Wednesday 25 July 2007

Forest Design for Goddess and Nymphs

Diana, the virgin goddess, is just an excuse
for naked young women discreetly
veiled by hanging creepers
walking with familiar panthers
watched by cheeky monkeys
and black and white birds

Young hunters, women and felines, curve
along with the undergrowth
blend, unthreatening, into design

black is hair is leaf is monkey tail
red is hair is branch is ground
gold is leaf is hunting panther

Stylised forest of fluid movement
shimmers with gold-leaf
with light and the humour
of the wee green car in the corner.



Inspired by this painting

(Unfortunately the picture doesn't seem to load on the linked page at the minute. Sorry about that. I don't know where else to find the painting. It's Diana and her Nymphs by Robert Burns and yes it does have a little green car in the corner!)

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Crafty,

The painting won't open on my computer. :(

I can picture it though, I like the sensuous flow of your poem. The aura of danger lurking in the jungle growth.

Crafty Green Poet said...

HI Brian
That's annoying. I thought it was just a temporary glitch on my machine, because that picture used to load fine. I visited it often while I was writing the poem!

Marcia (MeeAugraphie) said...

I couldn't get the painting either. I do love the way you used "is" in the next to the last verse.

I awarded you a Blogger for Postitive Global Change nomination on tumbledwords.com!! I could not find an email address for you so had to notify you this way.

abby - the geek girl said...

Hello! I would like to interview you about your poetry for my Blogathon blog. If you are interested please comment on my blog with your email and I will send you the form. Thanks!! :)

Clare said...

Hi Crafty! This has got to be one of the best poems I've ever read. I'm not exaggerating. I love the flow of it -- it's slinky and clever, sexy and colorful. Your third stanza is brilliant and filled me with awe. And the "cheeky monkeys" are really cute. Thank you!

Rethabile said...

No picture on my rickety computer, either. Nevertheless, your poem is good and doesn't need the picture at all. It thrusts me right into the forests of the Congo.

Anonymous said...

great poem crafty. it flows so beautifully. it sounds so surreal

Andrea Leigh said...

Yay for Poetry Thursday--keep on greening, crafty one ;-) I just wanted to let you know that my site has been hacked, so it may be down for a bit, not that you were planning on rushing right over there, but if you happened to drop by ;-(

paris parfait said...

When I tried to open the painting, it crashed my computer! And I really like the lush imagery of your poem, although I don't understand the bit about the "wee green car in the corner." Perhaps that's something to do with the image I couldn't open?

Deb said...

Yes and yes to is and is...that stanza captured me as well. (I couldn't get there, either, and tried to go to "B"s and back to Burns. But no matter. The image you painted was rich enough.

Anonymous said...

The stanza that grabbed me-- "black is hair is leaf is monkey tail
red is hair is branch is ground
gold is leaf is hunting panther"
Seems we didn't need to see the painting; your words painted the picture for us beautifully!

Constance Brewer said...

Wonderful! I like the layered imagery in this poem.

Anonymous said...

The picture did not load but I like the poem for what is. Wonderfully rich imagery.

leonie.wise said...

i like the idea of woman and jungle/nature. the sensual nature of the words, as well as the flow is fantastic!

Regina said...

Your words paint the picture here... excellent!

chicklegirl said...

Ditto what others have said--the third stanza really rocks. I like the first one, too.

Gilson said...

It feels like there's a connection to everything. Nice poem!

Joyce Ellen Davis said...

I enjoyed reading your poem-- tried to open the picture (in spite of what everyone else has said) and, guess what!? It wouldn't open....

paisley said...

i have a few photos of diana.. and she is inspiring to say the least...this was wonderfuly written,, and definitely didn't need the photo to sharpen the imagery...

Tammy Brierly said...

I think you you created a wonderful picture with your words. I enjoyed the "cheeky monkeys" and the use of "is." Wonderful poem!

Michelle said...

I also enjoyed the "is" stanza -- it has a lush feel that fits with the mood of the poetry.

Tumblewords: said...

Awesome! I searched for the painting and had no luck but your words paint the picture!

BeLoved.... said...

This is so good.... the words work with the images perfectly.

(the picture wouldn't open for me either),

BeLoved.... said...

ps- i also just added you to my blogroll (hope that is ok).

Anonymous said...

hi, don't know if anyone's already said but you can find the painting of "Diana and her Nymphs" if u search it on the National Galleries of Scotland website =]

Crafty Green Poet said...

hi anonymous, yes I put in a link to the page in the galleries site, but for some people it doesn't work...