John Watt Poet Free verse

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

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Andrea Dietrich September 20, 2020 at 2:49 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. John Watt September 20, 2020 at 3:25 PM Thanks Andrea! This was entered in William's All in a Day contest.

Andrea Dietrich September 20, 2020 at 2:48 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) John Watt September 20, 2020 at 3:26 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?

Michelle Faulkner September 17, 2020 at 11:43 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! John Watt September 17, 2020 at 1:31 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.

Jennifer Proxenos September 17, 2020 at 9:44 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. John Watt September 17, 2020 at 9:48 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

Paula Goldsmith September 17, 2020 at 9:19 AM Congratulations on your win. WOW!!! You just walked me through the museum and history. Thanks for the tour. Enjoy your win.................. John Watt September 17, 2020 at 9:46 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!

Anne-Lise Andresen September 17, 2020 at 5:16 AM - Congratulations on your wonderful 1st place in the contest, John :) - Have a lovely day :) - hugs // Anne-Lise :) John Watt September 17, 2020 at 9:44 AM Aw, thank you Anne-Lise! Always happy to see your smile on my page! Hugs ~ John

William Kelii Kekaula September 16, 2020 at 8:57 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 William Kelii Kekaula September 17, 2020 at 1:51 PM Oops! Failed earlier mention, -FAVE-, Aloha! William John Watt September 16, 2020 at 9:39 PM Thank you kind sir for the contest sponsoring and for the generous placement. Looking forward to reading all the talented winners.

Carolyn Devonshire September 16, 2020 at 9:30 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 John Watt September 16, 2020 at 9:56 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.

Victor Buhagiar September 16, 2020 at 1:29 AM I've been to the Louvre and it was astounding. Great poem. ~~ John Watt September 16, 2020 at 9:54 AM Thank you for the visit and the supportive comment, Victor. I hope you thoroughly enjoyed your visit to the Louvre.

Joanna Daniel September 15, 2020 at 10:25 PM You have put great effort in explaining these arts, John, appreciate it:) John Watt September 15, 2020 at 10:52 PM Thank you very much, Jo. I'm glad you stopped by.

Michelle Faulkner September 15, 2020 at 6:42 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! John Watt September 15, 2020 at 8:54 PM So glad you enjoyed the tour, madame! Merci beaucoup for the vignettes you enjoyed. "Mini-masterpiece" made me smile!