Debbie Guzzi | + Follow Poet |
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Van Gogh Sans Une Oreille

Thoughts froth, crest, and merge through ocean’s 
indiscriminate wandering, no recognizable
beginning or end like smoke on the wind, 
melding, melting, fusing coalescing.

Reality a fragile grasp held on 
a two-dimensional canvas once white, 
clean, stretching taunt, taunt as the 
implausible reality of our existence-
existence standing, stranding, hair, fur, frond's 
weaving about crowns of trees in rye fields.

Everything alive, writhing, wanting,
needing, thriving, dying-skin crawling reality
like orange oil on the hollow cheeks of despair.
Pain, defies, belies, confusion's frame stretching
 
upon illusion's claim-eye to hand, hand to brush
the clean, white, membrane between brain pan and
paint pan. No recognizable beginning or end
melding, melting, fusing, coalescing-gone.

Self-Portrait with Fur Cap, Bandaged Ear & Pipe
Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890 Dutch)

First Published in Five Poetry Magazine 2013

Copyright © Debbie Guzzi | Year Posted 2015

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Robert Warlov Date: 10/20/2019 1:57:00 PM I like how your 'verb stacking' increases the tonal velocity yet, simultaneously, insist we pay greater attention to particulars. As a fan of Van Gogh, I'm not familiar with this piece. Including the Japanese print is curious. His position might have been determined simply by the best light entering his room. Login to Reply Robert Warlov Date: 10/21/2019 11:49:00 AM ! Debbie Guzzi Date: 10/20/2019 3:49:00 PM Truly I never noticed the print but as someone trained art I'd say he needed the optical weight of the rectangle to weigh down the right side to match the left. Light & Love

Maurice Yvonne Date: 4/2/2015 10:01:00 AM I love VAN GOGH! Being French I loved the title. An amazing write a great read, thank you. Login to Reply

Robert Ludden Date: 3/31/2015 10:50:00 PM The macaronic title is especially interesting because of its use. One implication is that Vincent's self-mutilation invites a look at continuing pain and a search of the "implausible reality of existence" but reference to "ocean's wandering" is not enough to justify it. I very much appreciate macaronics as a poetic device, and have employed it several times myself, But here, the reason is not clear to me--the location of most of his painting, perhaps? intriguing work. Login to Reply Robert Ludden Date: 4/1/2015 1:41:00 PM and my questions to you? Debbie Guzzi Date: 4/1/2015 7:19:00 AM Will be thinking on that Robert since you delightfully have given me many newer mostly unused by me words to ponder!

Robert Ludden Date: 3/31/2015 1:44:00 PM Debbie, how could I be offended by a critique? As long as it is an honest one, even the most severe critiques mean that the reader has read my poem carefully. A reaction then is a real benefit to me, and I covet all such reactions. They are a major way for me to LEARN. Fire away at them, please. You help me immeasurably when you do! -Dean Login to Reply