This week for Poets United, I chose an artist for our prompt, #104. The controversial artist Jackson Pollock. I was on the fence about selecting him, this is when I knew I must.
Paul Jackson Pollock (January 28, 1912 – August 11, 1956), known as Jackson Pollock, was an influential American painter, in the abstract expressionist movement. He was nicknamed 'Jack the Dripper', for his painting style. He didn't use brushes, but sticks, trowels, and knives. He would cut and pour paint out of paint cans. He used linseed oil and enamel paint, mainly. His painting was called action painting. He taped canvas onto a floor and then would move around it. For me, I see it as a dance of emotions bleeding on the canvas. Whatever memory struck him was how he applied his next layer. This is my opinion from what I have read about the man and his style. He was also known for adding dirt, broken glass and other fragments, to his art. His abstract style was a form of action painting. Pollock is most celebrated for this form, abstract expressionism. He would splash, dribble, drip and pour paint onto his canvas. He described his abstraction, as "an attempt to evoke the rhythmic energy of nature." You can read more about Pollock here.
Paul Jackson Pollock (January 28, 1912 – August 11, 1956), known as Jackson Pollock, was an influential American painter, in the abstract expressionist movement. He was nicknamed 'Jack the Dripper', for his painting style. He didn't use brushes, but sticks, trowels, and knives. He would cut and pour paint out of paint cans. He used linseed oil and enamel paint, mainly. His painting was called action painting. He taped canvas onto a floor and then would move around it. For me, I see it as a dance of emotions bleeding on the canvas. Whatever memory struck him was how he applied his next layer. This is my opinion from what I have read about the man and his style. He was also known for adding dirt, broken glass and other fragments, to his art. His abstract style was a form of action painting. Pollock is most celebrated for this form, abstract expressionism. He would splash, dribble, drip and pour paint onto his canvas. He described his abstraction, as "an attempt to evoke the rhythmic energy of nature." You can read more about Pollock here.
fall
n' flow gravity lends a hand
black n' white drips cast
shadows
n' light
formed
from granite memories
fractured
shards of glass blur
the
veins of gold
like a blindsided dance crimson drips
the
residue of life
fossils
still remain in
beveled edges of youth
revealed in genetic coding
bits of darkness scatter
across the extended lines of my day
oils and spirits dance like
a measured earthquake
a map of life
illuminated with draped ribbons
of
light
trying
to block the black holes
deep
amber like weathered copper
displayed
against
long black branches that extend and twist,
like
trees in a storm
blue
notes lift like a bird trying to soar
its
life flowing out
whispers
of stars dot the landscape
Secret signs among the layers of wrestled
mood
lightning
strikes me like
a
chimed clock I perform
I
remember the string of Ma's glass beads
always
worn on Sunday
the
homemade honey dripping on my plate
the
bolts of white light across a humid indigo velvet
yellow
leaves dancing in the wind
playing in the autumn sky
playing in the autumn sky
like
a veil of crooked trees against fenced in dreams
I
fly through pigment of cosmic tears
twisted
ivy pulls me towards my roots
memories
made in wet muslin
kinetic
forces between the lines
subject
to your interpretation
my
map, my memories
gravity
took over
and
the star exploded
Comments
"fractured shards of glass blur
the veins of gold
like a blindsided dance crimson drips"
and the idea of the black as branches. Fantastic.
Excellent piece.
You have well and truly managed to capture about all that there was to say about your choice of painting. Very effective descriptions and I love the colourful words....
A great prompt with a difference this week Ella.
I am off to Spain for a week, so may be absent from comments etc
Eileen :)
I never write poems ahead of prompts. This one began this morning in the wee hours~
Dezzy-Is Autumn your fav? It is mine~
Yeah, I hear you, I'm tired of summer, already! Ick 100 F for tomorrow...it is like blizzard weather at my house. We watch movies and try to chill ;D lol
Jo-Yes, you may! I am flattered and so happy you like it :D Yes, please let me know when...
Thank you so much! It just came to me, what he might of tried to capture of his youth. Thank you!!!
Laurie-Thank you! It took awhile to pull it together, but once I thought of him as a young boy...I saw it different. How he try to find good in his troubled past!
Thank you Lolamouse! They weren't my memories, but ones I suspected he had. Okay, maybe I blurred the lines between his and mine~
Thank you so much...I'll be by soon...it is thundering, here!
Alex-Thank you! I hope you are staying cool! NC is a sauna; tomorrow a movie day, for sure ;D
De-Thank you! I loved your view, too ;D I knew I had to go with this prompt, because I knew it would inspire everyone to see through his art! So glad you joined in :D
Sherry-Thank you so much! :D I would love to knock down some fences, lol I'm a work in progress...Thanks for all the encouragement! I loved yours...
EJ-Thank you ;D You make me blush, but I love it~ I tried to see through the paint. He had a difficult childhood and it was suspected he had some mental issues?! Alcoholism played a major role in his fractured view and his death. Yet, he did have an amazing technique and broke new ground... Thank you so much~
I found words at random. I gathered them and wrote around them. I was on the fence about the prompt, but something made me do it anyway. I tried to imagine Jackson as a boy. I do think our memories influence our art~ Thank you so much! ;D
beveled edges of youth
revealed in genetic coding
deep amber like weathered copper
displayed against
long black branches that extend and twist,
like trees in a storm
blue notes lift like a bird trying to soar
SO much magic happening in this poem!!! My favorites could extend on and on!! Love the prompt and your creative poem, Ella!
Yvonne.
formed from granite memories
fractured shards of glass blur
the veins of gold
like a blindsided dance crimson drips
the residue of life...
I could go on but I would quote the whole poem.
Lovely introduction:
fall n' flow gravity lends a hand
black n' white drips cast
shadows n' light
formed from granite memories
fractured shards of glass blur
the veins of gold
like a blindsided dance crimson drips
the residue of life
fossils still remain in
beveled edges of youth
You have a very skillful use of words. Enjoyed the prompt and learning about the painter Jackson Pollock. Very interesting artist!
Lee
Tossing It Out
I'm stunned...can't say speechless. I rarely am, lol. I too have mixed feelings, till I tried to see behind his art. I agree with you~
Stephen-I think you should try painting again ;D I have never tried to paint his style. I bet it was really fun :D
Marcie-Thank you! Congrats on being featured this week~ (Crescendoh)
Benjamin-I am so happy Bren found you and you joined in! Thank you!
Nice to meet you :D
Peggy-Thank you! Something struck me to think about him being young. What might his life been like? I am glad you joined in :D
Kerry-Thank you! I will definitely try poetry and art again~ I found it inspired me to see beyond the actually painting. This fascinates me :D Thank you so much~
Renee-Thank you for saying so! I often say to other poets "I have to read it again." This means a lot ;D I'm glad I gave you a visit to your past~
Yvonne-Thank you! I have missed your voice~ I'll stop by :D
Scarlett-Yes, he was! Many still examine his paintings for secret lettering. Thank you :D
Bren-Thank you! I was confused by his art, until I wrote this poem. I saw beyond the paint and it made me see him differently! Thank you so much~
Hannah-Thank you so much! It took awhile to rearrange the words gathered and then other ideas struck me~ Smiles to you! :D
Mama Zen-Thank you :D
Heaven-Your comment was so poetic!
I loved it~ I liked that we broke new ground. I will try this again, with another famous poet ;D Thank you!
Mary Ann-Thank you! I had fun once I saw his young...it changed the whole poem :D
xoxo