't read it before. Perfect.

And Not Waving But Drowning is a favorite of mine too.

Sherry Pierce Thurner said...

First off, congratulations on your show! I hope you get lots of positive comments, and some sales. Second, thanks for the poems, excellent for National Poetry Month. Have yu ever seen Billy Collins' Poetry 180 site?

cathyswatercolors said...

Laura, your paintings look so great all matted up. Really impressive. Best of luck,great workl.

Unknown said...

Best wishes for your show, Laura! That's a good choice of artworks for an exibition.

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Laura,

It looks like a beautiful show. I like the black frames. If it's pushy for artists to have shows, and invite everyone in the vicinity, and even the world, then we might as well all paint inside boxes, and keep our work covered in drop sheets.

If art is what we make, we are meant to tell others about it. After all the whole world knows about your wonderful work, why deprive your neighbours.

Take care,

Barbara