Last year I had my poetry-writing students find a piece of artwork and write a poem inspired by it. I did it with them and told them I'd open an art book and point to a picture and go with it. This is it. It's called "Nude in the Sunlight" by Renoir. Needless to say, they were thrilled with my random pick!
Nude in the Sunlight
We escaped
from our work
and slipped away
to these woods
to make love
in the sunshine.
Then he asked
if he could paint
me sitting
in the glow,
as natural
as the air
swirling around
the leaves
and my breasts.
I pulled my shirt
up to cover
part of me
because no man
should ever know
all of a woman,
but let him
love me again
with his paintbrush.
What does he see
as he sketches?
Does he notice my arms
thick from doing
my mistress’s laundry?
Does he see my hair
loosened like the grasses
fluttering freely
but still anchored?
He captures the coins
of light on my skin
but he can’t draw
my soul
hidden in my sturdy
body.
He thinks he’s painting
me but each stroke
lights the fire
of naked
independence
that I’m smiling about.
Soon I’ll head back
to the steamy washtub
taking the freedom
of the afternoon
with me.
10 comments:
this was really wonderful.. you got right inside of her..
i wonder what the students wrote... are you familiar with WITS blog? robin i believe her name is and she usually posts on TOP???
i am forever amazed at the poetry that the kids come up with.....
Hi Linda,
You think
that
she thinks
that
he
thinks
but
who knows?
I love the idea of giving Renoir's voluptuous nude a voice though!
excellent, I always like poetry that gets inside characters in paintings, you do it well here
I really like this viewpoint poem. I enjoyed that you were able to keep her anchored through various images like, "Does he see my hair loosened like the grasses fluttering freely
but still anchored?" It is obvious that she is in charge of herself.
This is a very rich poem!I enjoyed it.
I enjoyed this poem very much. Renoir is my favorite painter, and his son, one of my favorite film directors. Lovely.
This is lovely! You did an amazing job creating your own character out of this painting.
When I go to museums, one of my favorite activities is to muse over what the people in the portraits must have been like. I really like this!
And I bet the kids did love this painting!!
Amazing! To get inside a character's mind with such realism is incredible!
You take the reader there - to the scene and into the mind.
yes, I am also curious how the students fared...you did it so well..
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