Poetry Month, day 17
Predominantly Black
On White II by Vassily Kandinsky
He is a knight
setting off for battle,
lance couched and ready,
the four shod hooves of his horse
lifting high, glinting. At this stage
his black helmet is still visor up.
He boards a ship.
One sail is furled along the mast.
The other flies, bold yellow.
The ship's flag is red,
matching the kingly crest
on the knight's helmet.
Over all, superimposed, central,
but unbeknownst to him,
is the round clock-face of Time.
His hours – perhaps even minutes –
are numbered. He is a soldier
going to war. This story ends badly.
The painting is labelled simply, deliberately,
On White II – the artist refusing
colourful interpretation. "It's an exercise,"
he is saying, "in hues and shapes.
Nothing more." But then he gives it
to us. And here and now to me.
In my world, knights with lances
are long gone, ancient. Now we go to war
with planes as often as ships,
though we also still fight on the ground.
We watch on TV. We know it won't end well.
The clock ticks. It's a time-bomb.
At "imaginary garden with real toads", in The Tuesday Platform ~ April Style, we are invited to be inspired by any Kandinsky painting that speaks to us. This one was voluble indeed!
I'll have to rewrite this poem some day, in the light of this fascinating and comprehensive discussion of Kandinsky, which quite invalidates what I've suggested about his paintings being intended as visual exercises only!
Image used according to Fair Use.
I'll have to rewrite this poem some day, in the light of this fascinating and comprehensive discussion of Kandinsky, which quite invalidates what I've suggested about his paintings being intended as visual exercises only!
Image used according to Fair Use.
Defiinitely a time bomb. I would love to see what Kandinsky would paint these days. I very much enjoyed this poem.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing how humans always find reasons for war... time and again... you're right this will end badly.. for everyone...
ReplyDeleteThank you Rosemary, I also enjoyed your poem. I love that abstraction does not tell the viewer "what" to think but allows us a "place," to think. Your words are wonderful with the image.
ReplyDeleteWow Rosemary!💞 This is such a wonderfully rich response to the painting by Kandinsky!💞 *gets up and applauds*
ReplyDeleteI love what you saw in the painting, Rosemary, and the way you described it, I could see it too. Your summation is excellent.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your interpretation, that's all I can see now, too! Well done.
ReplyDelete