Possum Creek

sonnet — prompt by Ali

A scene in a dream, iridescent greens Blue water haven, black like the raven Silk screened by some fiend down in New Orleans It seems! …(Now I’m playin’, misbehavin’)

The ponderings of this artist is had A dab here, a stroke there, like an antique If Monet could do it, he would be glad Is that a bridge crashing over that creek

A ghostly presence in shadows of light Perhaps a bridge too far, or one too short A top hat worn in splendor and delight Monet dreamed abstraction, but not this sort

Perhaps a creek named after a possum Awaiting water lilies to blossom

I am reminded of Monet’s Water Lilies in Ali’s painting — without the water lilies of course 😎, but with the water reflection and little Japanese bridge! And Why ‘possum’ ?— it rhymes with ‘blossom’ — and Ali is blossoming! Further, I see a man in a top hat on the “bridge” [left] perhaps Monet himself ! The New Orleans quip is for fun, reflecting Brown Sugar (Rolling Stones) lyric — “sold in a market down in New Orleans”, except here (after writing a Andy Warhol piece recently, and his penchant for the silk-screen) — “silk screened by some fiend down in New Orleans” -lol — making sense comes but a distant second around here I’m afraid!

Ali’s Prompt:

I’ve got exciting news to share my medium readers and friends. This month I teamed up with the fabulous and talented Yana Bostongirl at Coffee Times for a July inspired art prompt.

I am asking my poet friends to give it a go if they feel inspired to. You can also read the article to see some new art pieces that I haven’t shared here on my page. What Emotions Does Art Evoke in You? | by Yana Bostongirl | Coffee Times | Jul, 2022 | Medium

I am asking my poet friends to give it a go if they feel inspired to. You can also read the article to see some new art pieces that I haven’t shared here on my page.

I am tagging Marilyn Glover, Saba Malik, Sara Larca, Dr. Fatima Imam, Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她), Thief, LM, Sharing Words, Arbab Z., Dave Logan, Neera Handa Dr, Vashni Stories, Jade Hadfield

and anyone else who wants to try. I know some others have already been tagged by Yana! No pressure here…

You may never tag me again Ali — lol — but thank you, I had fun! 😎 — you are a wonderful artist ❤

Monet’s Water Lilies: This prompt has given me new appreciation for Monet’s painting! Monet experts will tell you he’s important as a plein-air outdoors painter, describing his appreciation for color, light, etc. Maybe — not so sure! But I have never heard a critic emphasize that it’s all about his ‘sheet’ of flat invisible water as perceived only by the presence of the flat-bottomed lily pads and of course, the diagonal, upside-down reflection from above [sky, trees, etc.], secondary. Whatever picture projects this illusion best, is the most important work on the subject — the most important thing about Monet’s coloring is how it contrasts to reveal this illusion — not the bold color perse. The viewer often overlooks this illusion and just sees a clump of colorings on a flat canvas (which is way off mark). I know critics see this, but they never emphasize it — when it’s the prime motivation for Monet. Monet wanted to paint water, and water lilies sit very flat on the water surface, helping to emphasize it best. Monet didn’t necessarily like water lilies, they were simply his instrument! Anyway — this has been something for me to appreciate, and a bonus for taking the prompt. So thanks again, Ali! ♥