Notes About The Poem

All In a Day At the Louvre

Magnetic attraction, enchanting dream of a lifetime -
	majestic pyramid attracts my eye, 
	mystique draws me in
	
O, your architecture! Pavilions, colonnades; art enclosing art,
	every square inch deliberately designed,
	ceilings pour forth scintillating splendor
	
Antiquities from Rome, Egypt, the Orient:
	trying to wrap my head around art
	created in Mesopotamia 6,000 years ago
	
Dazed and captivated in your Greek sculpture hall:
	Bronze beauty, marble magnificence,
	Venus de Milo seduces still
	
What history you have archived on your walls and pedestals!	
	Charlemagne holding his scepter,
	Louis XIV in regal resplendence
	
Oil on canvas communicates genuine genius
	Rembrandt, Rubens, Raphael,
	Vermeer, Van Dyck, Vigée-Lebrun
	
Mythology awakened to life in marble:	
	Hera, Hermaphrodite, Neptune, Nymph,
	Psyche and Cupid
	
Even commoners respectfully regarded:
	Messina's military man, Brueghel's beggars, 
	Michelangelo's dying slave
	
Centuries of religious faith expressed with grace and grandeur:
	Moses in the bulrushes, Islamic ivory,
	the penitent Magdalene, Virgin and child
	
Artistic vision reflects and redirects history:
	Renaissance masters forecasting the future,
	Monet's Impressionism a daring new style

Fifteen minutes till closing, where have the hours flown?
	What of tapestries, textiles, drawings, decorative arts?
	Alas, another day.
	
Highlight of the day, world's most famous painting:
	mysterious Mona Lisa smile
	thanks me for coming to visit
	
Louvre: 
	timeless testimony to artistic aesthetic
	cathedral of contemplation
	history of humanity

Written 15 Sep 2020
Copyright © | Year Posted 2020


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Date: 9/20/2020 2:49:00 PM
gosh, what contest did this win in? I see these congrats beneath and I have no clue. Was it one of Brian's?? Will have to try to find out! Belated Congrats, John.
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John Watt
Date: 9/20/2020 3:25:00 PM
Thanks Andrea! This was entered in William's All in a Day contest.
Date: 9/20/2020 2:48:00 PM
Did you GO there, John. You did such a great job describing the many facets of this amazing place. I was there with my group on our way to Madrid and they were NOT art lovers, so I only got to be there maybe 2 hours at the most, walking around as fast as I could looking at paintings. I truly am only interested in paintings and not much of the other things. You will have to soupmail me if you got to see the Louvre also. (for all I know, you researched this and did an amazing job writing this)
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John Watt
Date: 9/20/2020 3:26:00 PM
Thanks, I just sent a soupmail to answer your question. I'm sorry you didn't get to spend more time at your visit there. Did you know it's the world's #1 most visited museum?
Date: 9/17/2020 11:43:00 AM
Back to give you well deserved congratulations on this original, imaginative entry ` you have widened my horizons in art appreciation, and I thank you!
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John Watt
Date: 9/17/2020 1:31:00 PM
It would make my parents (who were both teachers) proud to hear you say that I'm capable of widening someone's horizons! Thank you for your revisit and such thoughtful remarks.
Date: 9/17/2020 9:44:00 AM
John, Wow spectacular Historical, Mythological, artfully awesomely beautiful, you remembered and wrote about all the artists, religious references - such a wonderful well crafted and creative poem - I love it! Even Mona Lisa, gave you a smile!. Congratulations John Watt with a 1st win which is so richly deserved. Bravo, bravo, Bravo - hugs and blessings, Jennifer.
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John Watt
Date: 9/17/2020 9:48:00 AM
Thank you dearly, my friend! Glad you enjoyed the virtual tour, I know you are an art lover yourself. Your kind words speak volumes to me. Hugs and blessings ~ John
Date: 9/17/2020 9:19:00 AM
Congratulations on your win. WOW!!! You just walked me through the museum and history. Thanks for the tour. Enjoy your win..................
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John Watt
Date: 9/17/2020 9:46:00 AM
Thank you, my friend! I've always dreamed about going to Paris and the Louvre. This describes my daydream day, drawn from a wonderful book and some fact checking on Google. Still on my bucket list!
Date: 9/17/2020 5:16:00 AM
- Congratulations on your wonderful 1st place in the contest, John :) - Have a lovely day :) - hugs // Anne-Lise :)
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John Watt
Date: 9/17/2020 9:44:00 AM
Aw, thank you Anne-Lise! Always happy to see your smile on my page! Hugs ~ John
Date: 9/16/2020 8:57:00 PM
Each line, intrinsically articulated, had won me over, John, I was hypnotically tethered to liberal spells of a museum--well crafted my friend! Congrats on your honorable win, Aloha! William
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Hilo Poet
Date: 9/17/2020 1:51:00 PM
Oops! Failed earlier mention, -FAVE-, Aloha! William
Watt Avatar
John Watt
Date: 9/16/2020 9:39:00 PM
Thank you kind sir for the contest sponsoring and for the generous placement. Looking forward to reading all the talented winners.
Date: 9/16/2020 9:30:00 AM
Although I've never been to the Louvre, your poem makes me feel like I was right there with you. I have spent many a day touring museums and time just slips away. How cool to see Mona Lisa's smile! Best wishes in the contest, Carolyn
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John Watt
Date: 9/16/2020 9:56:00 AM
I know what you mean about losing track of time in museums, Carolyn! I especially love art museums and there never seems to be enough time to soak them in. Thank you for the lovely comment.
Date: 9/16/2020 1:29:00 AM
I've been to the Louvre and it was astounding. Great poem. ~~
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John Watt
Date: 9/16/2020 9:54:00 AM
Thank you for the visit and the supportive comment, Victor. I hope you thoroughly enjoyed your visit to the Louvre.
Date: 9/15/2020 10:25:00 PM
You have put great effort in explaining these arts, John, appreciate it:)
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John Watt
Date: 9/15/2020 10:52:00 PM
Thank you very much, Jo. I'm glad you stopped by.
Date: 9/15/2020 6:42:00 PM
You have been an excellent tour guide for my virtual Louvre visit! Some of my favorites: 'art enclosing art', and the mythology in marble section - the final stanza puts the polish on your mini-masterpiece - should do well, I hope!
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John Watt
Date: 9/15/2020 8:54:00 PM
So glad you enjoyed the tour, madame! Merci beaucoup for the vignettes you enjoyed. "Mini-masterpiece" made me smile!
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