I have a poem featured in Ekphrastic Review today! It’s based on this painting Animals in a landscape by Franz Marc (I know, him again) and it’s called Slaughter.
Slaughter
There came a time of blood red light,
and then the night
fell and swept away the sleeping
lowing things.
They walked into the flames,
heads full of fire,
mud mire
swallowed them,
shards whittled them,
hung them on hooked barbs
like dead cattle.
Jane Dougherty
Franz would have loved it.
(it’s never enough of him)
The poor sod was one of those who ended up hung on the wire.
Congratulations 🙂 …a clever poem and in light of your previous comment, I’m going to look up what happened to Frank.
Thank you, Janice. The slaughter of the first world war was indiscriminate. I think the Germans must have realised early on that the war was going to drag on for years, until Europe was bled dry, because they recalled artists from the front. Too late for Franz Marc.
I was saddened to find out how young he died. And there was a second ‘slaughter’ (after his death) when the Nazis banned his paintings as ‘degenerate’.
Exactly. He seems to have been a highly sensitive, compassionate man who saw the rise of German militarism and predicted how it would end. His paintings, though they are mainly of animals, are bursting with humanity and emotion.
congrats!
Thank you 🙂
Brilliant!
Thank you! I’m pleased you like it 🙂
Congratulations! Your writing seems to be flying these days…(K)
Thank you. I think I’m getting better at saying what I want to say. I’m pleased there are some places that don’t mind publishing poetry that (to my mind) has a clear meaning.
Yes, that’s a good thing! I always like it when good writing is recognized–I’m often baffled by what gets published.
I read a lot of poems that just don’t make sense to me, not just because of the idea, but because they don’t make grammatical sense and some of the words seem to be used inappropriately. That and the chopping up of lines, sticking some of them randomly over the other side of the page, words run together, ellipses all over the place or capitals, lower case, I written as i…. All get up my nose. Whistles and bells. No content.
Gimmicks. It’s rampant these days.
and (sadly) successful
It’s what passes for intellect.
Agreed.
Congratulations, Jane.
Thank you, Ken 🙂
So striking Jane, congratulations on the publication but considerations for poor Franz
Thank you 🙂 He was a tragic figure, but his paintings are beautiful.
I’ve just been looking Home up, his horses are glorious, the exposed geometry is magnificent. Will have to explore so more
The horses are splendid. They all, the animals and the colours, symbolise qualities and emotions. I love his work.
Looking him up! Sorry, I’m typing on the phone from the bath and trying not to drop the phone!
ha ha! I love these homely details. It’s like skyping without having to look respectable first 🙂
🤭😂😂😂😂🛀🏻
🙂
Great poem, and congrats on the publication!
Thank you!
You poem really met the painting, and the situation. Congratulations! Michael
Thank you, Michael. Marc was a compatriot of yours (Munich) and one of my favourite painters. He sounds like a good human being too.